3.11.28.3.2 (L2) Ensure 'Join Microsoft MAPS' is set to 'Disabled'

Information

This policy setting allows you to join Microsoft Active Protection Service (MAPS), which Microsoft renamed to

Windows Defender Antivirus Cloud Protection Service

and then

Microsoft Defender Antivirus Cloud Protection Service

. Microsoft MAPS / Microsoft Defender Antivirus Cloud Protection Service is the online community that helps you choose how to respond to potential threats. The community also helps stop the spread of new malicious software infections. You can choose to send basic or additional information about detected software. Additional information helps Microsoft create new definitions and help it to protect your computer.

Possible options are:

- (0x0) Disabled (default)
- (0x1) Basic membership
- (0x2) Advanced membership

Basic membership will send basic information to Microsoft about software that has been detected including where the software came from the actions that you apply or that are applied automatically and whether the actions were successful.

Advanced membership in addition to basic information will send more information to Microsoft about malicious software spyware and potentially unwanted software including the location of the software file names how the software operates and how it has impacted your computer.

The recommended state for this setting is: Disabled

The information that would be sent can include things like location of detected items on your computer if harmful software was removed. The information would be automatically collected and sent. In some instances personal information might unintentionally be sent to Microsoft. However, Microsoft states that it will not use this information to identify you or contact you.

For privacy reasons in high security environments, it is best to prevent these data submissions altogether.

Solution

To establish the recommended configuration via configuration profiles, set the following Settings Catalog path to Disabled

Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Microsoft Defender Antivirus\MAPS\Join Microsoft MAPS

Impact:

None - this is the default behavior.

See Also

https://workbench.cisecurity.org/benchmarks/16853

Item Details

Category: CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT

References: 800-53|CM-6, 800-53|CM-7, CSCv7|9.2

Plugin: Windows

Control ID: 4e6006e0def00f00fc54841e5d5da054e13b10139a017a1358e547704f120cc5