Title

Microsoft Defender AV must control whether exclusions are visible to Local Admins. (Cat II impact)

Discussion

Disabled (Default): If this setting is not configured or disabled, local admins can see exclusions in the Windows Security App or via PowerShell. Enabled: If this setting is enabled, local admins no longer see the exclusion list in Windows Security App or via PowerShell.O13. Note: Applying this setting will not remove exclusions, it only prevents them from being visible to local admins. This is reflected in?Get-MpPreference.I13.

Check Content

Verify the policy value for Computer Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Windows Components >> Microsoft Defender Antivirus >> Control whether or not exclusions are visible to Local Admins is set to "Enabled"; otherwise, this is a finding. Procedure: Use the Windows Registry Editor to navigate to the following key: HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender Criteria: If the value "HideExclusionsFromLocalUsers" is REG_DWORD = 1, this is not a finding. If the value is 0, this is a finding.

Fix Text

Set the policy value for Computer Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Windows Components >> Microsoft Defender Antivirus >> Control whether or not exclusions are visible to Local Admins to "Enabled". Click "OK". Click "Apply".

Additional Identifiers

Rule ID: SV-278658r1144053_rule

Vulnerability ID: V-278658

Group Title: SRG-APP-000210

Expert Comments

CCIs tied to check.

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