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SCM63ba4df81cec49c487911550bfb387d6

Monitor_SCM63ba4df81cec49c487911550bfb387d6 (UnitMonitor)

This policy setting controls whether User Interface Accessibility (UIAccess or UIA) programs can automatically disable the secure desktop for elevation prompts used by a standard user.

Knowledge Base article:

External

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=243138

Element properties:

TargetMicrosoft.KnowledgeServices.SCM.Windows.Server.2008.R2.Security
Parent MonitorSystem.Health.ConfigurationState
CategoryAlert
EnabledTrue
Alert GenerateTrue
Alert SeverityError
Alert PriorityNormal
Alert Auto ResolveTrue
Monitor TypeMicrosoft.KnowledgeServices.Library.PowerShellMonitorEx
RemotableTrue
AccessibilityPublic
Alert Message
User Account Control: Allow UIAccess applications to prompt for elevation without using the secure desktop
<Details>
<Content>This policy setting controls whether User Interface Accessibility (UIAccess or UIA) programs can automatically disable the secure desktop for elevation prompts used by a standard user. Enabled: UIA programs, including Windows Remote Assistance, automatically disable the secure desktop for elevation prompts. If you do not disable the "User Account Control: Switch to the secure desktop when prompting for elevation" policy setting, the prompts appear on the interactive user's desktop instead of the secure desktop. Disabled: (Default) The secure desktop can be disabled only by the user of the interactive desktop or by disabling the "User Account Control: Switch to the secure desktop when prompting for elevation" policy setting.

Consideration:
One of the risks that the UAC feature introduced with Windows Vista is trying to mitigate is that of malicious software running under elevated credentials without the user or administrator being aware of its activity. This setting allows the administrator to perform operations that require elevated privileges while connected via Remote Assistance. This increases security in that organizations can use UAC even when end user support is provided remotely. However, it also reduces security by adding the risk that an administrator might allow an unprivileged user to share elevated privileges for an application that the adminstrator needs to use during the Remote Desktop session.

Impact:
If you enable this setting, ("User Account Control: Allow UIAccess applications to prompt for elevation without using the secure desktop"), requests for elevation are automatically sent to the interactive desktop (not the secure desktop) and also appear on the remote administrator's view of the desktop during a Windows Remote Assistance session, and the remote administrator is able to provide the appropriate credentials for elevation. This setting does not change the behavior of the UAC elevation prompt for administrators.

Recommendation:
To reduce the risk of a user gaining elevated privileges disable this setting.

Group Policy Path:
Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\Security Options\User Account Control: Allow UIAccess applications to prompt for elevation without using the secure desktop</Content>
<CollectedInformation>
<Info>
<Name>Recommended Value</Name>
<Value>Disabled</Value>
</Info>
<Info>
<Name>Actual Value</Name>
<Value>{0}</Value>
</Info>
</CollectedInformation>
</Details>
RunAsDefault
CommentSupportTopic=TBD;VersionNumber=1.0.0.1;

Source Code:

<UnitMonitor ID="Monitor_SCM63ba4df81cec49c487911550bfb387d6" Comment="SupportTopic=TBD;VersionNumber=1.0.0.1;" Accessibility="Public" Enabled="true" Target="MicrosoftKnowledgeServicesSCMLibrary!Microsoft.KnowledgeServices.SCM.Windows.Server.2008.R2.Security" ParentMonitorID="Health!System.Health.ConfigurationState" Remotable="true" Priority="Normal" TypeID="KnowledgeServicesLibrary!Microsoft.KnowledgeServices.Library.PowerShellMonitorEx" ConfirmDelivery="true">

  <Category>Alert</Category>

  <AlertSettings AlertMessage="MonitorMessage63ba4df81cec49c487911550bfb387d6">

    <AlertOnState>Error</AlertOnState>

    <AutoResolve>true</AutoResolve>

    <AlertPriority>Normal</AlertPriority>

    <AlertSeverity>Error</AlertSeverity>

    <AlertParameters>

      <AlertParameter1>$Data/Context/Property[@Name='ActualValue']$</AlertParameter1>

    </AlertParameters>

  </AlertSettings>

  <OperationalStates>

    <OperationalState ID="Success" MonitorTypeStateID="Success" HealthState="Success"/>

    <OperationalState ID="Error" MonitorTypeStateID="Error" HealthState="Error"/>

  </OperationalStates>

  <Configuration>

    <ScriptName>SCM63ba4df81cec49c487911550bfb387d6.ps1</ScriptName>

    <Parameters>

      <Parameter>

        <Name>ActualValue</Name>

        <Value>$Target/Property[Type="MicrosoftKnowledgeServicesSCMLibrary!Microsoft.KnowledgeServices.SCM.Windows.Server.2008.R2.Security"]/UserAccountControlAllowUIAccessapplicationstopromptforelevationwithoutusingthesecuredesktop$</Value>

      </Parameter>

    </Parameters>

    <ScriptBody><Script>





param($ActualValue)



$ErrorActionPreference = "Stop"



# Set up the arguments

$scriptargs = new-object psobject

$scriptargs | add-member NoteProperty "ActualValue" $ActualValue



# Set up the output

$global:scriptoutput = new-object psobject

$scriptoutput | add-member NoteProperty "ActualValue" ""

$unit = $null

$valueToFriendlyName = $null

$valueToFriendlyName += @{"" = "[Setting Not Present]"}

$valueToFriendlyName += @{"0" = "Disabled"}

$valueToFriendlyName += @{"1" = "Enabled"}



function AdvisorRule($scriptargs, $scriptoutput)

{

	$ActualValue = $scriptargs.ActualValue



	if ($unit -ne $null)

	{

		$scriptoutput.ActualValue = $ActualValue + $unit

	}

	else

	{

		$scriptoutput.ActualValue = $valueToFriendlyName.$ActualValue

	}

}



AdvisorRule $scriptargs $scriptoutput



# set the output

$mom = new-object -comobject "MOM.ScriptAPI"

$bag = $mom.CreatePropertyBag()



if ($scriptoutput.ActualValue -ne $null)

{

	$bag.AddValue("ActualValue", $scriptoutput.ActualValue)

}



$bag



</Script></ScriptBody>

    <SnapIns/>

    <TimeoutSeconds>300</TimeoutSeconds>

    <Schedule>14403</Schedule>

    <ErrorExpression>

      <SimpleExpression>

        <ValueExpression>

          <Value Type="Integer">$Target/Property[Type="MicrosoftKnowledgeServicesSCMLibrary!Microsoft.KnowledgeServices.SCM.Windows.Server.2008.R2.Security"]/UserAccountControlAllowUIAccessapplicationstopromptforelevationwithoutusingthesecuredesktop$</Value>

        </ValueExpression>

        <Operator>NotEqual</Operator>

        <ValueExpression>

          <Value Type="Integer">0</Value>

        </ValueExpression>

      </SimpleExpression>

    </ErrorExpression>

    <SuccessExpression>

      <Not>

        <Expression>

          <SimpleExpression>

            <ValueExpression>

              <Value Type="Integer">$Target/Property[Type="MicrosoftKnowledgeServicesSCMLibrary!Microsoft.KnowledgeServices.SCM.Windows.Server.2008.R2.Security"]/UserAccountControlAllowUIAccessapplicationstopromptforelevationwithoutusingthesecuredesktop$</Value>

            </ValueExpression>

            <Operator>NotEqual</Operator>

            <ValueExpression>

              <Value Type="Integer">0</Value>

            </ValueExpression>

          </SimpleExpression>

        </Expression>

      </Not>

    </SuccessExpression>

  </Configuration>

</UnitMonitor>