1.4 Ensure that the underlying Internet Information Services (IIS) Authentication module is set to use Kerberos as its Authentication Provider

Information

The Kerberos protocol is a more secure protocol than NTLM and is based on ticketing. In
this scheme, a user provides a valid user name and password to an authentication server.
Then, the authentication server grants the user a ticket. The ticket can be used on the
network to request network resources.

Rationale:

The NTLM protocol has a number of vulnerabilities where a malicious attacker can use a
pass the hash attack to gain access to user credentials. The Kerberos protocol is a more
secure protocol based on a ticketing system and is recommended.

Solution

Navigate to the Inetpub\Adminscripts folder using a Command Prompt window on the server that is running IIS

1. Enter the command cd Drive:\inetpub\adminscripts in the command prompt window.
Note In this command, Drive is the drive where Microsoft Windows is installed.
2. Enter the command cscript adsutil.vbs get w3svc/##/root/NTAuthenticationProviders in the command prompt window.
Note In this command, ## is the virtual server ID number. The virtual server ID number of the Default Web site in IIS is 1.
3. Enter the command cscript adsutil.vbs set w3svc/##/root/NTAuthenticationProviders Negotiate,NTLM
Note In this command, ## is the virtual server ID number.
4. Enter the following command in the command prompt window iisreset to reset IIS.

Impact:

A malicious attacker could exploit vulnerabilities in old NTLM protocols and gain access to user and administrative credentials.

Default Value:

NTLM

See Also

https://workbench.cisecurity.org/files/2395

Item Details

Category: SYSTEM AND COMMUNICATIONS PROTECTION

References: 800-53|SC-13, CSCv6|16.9

Plugin: Windows

Control ID: 77067a0b0664ae82644996ff2f225dd0220e0c46b776c51b221c2d2e929b8875