Title

User Account Control must switch to the secure desktop when prompting for elevation. (Cat II impact)

Discussion

User Account Control (UAC) is a security mechanism for limiting the elevation of privileges, including administrative accounts, unless authorized. This setting ensures that the elevation prompt is only used in secure desktop mode.

Check Content

Analyze the system using the Security Configuration and Analysis snap-in. (See "Performing Analysis with the Security Configuration and Analysis Snap-in" in the STIG Overview document.) Expand the Security Configuration and Analysis tree view. Navigate to Local Policies -> Security Options. If the value for "User Account Control: Switch to the secure desktop when prompting for elevation" is not set to "Enabled", this is a finding. The policy referenced configures the following registry value: Registry Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE Registry Path: \Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\ Value Name: PromptOnSecureDesktop Value Type: REG_DWORD Value: 1

Fix Text

Configure the policy value for Computer Configuration -> Windows Settings -> Security Settings -> Local Policies -> Security Options -> "User Account Control: Switch to the secure desktop when prompting for elevation" to "Enabled".

Additional Identifiers

Rule ID: SV-48200r2_rule

Vulnerability ID: V-14241

Group Title: UAC - Secure Desktop Mode

Expert Comments

CCIs tied to check.

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