The Windows DNS Server permissions must be set so the key file can only be read or modified by the account that runs the name server software.

Severity	Group ID	Group Title	Version	Rule ID	Date	STIG Version
medium	V-259369	SRG-APP-000176-DNS-000019	WDNS-22-000041	SV-259369r1081081_rule	2025-02-25	2

Description
To enable zone transfer (requests and responses) through authenticated messages, it is necessary to generate a key for every pair of name servers. The key can also be used for securing other transactions, such as dynamic updates, DNS queries, and responses. The binary key string that is generated by most key generation utilities used with DNSSEC is Base64 encoded. Transaction Signature (TSIG) is a string used to generate the message authentication hash stored in a TSIG Resource Record (RR) and used to authenticate an entire DNS message.

Description

To enable zone transfer (requests and responses) through authenticated messages, it is necessary to generate a key for every pair of name servers. The key can also be used for securing other transactions, such as dynamic updates, DNS queries, and responses. The binary key string that is generated by most key generation utilities used with DNSSEC is Base64 encoded. Transaction Signature (TSIG) is a string used to generate the message authentication hash stored in a TSIG Resource Record (RR) and used to authenticate an entire DNS message.

ℹ️ Check
Access Windows Explorer. Navigate to the following location: %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Crypto Note: If the folder above does not exist, this check is not applicable. Verify the permissions on the folder, subfolders, and files are limited to "SYSTEM" and Administrators for "FULL CONTROL". If any other user or group has greater than READ permissions to the %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Crypto folder, subfolders, and files, this is a finding.

ℹ️ Check

Access Windows Explorer. Navigate to the following location: %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Crypto Note: If the folder above does not exist, this check is not applicable. Verify the permissions on the folder, subfolders, and files are limited to "SYSTEM" and Administrators for "FULL CONTROL". If any other user or group has greater than READ permissions to the %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Crypto folder, subfolders, and files, this is a finding.

✔️ Fix
Access Windows Explorer. Navigate to the following location: %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Crypto Modify permissions on the folder, subfolders, and files to "FULL CONTROL" for "SYSTEM" and Administrators and to "READ" for all other users/groups. If additional permissions are needed, it must be documented and approved by the ISSO or ISSM.