Details

Allowing user to make changes to an application case cause a security risk.

When the Default PDF Handler is disabled, the end users will not be able to change the default PDF viewer.

Solution

Configure the following registry value:

Registry Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Registry Path: SoftwarePoliciesAdobeAcrobat Reader2015FeatureLockDown

Value Name: bDisablePDFHandlerSwitching
Type: REG_DWORD
Value: 1

Supportive Information

The following resource is also helpful.

• https://dl.dod.cyber.mil/wp-content/uploads/stigs/zip/U_Adobe_Acrobat_Reader_DC_Classic_V2R1_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-5(6)
• CAT|III
• CCI|CCI-001499
• Rule-ID|SV-213149r557349_rule
• STIG-ID|ARDC-CL-000050
• STIG-Legacy|SV-80267
• STIG-Legacy|V-65777
• Vuln-ID|V-213149

Source

• Tenable.com/audits