Vulnerability Discussion

Inappropriate granting of user rights can provide system, administrative, and other high-level capabilities.

Accounts with the "Debug programs" user right can attach a debugger to any process or to the kernel, providing complete access to sensitive and critical operating system components. This right is given to Administrators in the default configuration.

Check

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 any accounts or groups other than the following are granted the "Debug programs" user right, this is a finding:

- Administrators

For server core installations, run the following command:

Secedit /Export /Areas User_Rights /cfg c:\path\filename.txt

Review the text file.

If any SIDs other than the following are granted the "SeDebugPrivilege" user right, this is a finding:

S-1-5-32-544 (Administrators)

If an application requires this user right, this would not be a finding.

Vendor documentation must support the requirement for having the user right.

The requirement must be documented with the Information System Security Officer (ISSO).

The application account must meet requirements for application account passwords, such as length (WN22-00-000050) and required frequency of changes (WN22-00-000060).

Passwords for application accounts with this user right must be protected as highly privileged accounts.

Fix

Configure the policy value for Computer Configuration >> Windows Settings >> Security Settings >> Local Policies >> User Rights Assignment >> Debug programs to include only the following accounts or groups:

- Administrators