Microsoft recommended block rules

[harlan4096]

Applies to

Windows 10
Windows Server 2016

Members of the security community* continuously collaborate with Microsoft to help protect customers. With the help of their valuable reports, Microsoft has identified a list of valid applications that an attacker could also potentially use to bypass Windows Defender Application Control.

Unless your use scenarios explicitly require them, Microsoft recommends that you block the following applications. These applications or files can be used by an attacker to circumvent application whitelisting policies, including Windows Defender Application Control:

addinprocess.exe
addinprocess32.exe
addinutil.exe
bash.exe
bginfo.exe[1]
cdb.exe
csi.exe
dbghost.exe
dbgsvc.exe
dnx.exe
fsi.exe
fsiAnyCpu.exe
kd.exe
ntkd.exe
lxssmanager.dll
msbuild.exe[2]
mshta.exe
ntsd.exe
rcsi.exe
system.management.automation.dll
windbg.exe
wmic.exe

[1]A vulnerability in bginfo.exe has been fixed in the latest version 4.22. If you use BGInfo, for security, make sure to download and run the latest version here BGInfo 4.22. Note that BGInfo versions earlier than 4.22 are still vulnerable and should be blocked.

[2]If you are using your reference system in a development context and use msbuild.exe to build managed applications, we recommend that you whitelist msbuild.exe in your code integrity policies. However, if your reference system is an end user device that is not being used in a development context, we recommend that you block msbuild.exe.

*Microsoft recognizes the efforts of those in the security community who help us protect customers through responsible vulnerability disclosure, and extends thanks to the following people:

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