Rule version WN11-CC-000210 · STIG v2 · 2026-09-01
Microsoft Defender SmartScreen helps protect systems from programs downloaded from the internet that may be malicious. Enabling Microsoft Defender SmartScreen will warn or prevent users from running potentially malicious programs.
This is applicable to unclassified systems, for other systems this is NA.
If the following registry values do not exist or are not configured as specified, this is a finding:
Registry Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE Registry Path: \SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System\
Value Name: EnableSmartScreen
Value Type: REG_DWORD Value: 0x00000001 (1)
And
Registry Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE Registry Path: \SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System\
Value Name: ShellSmartScreenLevel
Value Type: REG_SZ Value: Block
Configure the policy value for Computer Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Windows Components >> File Explorer >> "Configure Windows Defender SmartScreen" to "Enabled" with "Warn and prevent bypass" selected.
Windows 11 includes duplicate policies for this setting. It can also be configured under Computer Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> Windows Components >> Windows Defender SmartScreen >> Explorer.