9.3.1 Ensure 'Windows Firewall: Public: Firewall state' is set to 'On (recommended)'

Information

This policy setting controls whether the built-in Public Firewall state is enabled or disabled.

The recommended state for this setting is: On (recommended).

If the firewall is turned off all traffic will be able to access the system, and a threat actor may be able to remotely exploit a weakness in a network service.

Solution

To establish the recommended configuration via GP, set the following UI path to On (recommended):

Computer Configuration\Policies\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security\Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security\Windows Defender Firewall Properties\Public Profile\Firewall state

Impact:

None - this is the default behavior.

See Also

https://workbench.cisecurity.org/benchmarks/27832

Item Details

Category: SYSTEM AND COMMUNICATIONS PROTECTION

References: 800-53|SC-7, 800-53|SC-7(5), CSCv7|9.4

Plugin: Windows

Control ID: 23e09a91063c2151425c00abf5d72a8f37ff9824978b62d7fb785d0e0d83d290