The "Deny log on through Remote Desktop Services" user right on Windows 11 workstations must be configured to prevent access from highly privileged domain accounts and local accounts on domain systems and unauthenticated access on all systems.
An XCCDF Rule
Description
<VulnDiscussion>Inappropriate granting of user rights can provide system, administrative, and other high-level capabilities. The "Deny log on through Remote Desktop Services" right defines the accounts that are prevented from logging on using Remote Desktop Services. If Remote Desktop Services is not used by the organization, the Everyone group must be assigned this right to prevent all access. In an Active Directory Domain, denying logons to the Enterprise Admins and Domain Admins groups on lower trust systems helps mitigate the risk of privilege escalation from credential theft attacks, which could lead to the compromise of an entire domain. Local accounts on domain-joined systems must also be assigned this right to decrease the risk of lateral movement resulting from credential theft attacks. The Guests group must be assigned this right to prevent unauthenticated access.</VulnDiscussion><FalsePositives></FalsePositives><FalseNegatives></FalseNegatives><Documentable>false</Documentable><Mitigations></Mitigations><SeverityOverrideGuidance></SeverityOverrideGuidance><PotentialImpacts></PotentialImpacts><ThirdPartyTools></ThirdPartyTools><MitigationControl></MitigationControl><Responsibility></Responsibility><IAControls></IAControls>
- ID
- SV-253495r958472_rule
- Severity
- Medium
- References
- Updated
Remediation - Manual Procedure
Configure the policy value for Computer Configuration >> Windows Settings >> Security Settings >> Local Policies >> User Rights Assignment >> "Deny log on through Remote Desktop Services" to include the following:
If Remote Desktop Services is not used by the organization, assign the Everyone group this right to prevent all access.
Domain Systems Only:
Enterprise Admins group