18.10.43.11.2 Ensure 'Turn on e-mail scanning' is set to 'Enabled'

Information

This policy setting allows you to configure e-mail scanning. When e-mail scanning is enabled, the engine will parse the mailbox and mail files, according to their specific format, in order to analyze the mail bodies and attachments. Several e-mail formats are currently supported, for example: pst (Outlook), dbx, mbx, mime (Outlook Express), binhex (Mac).

The recommended state for this setting is: Enabled.

Rationale:

Incoming e-mails should be scanned by an antivirus solution such as Microsoft Defender Antivirus, as email attachments are a commonly used attack vector to infiltrate computers with malicious software.

Impact:

E-mail scanning by Microsoft Defender Antivirus will be enabled.

Solution

To establish the recommended configuration, set the following Device Configuration Policy to Enabled:

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 (Administrative Templates)

Click Create

Enter a Name

Click Next

Configure the following Setting

Path: Computer Configuration\Windows Components\Microsoft Defender Antivirus\Scan
Setting Name: Turn on e-mail scanning
Configuration: Enabled

Select OK

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

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

Default Value:

Disabled. (E-mail scanning by Microsoft Defender Antivirus will be disabled.)

See Also

https://workbench.cisecurity.org/benchmarks/14664

Item Details

Category: SYSTEM AND INFORMATION INTEGRITY

References: 800-53|SI-3, CSCv7|8.1

Plugin: Windows

Control ID: 7d5c9f7802a02c40513ed8111212a1040910e82880413b058cd621caa883c8c4