2.2.22 Ensure 'Force shutdown from a remote system' is set to 'Administrators'

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Information

This policy setting allows users to shut down Windows Vista-based or newer computers from remote locations on the network. Anyone who has been assigned this user right can cause a denial of service (DoS) condition, which would make the computer unavailable to service user requests. Therefore, it is recommended that only highly trusted administrators be assigned this user right.

The recommended state for this setting is: Administrators.

Rationale:

Any user who can shut down a computer could cause a DoS condition to occur. Therefore, this user right should be tightly restricted.

Impact:

If you remove the Force shutdown from a remote system user right from the Server Operators group you could limit the abilities of users who are assigned to specific administrative roles in your environment. You should confirm that delegated activities will not be adversely affected.

Solution

To establish the recommended configuration via GP, set the following UI path to Administrators:

Computer Configuration\Policies\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\User Rights Assignment\Force shutdown from a remote system

Default Value:

Administrators.

See Also

https://workbench.cisecurity.org/benchmarks/12412