Title

The "Deny log on through Remote Desktop Services" user right on Windows 11 workstations must be configured to prevent access from highly privileged domain accounts and local accounts on domain systems and unauthenticated access on all systems. (Cat II impact)

Discussion

Inappropriate granting of user rights can provide system, administrative, and other high-level capabilities. The "Deny log on through Remote Desktop Services" right defines the accounts that are prevented from logging on using Remote Desktop Services. If Remote Desktop Services is not used by the organization, the Everyone group must be assigned this right to prevent all access. In an Active Directory Domain, denying logons to the Enterprise Admins and Domain Admins groups on lower trust systems helps mitigate the risk of privilege escalation from credential theft attacks, which could lead to the compromise of an entire domain. Local accounts on domain-joined systems must also be assigned this right to decrease the risk of lateral movement resulting from credential theft attacks. The Guests group must be assigned this right to prevent unauthenticated access.

Check Content

Verify the effective setting in Local Group Policy Editor. Run "gpedit.msc". Navigate to Local Computer Policy >> Computer Configuration >> Windows Settings >> Security Settings >> Local Policies >> User Rights Assignment. If the following groups or accounts are not defined for the "Deny log on through Remote Desktop Services" right, this is a finding: If Remote Desktop Services is not used by the organization, the "Everyone" group can replace all of the groups listed below. Domain Systems Only: Enterprise Admins group Domain Admins group Local account (see Note below) All Systems: Guests group Privileged Access Workstations (PAWs) dedicated to the management of Active Directory are exempt from denying the Enterprise Admins and Domain Admins groups. (See the Windows Privileged Access Workstation STIG for PAW requirements.) Note: "Local account" is a built-in security group used to assign user rights and permissions to all local accounts.

Fix Text

Configure the policy value for Computer Configuration >> Windows Settings >> Security Settings >> Local Policies >> User Rights Assignment >> "Deny log on through Remote Desktop Services" to include the following: If Remote Desktop Services is not used by the organization, assign the Everyone group this right to prevent all access. Domain Systems Only: Enterprise Admins group Domain Admins group Local account (see Note below) All Systems: Guests group Privileged Access Workstations (PAWs) dedicated to the management of Active Directory are exempt from denying the Enterprise Admins and Domain Admins groups. (See the Windows Privileged Access Workstation STIG for PAW requirements.) Note: "Local account" is a built-in security group used to assign user rights and permissions to all local accounts.

Additional Identifiers

Rule ID: SV-253495r829569_rule

Vulnerability ID: V-253495

Group Title: SRG-OS-000080-GPOS-00048

Expert Comments

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