Information
The LXSS Manager service supports running native ELF binaries. The service provides the infrastructure necessary for ELF binaries to run on Windows.
The recommended state for this setting is: Disabled or Not Installed
Note: This service is not installed by default. It is supplied with Windows, but is installed by enabling an optional Windows feature (
Windows Subsystem for Linux
).
The Linux Subsystem (LXSS) Manager allows full system access to Linux applications on Windows, including the file system. While this can certainly have some functionality and performance benefits for running those applications, it also creates new security risks in the event that a hacker injects malicious code into a Linux application. For best security, it is preferred to run Linux applications on Linux, and Windows applications on Windows.
Solution
To establish the recommended configuration, set the following Custom Configuration Policy to 4 or confirm that the service is Not installed :
Name: <Enter name>
Description: <Enter Description>
OMA-URI: ./Device/Vendor/MSFT/Policy/Config/SystemServices/ConfigureLxssManagerServiceStartupMode
Data Type: Integer
Value: 4
Note: As of January 2024, despite its inclusion in Microsoft's official documentation, using an OMI-URI to configure a Windows Service Startup Mode via a custom profile will lead to an error in Intune. This error will be logged in the local event log as 'The system cannot find the file specified.' Currently, the most reliable method for remediation is through PowerShell.
The recommended configuration can also be established via PowerShell by running the following cmdlet:
Set-Service -Name LxssManager -StartupType Disabled
Impact:
The Linux Subsystem will not be available, and native ELF binaries will no longer run.
Note: If your organization has made an exception to this recommendation and is using Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), the Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) (SharedAccess) service will need to be Enabled for WSL to function. For more information, please visit the following Microsoft Blog:
Troubleshooting Windows Subsystem for Linux | Microsoft Docs