Microsoft Windows 11 Security Technical Implementation Guide

The Microsoft Windows 11 Security Technical Implementation Guide (V2 R11) has 257 STIG checks. New to STIG checklists? Read What is a STIG checklist?, CKL vs CKLB, and STIG vs SCAP benchmark.

Find STIG checks

257STIG checks

Search filters this STIG's checks locally. Separate terms must all match (use quotes for an exact phrase). A search you ran on the Search page carries over here.

Severity

Version

V2 · R11

CurrentPublished Wed Sep 30 2026

Indexing of encrypted files must be turned off.

Microsoft Windows 11 Security Technical Implementation Guide

Assessment Title

Rule Text

Indexing of encrypted files must be turned off.

Description

Discussion Text

Indexing of encrypted files may expose sensitive data. This setting prevents encrypted files from being indexed.

Note: A different registry location is needed when systems are managed by Intune versus GPO.

New to STIG checklists? Read What is a STIG checklist? and CKL vs CKLB.

Objective

V-253409

Rule

SV-253409r1210297_rule

Severity

medium

Rule Version

WN11-CC-000305

Documentable

false

IA Controls

NIST SP 800-53

Rev 5

Assessment Procedure

Check Text

If the following registry value does not exist or is not configured as specified, this is a finding:

Registry Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Registry Path: \SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Search\  (For GPO-managed systems)
Or
Registry Path: \Software\Microsoft\Policymanager\current\device\search  (For Intune-managed systems)
 
Value Name: AllowIndexingEncryptedStoresOrItems

Value Type: REG_DWORD
Value: 0

Implementation Procedure

Fix Text

For GPO-managed systems:

Configure the policy value for Computer Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Windows Components >> Search >> "Allow indexing of encrypted files" to "Disabled".

For Intune-managed systems:

Revise the Intune policy to disable indexing of encrypted files.

STIG check 148 of 257 in the Microsoft Windows 11 STIG checklist

← Previous · V-253408Basic authentication for RSS feeds over HTTP must not be used.Next · V-253410 →Users must be prevented from changing installation options.