Details

Allowing a system to automatically log on when the machine is booted could give access to any unauthorized individual who restarts the computer. Automatic logon with administrator privileges would give full access to an unauthorized individual.

Solution

Configure the policy value for Computer Configuration -> Windows Settings -> Security Settings -> Local Policies -> Security Options -> ‘MSS- (AutoAdminLogon) Enable Automatic Logon (not recommended)’ to ‘Disabled’.

Ensure no passwords are stored in the ‘DefaultPassword’ registry value noted below.

Registry Hive- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Subkey- SoftwareMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionWinlogon

Value Name- DefaultPassword

Supportive Information

The following resource is also helpful.

• http://iasecontent.disa.mil/stigs/zip/Oct2016/U_Windows_Vista_V6R41_STIG.zip

This security hardening control applies to the following category of controls within NIST 800-53: Configuration Management.This control applies to the following type of system Windows.

References

• 800-53|CM-6b.
• CAT|II
• CCI|CCI-000366
• CSCv6|16
• Rule-ID|SV-29006r2_rule
• STIG-ID|3.040
• Vuln-ID|V-1145

Source

• Tenable.com/audits