2.2.2 Ensure 'Access this computer from the network' is set to 'Administrators, Remote Desktop Users'

Warning! Audit Deprecated

This audit has been deprecated and will be removed in a future update.

View Next Audit Version

Information

This policy setting allows other users on the network to connect to the computer and is required by various network protocols that include Server Message Block (SMB)-based protocols, NetBIOS, Common Internet File System (CIFS), and Component Object Model Plus (COM+).

The recommended state for this setting is: Administrators, Remote Desktop Users.

Rationale:

Users who can connect from their computer to the network can access resources on target computers for which they have permission. For example, the Access this computer from the network user right is required for users to connect to shared printers and folders. If this user right is assigned to the Everyone group, then anyone will be able to read the files in those shared folders. However, this situation is unlikely for new installations of Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 (SP1), because the default share and NTFS permissions in Windows Server 2003 do not include the Everyone group. This vulnerability may have a higher level of risk for computers that you upgrade from Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 2000, because the default permissions for these operating systems are not as restrictive as the default permissions in Windows Server 2003.

Impact:

If you remove the Access this computer from the network user right on Domain Controllers for all users, no one will be able to log on to the domain or use network resources. If you remove this user right on Member Servers, users will not be able to connect to those servers through the network. Successful negotiation of IPsec connections requires that the initiating machine has this right, therefore if using IPsec, it is recommended that it be assigned to the Authenticated Users group. If you have installed optional components such as ASP.NET or Internet Information Services (IIS), you may need to assign this user right to additional accounts that are required by those components. It is important to verify that authorized users are assigned this user right for the computers they need to access the network.

Solution

To establish the recommended configuration, set the following Device Configuration Policy to Administrators, Remote Desktop Users:

To access the Device Configuration Policy from the Intune Home page:

Click Devices

Click Configuration profiles

Click Create profile

Select the platform (Windows 10 and later)

Select the profile (Custom)

Click Create

Enter a Name

Click Next

Configure the following Setting

Name: <Enter name>
Description: <Enter Description>
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/UserRights/AccessFromNetwork
Data type: String
Value: Administrators, Remote Desktop Users

Note: When there is more than one value that needs to be entered (ex: Guests, Administrator), the XML value of will need to be converted to US-ASCII to separate the values in the Value field of the Custom Device Configuration Policy. This value should convert to a square with a question mark in it (). Please note that when copied from the converter to Intune a square will appear, but the value will still work. Also note that this value cannot be copied from sources like Microsoft Word. We recommend that the value be copied and used directly from the converter.

Select OK

Continue through the Wizard to complete the creation of the profile (profile assignments, applicability etc.)

Note #2: More than one configuration setting from each of the Configuration profiles (ex: Administrative Templates, Custom etc.) can be added to each Device Configuration Policy.

Note #3: The following link is an alternative way to set the 'User Rights Assignment' section. Policy CSP - UserRights - Windows Client Management | Microsoft Docs

Default Value:

Administrators, Backup Operators, Everyone, Users.

See Also

https://workbench.cisecurity.org/files/3358