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User Account Control

Configure Windows User Account Control to mitigate risk of adversaries obtaining elevated process access.

ID: M1052
Version: 1.1
Created: 11 June 2019
Last Modified: 31 March 2020
Enterprise Layer
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Techniques Addressed by Mitigation

Domain ID Name Use
Enterprise T1546 .011 事件触发执行: Application Shimming

Changing UAC settings to "Always Notify" will give the user more visibility when UAC elevation is requested, however, this option will not be popular among users due to the constant UAC interruptions.
Enterprise T1550 .002 使用备用认证材料: Pass the Hash

Enable pass the hash mitigations to apply UAC restrictions to local accounts on network logon. The associated Registry key is located HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\LocalAccountTokenFilterPolicy.

Through GPO: Computer Configuration > [Policies] > Administrative Templates > SCM: Pass the Hash Mitigations: Apply UAC restrictions to local accounts on network logons.[1]
Enterprise T1574 劫持执行流

Turn off UAC's privilege elevation for standard users [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System] to automatically deny elevation requests, add: "ConsentPromptBehaviorUser"=dword:00000000. Consider enabling installer detection for all users by adding: "EnableInstallerDetection"=dword:00000001. This will prompt for a password for installation and also log the attempt. To disable installer detection, instead add: "EnableInstallerDetection"=dword:00000000. This may prevent potential elevation of privileges through exploitation during the process of UAC detecting the installer, but will allow the installation process to continue without being logged. [2]
.005 Executable Installer File Permissions Weakness

Turn off UAC's privilege elevation for standard users [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System] to automatically deny elevation requests, add: "ConsentPromptBehaviorUser"=dword:00000000. Consider enabling installer detection for all users by adding: "EnableInstallerDetection"=dword:00000001. This will prompt for a password for installation and also log the attempt. To disable installer detection, instead add: "EnableInstallerDetection"=dword:00000000. This may prevent potential elevation of privileges through exploitation during the process of UAC detecting the installer, but will allow the installation process to continue without being logged. [2]
.010 Services File Permissions Weakness

Turn off UAC's privilege elevation for standard users [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System]to automatically deny elevation requests, add: "ConsentPromptBehaviorUser"=dword:00000000. Consider enabling installer detection for all users by adding: "EnableInstallerDetection"=dword:00000001. This will prompt for a password for installation and also log the attempt. To disable installer detection, instead add: "EnableInstallerDetection"=dword:00000000. This may prevent potential elevation of privileges through exploitation during the process of UAC detecting the installer, but will allow the installation process to continue without being logged.[2]
Enterprise T1548 滥用权限提升控制机制

Although UAC bypass techniques exist, it is still prudent to use the highest enforcement level for UAC when possible and mitigate bypass opportunities that exist with techniques such as DLL Search Order Hijacking.
.002 Bypass User Account Control

Although UAC bypass techniques exist, it is still prudent to use the highest enforcement level for UAC when possible and mitigate bypass opportunities that exist with techniques such as DLL Search Order Hijacking.

References

  1. NSA IAD. (2017, January 24). MS Security Guide. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  1. Stefan Kanthak. (2015, December 8). Executable installers are vulnerable^WEVIL (case 7): 7z*.exe allows remote code execution with escalation of privilege. Retrieved December 4, 2014.