ATTACK SURFACE REDUCTION FROM WINDOWS

These are various types of security vulnerabilities that can potentially exist in a computer system. Hope SmartApp Control would make it better to detect these automatically.

1. Open sockets refer to network connections that have been established between two computers, but have not been properly closed or terminated. These can potentially allow unauthorized access to the system.

2. Open Remote Procedure Call (RPC) endpoints are interfaces that allow a program on one computer to execute a program on another computer. If these endpoints are not properly secured, they can potentially allow unauthorized access to the system.

3. Named pipes are a type of inter-process communication that allows separate processes to communicate with each other. If named pipes are open, they can potentially allow unauthorized access to the system.

4. Services are programs that run in the background and perform specific tasks, such as starting up when the system boots or monitoring certain system activities. Services that are running by default or running as system (with high privileges) can potentially be exploited by attackers to gain unauthorized access to the system.

5. Active web handlers are programs that are designed to handle specific types of requests from a web server, such as processing a form submission or serving up a specific type of content. If these web handlers are not properly secured, they can potentially allow unauthorized access to the system.

6. Active Internet Server Application Programming Interface (ISAPI) web pages are programs that are designed to run on a web server and provide specific functionality to web applications. If these ISAPI pages are not properly secured, they can potentially allow unauthorized access to the system.

7. Executable virtual directories (vdirs) are directories on a web server that contain executable files that can be run by a client. If these vdirs are not properly secured, they can potentially allow unauthorized access to the system.

8. Enabled accounts are user accounts that are active and able to log in to the system. If these accounts have weak passwords or are not properly secured, they can potentially be exploited by attackers to gain unauthorized access to the system.

9. Accounts that are enabled in the administrator group have higher privileges than regular user accounts, and can potentially be exploited by attackers to gain unauthorized access to the system.

10. Null sessions are connections to named pipes or shared resources that do not require authentication. If these null sessions are enabled, they can potentially allow unauthorized access to the system.

11. The guest account is a user account that is usually disabled by default, but if it is enabled it can potentially allow unauthorized access to the system.

12. Weak access control lists (ACLs) in the file system, on shares, or in the registry can potentially allow unauthorized access to the system.

13. Enabling VBScript, Jscript, or ActiveX can potentially allow attackers to execute malicious code on the system. It is important to ensure that these technologies are properly secured and updated to prevent vulnerabilities.

Attack Surface Reduction: “ASR” is a method employed by Microsoft since Windows 10 OS and onwards.

Attack Surface Reduction (ASR) is a feature in Windows 10 that helps to protect against potential security threats by reducing the attack surface of a device. It does this by blocking certain types of potentially malicious or unwanted behavior after whitelisting the application, such as the execution of certain types of files or the use of certain types of scripts.

ASR is implemented through a set of rules that are applied to the operating system and its components. These rules are designed to block or allow certain types of behavior, depending on the specific rule. For example, one rule might block the execution of certain types of files, while another rule might allow the execution of certain types of scripts.

ASR can be configured and managed through the Windows Defender Security Center, which is included with Windows 10. In the Security Center, you can view the status of ASR and configure the specific rules that are applied to your device. You can also use the Security Center to view reports on the actions taken by ASR, including any threats that were blocked or allowed.

ASR is an important tool for helping to protect against potential security threats, but it is important to note that it is not a replacement for other security measures, such as antivirus software and regular updates to the operating system. It is recommended to use ASR in conjunction with other security measures to provide the best possible protection for your device.

These principles provide a set of guidelines for designing and implementing secure systems and applications. By following these principles, you can reduce the risk of vulnerabilities and attacks on your system.

1. Reduce the amount of running code: By minimizing the amount of code that is running, you can reduce the attack surface of your system and make it easier to maintain. The 80/20 rule suggests that if 80% of users do not need a particular service or process, it should not be running.
2. Restrict access to network endpoints: By limiting access to network endpoints to specific IP address ranges or local network segments, you can reduce the risk of unauthorized access to your system.
3. Use authentication to limit access: By requiring authentication to access certain network endpoints or services, you can reduce the risk of unauthorized access to your system.
4. Reduce privilege: By running processes with minimal privilege, you can limit the potential damage that can be caused by an attacker if they are able to compromise a process. This includes both in-house code and third-party code.
5. Look for anonymous threat paths: During the design phase, look for paths that do not require authentication or authorization and consider controlling them with these measures.
6. Apply the 80/20 rule to protocols: Similar to the first principle, consider limiting the use of certain protocols to the most necessary cases, in order to reduce the attack surface of your system.

Define and measure your minimal attack surface: By defining and measuring your minimal attack surface, you can ensure that your system remains as secure as possible and that any vulnerabilities are identified and addressed quickly.