STIGQter STIGQter: STIG Summary: Microsoft Windows 11 Security Technical Implementation Guide Version: 2 Release: 8 Benchmark Date: 01 Jul 2026:

Early Launch Antimalware, Boot-Start Driver Initialization Policy must prevent boot drivers.

DISA Rule

SV-253372r991589_rule

Vulnerability Number

V-253372

Group Title

SRG-OS-000480-GPOS-00227

Rule Version

WN11-CC-000085

Severity

CAT II

CCI(s)

Weight

10

Fix Recommendation

Ensure that Early Launch Antimalware - Boot-Start Driver Initialization policy is set to enforce "Good, unknown and bad but critical" (preventing "bad").

To correct this, configure the policy value for Computer Configuration >> Administrative Templates >> System >> Early Launch Antimalware >> "Boot-Start Driver Initialization Policy" to "Enabled with "Good, unknown and bad but critical" selected.

Check Contents

The default behavior is for Early Launch Antimalware - Boot-Start Driver Initialization policy is to enforce "Good, unknown and bad but critical" (preventing "bad").

If the registry value name below does not exist, this is a finding.

If it exists and is configured with a value of "7", this is a finding.

Registry Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Registry Path: \SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Policies\EarlyLaunch\

Value Name: DriverLoadPolicy

Value Type: REG_DWORD
Value: 1, 3, or 8

Possible values for this setting are:
8 - Good only
1 - Good and unknown
3 - Good, unknown and bad but critical
7 - All (which includes "Bad" and would be a finding)

Vulnerability Number

V-253372

Documentable

False

Rule Version

WN11-CC-000085

Severity Override Guidance

The default behavior is for Early Launch Antimalware - Boot-Start Driver Initialization policy is to enforce "Good, unknown and bad but critical" (preventing "bad").

If the registry value name below does not exist, this is a finding.

If it exists and is configured with a value of "7", this is a finding.

Registry Hive: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Registry Path: \SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Policies\EarlyLaunch\

Value Name: DriverLoadPolicy

Value Type: REG_DWORD
Value: 1, 3, or 8

Possible values for this setting are:
8 - Good only
1 - Good and unknown
3 - Good, unknown and bad but critical
7 - All (which includes "Bad" and would be a finding)

Check Content Reference

M

Target Key

5471