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18.9.5.3 Ensure 'Turn On Virtualization Based Security: Credential Guard Configuration' is set to 'Enabled with UEFI lock'

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

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Information

This setting lets users turn on Credential Guard with virtualization-based security to help protect credentials. The 'Enabled with UEFI lock' option ensures that Credential Guard cannot be disabled remotely. In order to disable the feature, you must set the Group Policy to 'Disabled' as well as remove the security functionality from each computer, with a physically present user, in order to clear configuration persisted in UEFI.

The recommended state for this setting is: Enabled with UEFI lock.

Note: Virtualization Based Security requires a 64-bit version of Windows with Secure Boot enabled, which in turn requires that Windows was installed with a UEFI BIOS configuration, not a Legacy BIOS configuration. In addition, if running Windows on a virtual machine, the hardware-assisted CPU virtualization feature (Intel VT-x or AMD-V) must be exposed by the host to the guest VM.

More information on system requirements for this feature can be found at Windows Defender Credential Guard Requirements (Windows 10) | Microsoft Docs

Note #2: Credential Guard and Device Guard are not currently supported when using Azure IaaS VMs.

Rationale:

The Enabled with UEFI lock option ensures that Credential Guard cannot be disabled remotely.

Impact:

Warning: All drivers on the system must be compatible with this feature or the system may crash. Ensure that this policy setting is only deployed to computers which are known to be compatible.

Warning #2: Once this setting is turned on and active, Credential Guard cannot be disabled solely via GPO or any other remote method. After removing the setting from GPO, the features must also be manually disabled locally at the machine using the steps provided at this link:

Manage Windows Defender Credential Guard (Windows 10) | Microsoft Docs

Warning #3: Windows Autopilot - Policy Conflicts: This policy requires a reboot to apply. As a result, prompts may appear when modifying user account control (UAC) settings during the Out of the Box Experience (OOBE) using the device Enrollment Status Page (ESP). Increased prompts are more likely if the device reboots after policies are applied. To work around this issue, the policies can be targeted to users instead of devices so that they apply later in the process.

Solution

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

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/DeviceGuard/LsaCfgFlags
Data type: Integer
Value: 1

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.

See Also

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

Item Details

References: CSCv7|8.3

Plugin: Windows

Control ID: 5eb33347b1be5bdfe5e8da3ee4cc72cc6505525321205023044452d969d85e07