Software certificate installation files must be removed from Windows Server 2016.

STIG ID: WN16-00-000270  |  SRG: SRG-OS-000480-GPOS-00227 |  Severity: medium |  CCI: CCI-000366 |  Vulnerability Id: V-224842 | 

Vulnerability Discussion

Use of software certificates and their accompanying installation files for end users to access resources is less secure than the use of hardware-based certificates.

Check

Search all drives for *.p12 and *.pfx files.

If any files with these extensions exist, this is a finding.

This does not apply to server-based applications that have a requirement for .p12 certificate files or Adobe PreFlight certificate files. Some applications create files with extensions of .p12 that are not certificate installation files. Removal of non-certificate installation files from systems is not required. These must be documented with the ISSO.

Fix

Remove any certificate installation files (*.p12 and *.pfx) found on a system.

Note: This does not apply to server-based applications that have a requirement for .p12 certificate files or Adobe PreFlight certificate files.
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