Microsoft Defender AV must control whether exclusions are visible to Local Admins.

Disabled (Default): If this setting is not configured or disabled, local admins can see exclusions in the Windows Security App or via PowerShell.

Enabled: If this setting is enabled, local admins no longer see the exclusion list in Windows Security App or via PowerShell.

Note: Applying this setting will not remove exclusions, it only prevents them from being visible to local admins. This is reflected in Get-MpPreference.

Note: This requirement must be applied last due to the configuration hiding other requirements in the STIG.

Verify the policy value for Computer Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Windows Components >> Microsoft Defender Antivirus >> Control whether or not exclusions are visible to Local Admins is set to "Enabled"; otherwise, this is a finding.

Procedure: Use the Windows Registry Editor to navigate to the following key: HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender

Criteria: If the value "HideExclusionsFromLocalAdmins" is REG_DWORD = 1, this is not a finding.

If the value is "0", this is a finding.

Set the policy value for Computer Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Windows Components >> Microsoft Defender Antivirus >> Control whether exclusions are visible to Local Admins to "Enabled".