Why Microsoft’s User Group Policies Are as Secure as a Wet Paper Bag: A Hilarious Deep Dive
User group policies are like your ex’s promises—easily bypassed. Microsoft’s Defense in Depth strategy doesn’t include tamper protection for these policies. With a little know-how, even unprivileged users can give themselves a digital makeover, rendering any previously imposed restrictions as useful as a chocolate teapot.
Hot Take:
Who knew that Microsoft’s user group policies were as easy to bypass as a velvet rope at a poorly attended nightclub? With a few command lines and a bit of registry wizardry, even a standard user can strut right through those restrictions like they own the place. It seems like Microsoft’s “tamper protection” is more of a suggestion than a rule. Better luck next time, security team!
Key Points:
- User group policies stored in DACL-protected registry keys can be bypassed by creating a “ntuser.man” hive.
- Unprivileged users can copy registry trees using the OFFREG.dll to remove restrictions.
- Microsoft acknowledges that users can write to their own HKCU hive, seeing it as non-threatening.
- Countermeasures include setting NTFS Access Control Entries (ACEs) to restrict user privileges.
- The effectiveness of these countermeasures depends on precise NTFS permissions.
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