18.10.43.12.1 Ensure 'Configure Watson events' is set to 'Disabled' - Disabled

Information

This policy setting allows you to configure whether or not Watson events are sent.

The recommended state for this setting is: Disabled.

Rationale:

Watson events are the reports that get sent to Microsoft when a program or service crashes or fails, including the possibility of automatic submission. Preventing this information from being sent can help reduce privacy concerns.

Impact:

Watson events will not be sent to Microsoft automatically when a program or service crashes or fails.

Solution

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

Computer Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Microsoft Defender Antivirus\Reporting\Configure Watson events

Note: This Group Policy path may not exist by default. It is provided by the Group Policy template WindowsDefender.admx/adml that is included with the Microsoft Windows 8.1 & Server 2012 R2 Administrative Templates (or newer).

Default Value:

Enabled. (Watson events will be sent to Microsoft automatically when a program or service crashes or fails.)

See Also

https://workbench.cisecurity.org/benchmarks/12626

Item Details

Category: SECURITY ASSESSMENT AND AUTHORIZATION

References: 800-53|CA-7, CSCv7|13.3

Plugin: Windows

Control ID: c8da1f85a3a9de74080d2e8a9af2ff1a6a5c8c2c6fa51d3ec70784e9368f663b