[REQ-PAW-073] Configure Tamper Protection for PAWs

Target Scope

• Applicable Systems: Privileged Access Workstations (PAWs) used for Tier 0 directory administration.
• Operating Systems: Windows 10 Enterprise (1607+) and Windows 11 Enterprise.

Implementation Details

• Priority: High
• GPO Path / Registry Location:
  • GPO Path: Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Security\Tamper Protection
  • Registry Location:
    • HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Features
      • TamperProtection = 5 (REG_DWORD)

Rationale

Tamper Protection prevents local administrators or compromised system accounts from disabling Windows Defender services, real-time scanning, or modifying active exclusions locally. This blocks a primary malware persistence vector.

Legacy Impact & Compatibility

Local registry modifications to Defender configurations will be ignored. All changes must originate from central templates or cloud console panels.

Implementation Steps

Option A: Group Policy Object (GPO) Configuration (Preferred)

1. Navigate to: Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Security\Tamper Protection
2. Set 'Protect Windows Security settings from tampering' to 'Enabled' (Block or On depending on ADMX version)

Option B: PowerShell & Registry Configuration (Remediation / Non-GPO)

Download Script: Configure-PawDefenderTamperProtection.ps1

# Configure-PawDefenderTamperProtection.ps1
$FeaturesPath = "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Features"
if (-not (Test-Path $FeaturesPath)) { New-Item -Path $FeaturesPath -Force | Out-Null }
try {
    Set-ItemProperty -Path $FeaturesPath -Name "TamperProtection" -Value 5 -Type DWord -ErrorAction Stop -Force
} catch {
    Write-Warning "Registry blocked. Tamper Protection registry key is normally protected by TrustedInstaller. Ensure GPO setting is applied."
}

To audit the hardening status: Download Script: Get-PawDefenderTamperProtectionStatus.ps1

# Get-PawDefenderTamperProtectionStatus.ps1
$FeaturesPath = "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Features"
$TamperVal = Get-ItemProperty -Path $FeaturesPath -Name "TamperProtection" -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
if ($TamperVal -and $TamperVal.TamperProtection -eq 5) {
    Write-Output "Compliant"
    exit 0
} else {
    Write-Output "Non-Compliant"
    exit 1
}

Sources & Compliance References

• CIS Microsoft Windows 10 Benchmark: Section 18.9 (Windows Defender Antivirus configuration parameters)
• ANSSI Active Directory Hardening Guide: Protective controls baselines on Privileged Access Workstations