One of the challenges of Benchmark Configuration management is creating or modifying SCAP OVAL content to match your business policies and requirements. The following procedure is recommended to create custom Windows benchmarks for the Retina Network Security Scanner and Retina CS via local system policy, Local GPO, and Microsoft Security and Compliance Manager.
For starters, Retina CS provides the ability to import new benchmarks for configuration scanning:
Since many Microsoft system configuration settings are controlled via local group policy or domain group policy, you can easily create a hardened policy and export those setting utilizing the tools within the Microsoft Security Compliance Manager (SCM) which can then allow you to leverage these settings as a new benchmark within Retina CS. You can download the SCM leveraging the “Download Editor” component on the Benchmark Management page within Retina CS. Once this has been downloaded and installed in your environment, you’ll also want to run an additional MSI called LocalGPO.msi. This is located in the C:Program Files (x86)Microsoft Security Compliance ManagerLGPO directory if you accepted the default directory path. This installs a command line tool that can be used to export the local group policy to a backup file which can then be imported into SCM.
Once you have modified the local system policy to match your preferred configuration settings, execute the Local GPO application to back this up to a folder by entering the command:
cscript LocalGPO.wsf /Path:C:GPObackups /Export
Next, launch SCM and select Import GPO Backup (folder) and select the backup file created from Local GPO. (In this example it was under C:GPObackups) Please enter a name so SCM can reference it.
Now, from within SCM, a user can make any modifications to the policy or export this out to SCAP v1.0(.cab) for import into Retina CS.
As a part of the export, an operating system or application association is required. This is a requirement that is coded into the SCAP content. In this example, a selection of Windows 2008 R2 SP1 Server was used and associated with the SCAP CAB file and saved to the file system with a similar name.
Finally, please navigate back to Retina CS, and import that benchmark which has your own custom checks that were created from your local system GPO:
After the import is complete, the new benchmark is located in the Benchmark Management list.
It can then be selected from Benchmark scanning under the Report Templates for Assessments.
Since many Microsoft system configuration settings are controlled via local group policy or domain group policy, you can easily create a hardened policy and export those setting utilizing the tools within the Microsoft Security Compliance Manager (SCM) which can then allow you to leverage these settings as a new benchmark within Retina CS. You can download the SCM leveraging the “Download Editor” component on the Benchmark Management page within Retina CS. Once this has been downloaded and installed in your environment, you’ll also want to run an additional MSI called LocalGPO.msi. This is located in the C:Program Files (x86)Microsoft Security Compliance ManagerLGPO directory if you accepted the default directory path. This installs a command line tool that can be used to export the local group policy to a backup file which can then be imported into SCM.
Once you have modified the local system policy to match your preferred configuration settings, execute the Local GPO application to back this up to a folder by entering the command:
cscript LocalGPO.wsf /Path:C:GPObackups /Export
Next, launch SCM and select Import GPO Backup (folder) and select the backup file created from Local GPO. (In this example it was under C:GPObackups) Please enter a name so SCM can reference it.
Now, from within SCM, a user can make any modifications to the policy or export this out to SCAP v1.0(.cab) for import into Retina CS.
As a part of the export, an operating system or application association is required. This is a requirement that is coded into the SCAP content. In this example, a selection of Windows 2008 R2 SP1 Server was used and associated with the SCAP CAB file and saved to the file system with a similar name.
Finally, please navigate back to Retina CS, and import that benchmark which has your own custom checks that were created from your local system GPO:
After the import is complete, the new benchmark is located in the Benchmark Management list.
It can then be selected from Benchmark scanning under the Report Templates for Assessments.
Scott Lang, Sr. Director, Product Marketing at BeyondTrust
Scott Lang has nearly 20 years of experience in technology product marketing, currently guiding the product marketing strategy for BeyondTrust’s privileged account management solutions and vulnerability management solutions. Prior to joining BeyondTrust, Scott was director of security solution marketing at Dell, formerly Quest Software, where he was responsible for global security campaigns, product marketing for identity and access management and Windows server management.