MITRE ATT&CKmitigation

M1028 Operating System Configuration

Published 2019-06-06 Modified 2024-12-18 Official page ↗
Domain
enterprise
Version
1.3
Created
2019-06-06

Description

Operating System Configuration involves adjusting system settings and hardening the default configurations of an operating system (OS) to mitigate adversary exploitation and prevent abuse of system functionality. Proper OS configurations address security vulnerabilities, limit attack surfaces, and ensure robust defense against a wide range of techniques. This mitigation can be implemented through the following measures: Disable Unused Features: • Turn off SMBv1, LLMNR, and NetBIOS where not needed. • Disable remote registry and unnecessary services. Enforce OS-level Protections: • Enable Data Execution Prevention (DEP), Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR), and Control Flow Guard (CFG) on Windows. • Use AppArmor or SELinux on Linux for mandatory access controls. Secure Access Settings: • Enable User Account Control (UAC) for Windows. • Restrict root/sudo access on Linux/macOS and enforce strong permissions using sudoers files. File System Hardening: • Implement least-privilege access for critical files and system directories. • Audit permissions regularly using tools like icacls (Windows) or getfacl/chmod (Linux/macOS). Secure Remote Access: • Restrict RDP, SSH, and VNC to authorized IPs using firewall rules. • Enable NLA for RDP and enforce strong password/lockout policies. Harden Boot Configurations: • Enable Secure Boot and enforce UEFI/BIOS password protection. • Use BitLocker or LUKS to encrypt boot drives. Regular Audits: • Periodically audit OS configurations using tools like CIS Benchmarks or SCAP tools. *Tools for Implementation* Windows: • Microsoft Group Policy Objects (GPO): Centrally enforce OS security settings. • Windows Defender Exploit Guard: Built-in OS protection against exploits. • CIS-CAT Pro: Audit Windows security configurations based on CIS Benchmarks. Linux/macOS: • AppArmor/SELinux: Enforce mandatory access controls. • Lynis: Perform comprehensive security audits. • SCAP Security Guide: Automate configuration hardening using Security Content Automation Protocol. Cross-Platform: • Ansible or Chef/Puppet: Automate configuration hardening at scale. • OpenSCAP: Perform compliance and configuration checks.

Related

Mitigates · MITRE ATT&CK (39)

  • T1690 Prevent Command History Logging technique
  • T1556.008 Network Provider DLL sub-technique
  • T1036.007 Double File Extension sub-technique
  • T1542.005 TFTP Boot sub-technique
  • T1564.002 Hidden Users sub-technique
  • T1574.006 Dynamic Linker Hijacking sub-technique
  • T1011.001 Exfiltration Over Bluetooth sub-technique
  • T1563.002 RDP Hijacking sub-technique
  • T1003.005 Cached Domain Credentials sub-technique
  • T1087.001 Local Account sub-technique
  • T1087.002 Domain Account sub-technique
  • T1553.004 Install Root Certificate sub-technique
  • T1003.001 LSASS Memory sub-technique
  • T1003.002 Security Account Manager sub-technique
  • T1021.001 Remote Desktop Protocol sub-technique
  • T1556 Modify Authentication Process technique
  • T1556.002 Password Filter DLL sub-technique
  • T1553 Subvert Trust Controls technique
  • T1552 Unsecured Credentials technique
  • T1552.003 Shell History sub-technique
  • T1548 Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism technique
  • T1548.001 Setuid and Setgid sub-technique
  • T1548.003 Sudo and Sudo Caching sub-technique
  • T1136.002 Domain Account sub-technique
  • T1546.008 Accessibility Features sub-technique
  • T1543.003 Windows Service sub-technique
  • T1543 Create or Modify System Process technique
  • T1053.002 At sub-technique
  • T1053.005 Scheduled Task sub-technique
  • T1490 Inhibit System Recovery technique
Show all 39 ›