Re: [NTSEC] Inherent weaknesses in NT System Policies

From: Collin Chaffin (cmchaffat_private)
Date: Fri Feb 19 1999 - 18:48:55 PST

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    David Litchfield Wrote:
    
    >This policy can be broken in a matter of minutes:
    >On running MS Word a user clicks on File on the Menu Bar, and goes down
    >to Open. They are shown a list of directories and files. The user could
    >try to right click on a folder and go down to Explore but the right-
    >click menu has been disabled; So instead they drag a folder to the Start
    >Button on the Taskbar and release. .....
    
    ---------
    This can be avoided by selecting a custom start menu location from the
    network where they do not have write access.  This also aids in overall
    remote desktop management.
    ---------
    
    >This will place a shortcut to that folder on the Start Menu. This
    >shortcut will be stored in their profile directory. On clicking on it,
    >Explorer is opened up, which not normally have direct (ie non-shell)
    >access to. The default WINNT directory has been hidden from view by the
    >system policy - however, by clicking on Tools on the Explorer Menu Bar
    
    ---------
    The "tools" and "view" can be restricted via policies as well.  End of that
    particular scenario.
    ---------
    
    >Even if .reg has be dis-associated from Regedit.exe, by default a normal
    >user has the relevant permissions to re-associate it. This is done from
    >the Folder Options option found under View on the Explorer Menu Bar.
    
    ---------
    The "view" can be restricted via policies as well.
    ---------
    
    >To stop this from happening the Administrator should only give Admins
    >access to regedit.exe and regedt32.exe using NTFS file permissions and
    >deny access to everyone else.
    
    ---------
    I agree.
    ---------
    
    >As can be seen, even a restrictive but at least useable System Policy
    >can thus be broken. It is not simply enough to create a policy. A lot
    >more work needs to go into this if Admins wish to limit and restrict what
    >their users can and cannot do.
    
    ---------
    I disagree, a well designed policy can very effectively restrict typical
    end-users.  It will be very difficult to successfully manage Windows2000
    without intimate knowledge of system policies.
    ---------
    
    
    Collin Chaffin
    



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