srs secure desktop project-running without admin-barry hudson

8/3/2019 SRS Secure Desktop Project-Running Without Admin-Barry Hudson

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SRS Secure Desktop Project

Running Without AdministratorPrivileges

Barry Hudson

Desktop Systems Team LeadSRNS Aiken, SC [email protected]

803/725-8463


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2SRS Secure Desktop Project Running Without Administrator Privileges

Abstract

SRS has approximately 10,000 PCs, the majority of which arecentrally managed. The major project for 2008 was to secure thesedesktops by removing routine user of Administrator accounts. Thiswas completed in parallel with a project to employ all applicableFDCC Group Policies.

In less than 8 months, all managed desktops were converted to theSecure Desktop model. Over 9000 XP systems were converted toNTFS, administrator privileges removed, and software calledBeyondTrust Privilege Manager was used to elevate privileges whenneeded for routine operation and software updates.

This presentation will outline the challenges and solutions used tomake the transition to Secure Desktop without making it DesktopLockdown. It was achieved ahead of schedule, with existing staffinglevels, and with fewer than 100 visits to the desktops.


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Drivers and Background

PC configuration management has been aconsistent OIO audit finding since 2001

Various policies, procedures, andprocesses have been implemented overtime but the administrative privileges havenot been removed from the user

Another Audit was scheduled forSeptember 2008


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This Is Just 1 Piece of The Puzzle

Overview of Comprehensive DesktopManagement at SRS WSUS patching, WinInstall updates, Symantec

AntiVirus Cisco Clean Access Posture Check and

Remediation

IVIS scanning

Vulnerability and Patch Management Team(VPMT)


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Routine Scans Follow Up Scans UnseenHost Scans

SRSNet

SecondaryNetwork

SecondaryNetwork

SecondaryNetwork

SecondaryNetwork

Secondary Network(Stand Alone)

Nessus Scans

Data

QuarterlyScan Results

IVIS VPM Reports

IVIS Low Hanging Fruit / EasilyExploitable Vulnerabilities Report

Every hourdevices on thenetwork are

checked for recordof scan in last 7days; if not fullscan commences.

If IVIS scansshow vulnerabilities,follow up scans

occur daily.

Scan lists arecreated from ARPTable such that

the entire site iscovered within 1week.

IVISIVIS(Nessus(Nessus

BasedBased

Engine)Engine)

Ad HocScans

AutomatedDaily Sans

Top 20Scans viaHercules

and IVIS

Data

Manual Internal Netstat (NetworkStatistics tool) Supplemented withSelective External NMAP (Network

Mapper open source network securityAudit Tool including identifying

services offered) scans on a weekly basis

Nikto / Web Application scans toCapture vulnerabilities on a

monthly basis(Nikto is open source web server

scanner performing multiple checks

Alter routine scans toincorporate

port info found

Oracle OscannerScans on a

quarterly basis

Delayed scanrequest run

within 30days?

Yes

No

VPMT WeeklyMeeting to review,status & track High riskvuln. to closurewithin 45 days or exilefrom network

Daily review by VPMRep and remedy ofLHF within 24 hrs orexile from network

HP Jet AdminScanning Function runDaily for discovery.

Cisco Ops Ware/NAS Policy ComplianceCheck run by Networks

And reported monthly.

*Ad hoc scans are requested with a VPMT rep

List of devices

Requiring manual vuln.& web application scans*

V&PM


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Project Scope

Remove routine use of users with Administratorprivileges Limits Malware propagation Users would be limited to install approved, standard applications

(i.e. WinInstall Applications).

Restricts implementation of local peripherals. Security configuration management is strictly enforced

Users less able to install vulnerable software Group Policy enforcements where possible

Implement FDCC policies

Work in parallel with other scanning, patching, andsecurity initiatives

Finish quickly, in time for the Going 4 Green audit


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What PCs Are Out There?

Operating Systems 7000 Windows XP

2000 Windows 2000 (Reload with XP)

1500 Controllers and specialty systems Owner is Admin, others have non-Admin access

Software Inventory Results Almost 200 Centrally-managed Applications (WinInstall)

Over 40,000 identified self-installed applications Will they continue to run? What happens if they need to be reinstalled or updated?

About 2500 systems had no additional software


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But Wait! Removing AdministratorRights Doesnt Buy You Much

Programs can be installed in the user space

Current User registry is not protected from Run,RunOnce, etc.

Why not whitelist all approved applications

And scan more often

And it will cost $500,000 or more to implement

Our time would be better spent doing more ofwhat works


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But Wait! Removing AdministratorRights Doesnt Buy You Much

Programs can be installed in the user space

Current User registry is not protected from Run,RunOnce, etc.

Why not whitelist all approved applications

And scan more often

And it will cost $500,000 or more to implement

Our time would be better spent doing more ofwhat works


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Orders From Headquarters


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Impacts to the Business & Status Quo

Users will not be able to perform activities that requireadministrative access. Installing software from CDs

Creating file shares

Adding software drivers such as scanners and printers Certain other system modifications

Activities requiring administrative privileges must beperformed by IT support personnel or special accountsfor the users

Existing supported applications will be assessed andmodified to install and run in this environment

User supplied applications will be accommodated orconverted to managed applications


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Planning Assumptions

Barry, youre no longer in the customer service business,you are in the security business

Things will break Processes will fail, but not always immediately We will learn as we go Some systems will be easier to migrate than others Focus on Managed Desktops first (8500) - XP Only

Review of WinInstall applications Review of local applications Pick the least likely to fail systems first

Pilot migration of some tough systems Then tackle controllers and shared systems (1000) And finally specialty systems (500) And hope everything runs at FY year-end closure


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Staffing requirements

What we asked for: Desktop Team: 2 people fulltime for 1 year

Field Support: 2 visits per year x 1 hour x

10,000 systems = 20,000 hours = 10 FTEs What we got:

2 Help Desk Agents

Desktop Team delayed priorities for 6 months An accelerated schedule (Get the pain overquicker)


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Selling It

Tell them why, when, and how Pick a non-threatening name

Secure Desktop vs. Desktop Lockdown

Publicity campaign, Sitewide Emails, Roadshows to Customers

Involve customers, Computer Security, IT, and management Weekly meetings of 20+ stakeholders 100+ issues and concerns

IT and DOE Security goes first (walk the talk) Provide a safety-valve (add the user back as Administrator)

Things will break, Processes will fail, We will learn as we go I made a Promise

If you cant still do your job with Secure Desktop, that means I have notdone my job right.


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Publicity Campaign


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Early Discoveries

Life as Non-Admin (life changes) Restricts access to registry, printer installs, software

installs Cant setup scheduled tasks

Life as Non-Admin with NTFS (life gets reallyinteresting) NTFS Restricts access to files and folders (eg

c:\Windows, c:\Program Files, Local Apps, defaultprofiles, and more)

Cant read other users or All Users profiles Some apps might need to be modified or

sections of PC opened up for them to run


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Technical Tools to Make It Work

BeyondTrust Privilege Manager to elevate privileges when needed Approx 160 rules in place To install software To run some software Elevate System processes (eg TCP/IP Configure, Add Local Printer, VPN

Firewall, Plug and Play) Provides Inheritance so that auto-installers can retain rights

Use CACLs to tighten or loosen file and folder permissions Approx 100 exceptions needed Some apps write INI files to c:\program files

Refine Registry permissions (CACL or BeyondTrust)

Some apps change HKLocalMachine or HKClassesRoot Add and manage Non-person domain account with privs

For hands-on support For system updates and automated processes


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Examples of Rules

Rules can permit or elevate based on1. GUID or URL-specific ActiveX controls2. Residence in a particular Folder3. Hash of the file

4. MSI that is being installed5. Specific Path of the file6. Other attributes

Recommendations:

1. Use a Hash when possibleMultiple versions (eg Flash4 and Flash5) are allowed2. Avoid Path and Folder rules if you do not control the fileshare

Dont open a path or share where anyone can drop an installer or EXE3. Look for inadvertent inheritance to downward processes

An elevated DOS box can be a big hole


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BeyondTrust Configuration Screen


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Process Tools to Make It Work

How to permit users and field support to regain Administrator rightswhen needed Locally written tool to add Admin back to PC and log the reason

Temporary Restoration of Administrator Rights (TRAP) 20-30 per day added by Help Desk

TRAP process should be followed by a scan after user does install 200+ Admin Restores exist at any point in time

The PA process and PC-SPPT-xx groups PA Personal Admin account allows selected users to support their PC PC-SPPT-xx groups added to specific Workgroup PCs (shadow support)

The CS/DA process

Computer Support accounts for installers and Field Support Desktop Admin accounts for my staff

RunAs and Remote Administration Non-secured machines that are offline are identified and secured

within 2 days of connection Daily inventory to check settings, TRAP abuse, lost sheep returning


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Who Gets to Go First?

Management champions IT and DOE Security goes first (walk the talk) SRNL gets a gold star (150 of the 1st volunteers)

Ask for volunteers (motivate them with get better help

before the storm) Verify laptop, VPN, and off-line operations Email campaign with magic button to migrate now

Sent to users with no known extra applications (Dear User:)

Convincing users to participate. Not everyone is special

Look, SRNL did it and is still running! Allow Deferrals only for Good Reason (preferably classes of

systems, eg Doc Mgt, Maintenance, Controllers) Publicize your success, acknowledge your weaknesses


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The Schedule

The Planned Schedule

10-12/07 proof of concept 1/08-3/08 100 user pilot

30 days to regroup

4/08-5/08 1000 easysystems

6/08-12/08 6000 totalmigrated

The Forced Schedule

10-12/07 proof of concept 1/08-2/20/08 50 user pilot

2/25/08 500 users added

2/26-3/5/08 1500 easysystems

3/08-5/08 6000 totalmigrated 6/08-12/08 deferrals 1/09-2/09 who is hiding?


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Migration Rate

Secure Desktop Rate

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

9000

10000

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 0 11 12 13

Month

TotalNumberSe

cured

Planned

Actual

10,134 Desktop Secured in 2008

Number Secured Per Day

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

2/11/2

008

2/25/2

008

3/10/2

008

3/24/2

008

4/7/2

008

4/21/2

008

5/5/2

008

5/19/2

008

6/2/2

008

6/16/2

008

6/30/2

008

7/14/2

008

7/28/2

008

8/11/2

008

8/25/2

008

9/8/2

008

9/22/2

008

10/6/2

008

10/20/2

008

11/3/2

008

11/17/2

008

12/1/2

008

12/15/2

008

12/29/2

008

The 2000 jump-start provides confidence.Sure, they are still running but what about atthe end of the month?

Push it till it breaks

Deferrals releasedPush it till it breaks

Dont run out of licenses!


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Automating the Migration Process

Make all of WinInstall BeyondTrust Aware NTFS Conversion via email Magic Button invitations and forced WinInstall

Pre-req before getting added to the Scheduler list The Secure Desktop Scheduler

Triggers at login if you are on the list, NTFS, and an Administrator

Launches the upgrade process in WinInstall One giant WinInstall Install BeyondTrust Privilege Manager Install Basic CACLS to secure additional selected folders (approx 10) Add Local Printer shortcut Temporary folder for 16 bit applications in location not under c:\windows Remove Administrators from Computer and randomize local password Move Computer to BeyondTrust Container Apply Common CACLS to open additional selected subfolders (approx 100)

Write all done logfile About 100 systems did not migrate and required reload


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What Broke It and How to Remedy It

Secure Desktop gets blamed for everything! Diagnosis

App wont install or wont run? Is everything broken or something specific? Is BeyondTrust running? Do you have the current rules?

Add user back as Admin and see if it fixes it This is your safety net Keeps the business running while you figure it out

Look for activity in the NTFS-protected folders (Program Files, Windows,System32, etc)

Look for activity in the Registry Triage to identify commonalities

Repair Elevate the program (hash vs. path) Liberalize rights on sub-folders or files (CACLS) Change program configuration (set INI file or prefs files to write elsewhere)


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Phase-in of New Secure Desktops

Unfair to put installers on the front lines Deliver and add user as Admin

Permit users or installer to add software

Scan the system for vulnerabilities Add to the SD migration list after 3 days

All Windows 2000 were re-built on-site as Secured

Deliver As-Secure at the end of the project

Local Admin used only to add to domain Then remove all Admins


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Unexpected Issues

Chicken and Egg situations Have to be an Admin to become secured But our goal is to eliminate Admin users

How to pre-build a secured machine Dealing with the absence of a universal Administrator account

There is no local administrator to break in with 90 day lost of trust issues Cached login with last good user

Set Owner Issues Some files are owned by the installer and cannot be accessed by others or

have provided unwanted access to install folders

Essential things did not work and need elevation Defrag, Clock, Ipconfig, RunOnce after installs Issues with multi-user systems

No unrestricted place to put turnover files Screensaver locked at shift change


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Ongoing Maintenance

Daily Un-TRAP of Admin Restores Look for abuse

Propagate PA and PC-SPPT-xx accounts

Verify new installs are secured All scanning and remdiation activities must be

Secure-Desktop aware

Add rules as issues arise (about 4 per month)

New products Stuff breaks

Updates to existing rules

BeyondTrust product enhancements


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Summary

Project success despite objections from usersand reluctance of IT staff Early 500/day was a crazy idea but provided valuable

insight and confidence

Almost finished before we had planned to get started

Critical success factors Publicity campaign

Top level management support

Acknowledgement that things would break

Availability of a relief valve (Restore Admin user)

Ability to select and throttle the update list


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Questions

Barry Hudson

Desktop Systems Team LeadSRNS Bldg 773-51AAiken, SC 29808

[email protected]

803/725-8463

srs secure desktop project-running without admin-barry hudson

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