The Microsoft Defender SmartScreen for Explorer must be enabled.

Documentable No

Rule ID SV-253395r958478_rule

CCI References

CCI-000381

Discussion

Microsoft Defender SmartScreen helps protect systems from programs downloaded from the internet that may be malicious. Enabling Microsoft Defender SmartScreen will warn or prevent users from running potentially malicious programs.

Check Procedure

This is applicable to unclassified systems, for other systems this is NA.

If the following registry values do not exist or are not configured as specified, this is a finding:

Registry Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Registry Path: \SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System\

Value Name: EnableSmartScreen

Value Type: REG_DWORD
Value: 0x00000001 (1)

And

Registry Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Registry Path: \SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System\

Value Name: ShellSmartScreenLevel

Value Type: REG_SZ
Value: Block

Fix Action

Configure the policy value for Computer Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Windows Components >> File Explorer >> "Configure Windows Defender SmartScreen" to "Enabled" with "Warn and prevent bypass" selected. 

Windows 11 includes duplicate policies for this setting. It can also be configured under Computer Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Windows Components >> Windows Defender SmartScreen >> Explorer.