Title

Enhanced protected mode functionality must be enforced. (Cat II impact)

Discussion

Enhanced Protected Mode provides additional protection against malicious websites by using 64-bit processes on 64-bit versions of Windows. For computers running at least Windows 8, Enhanced Protected Mode also limits the locations Internet Explorer can read from in the registry and the file system. If you enable this policy setting, Enhanced Protected Mode will be turned on. Any zone that has Protected Mode enabled will use Enhanced Protected Mode. Users will not be able to disable Enhanced Protected Mode. If you disable this policy setting, Enhanced Protected Mode will be turned off. Any zone that has Protected Mode enabled will use the version of Protected Mode introduced in Internet Explorer 7 for Windows Vista. If you do not configure this policy, users will be able to turn on or turn off Enhanced Protected Mode on the Advanced tab of the Internet Options dialog.

Check Content

The policy value for Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Internet Explorer-> Internet Control Panel-> Advanced Page "Turn on Enhanced Protected Mode" must be "Enabled". Procedure: Use the Windows Registry Editor to navigate to the following key: HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main Criteria: If the value Isolation is REG_SZ = PMEM, this is not a finding.

Fix Text

Set the policy value for Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Internet Explorer-> Internet Control Panel-> Advanced Page "Turn on Enhanced Protected Mode" to "Enabled".

Additional Identifiers

Rule ID: SV-45147r1_rule

Vulnerability ID: V-34461

Group Title: DTBI995 - Enhanced Protected Mode

Expert Comments

CCIs tied to check.

Controls tied to check. These are derived from the CCIs shown above.