STIGQter: STIG Summary: Microsoft Windows Server Domain Name System (DNS) Security Technical Implementation Guide Version: 2 Release: 5 Benchmark Date: 01 Jul 2026:

The private key corresponding to the zone signing key (ZSK) must only be stored on the name server that does support dynamic updates.

DISA Rule

SV-259370r961041_rule

Vulnerability Number

V-259370

Group Title

SRG-APP-000176-DNS-000094

Rule Version

WDNS-22-000042

Severity

CAT II

CCI(s)

CCI-000186 - For public key-based authentication, enforce authorized access to the corresponding private key.

Weight

Fix Recommendation

Ensure the private key corresponding to the ZSK is only stored on the name server accepting dynamic updates.

Check Contents

Note: This check is not applicable for Windows DNS Servers that host only Active Directory (AD)-integrated zones or for Windows DNS Servers on a classified network.

Note: This requirement is not applicable to servers with only a caching role.

For AD-integrated zones, private zone signing keys replicate automatically to all primary DNS servers through AD replication. Each authoritative server signs its own copy of the zone when it receives the key. For optimal performance, and to prevent increasing the size of the AD database file, the signed copy of the zone remains in memory for AD-integrated zones. A DNSSEC-signed zone is only committed to disk for file-backed zones. Secondary DNS servers pull a full copy of the zone, including signatures, from the primary DNS server.

If all DNS servers are AD integrated, this check is not applicable.

If a DNS server is not AD integrated and has file-backed zones, does not accept dynamic updates, and has a copy of the private key corresponding to the ZSK, this is a finding.

Vulnerability Number

V-259370

Documentable

False

Rule Version

WDNS-22-000042

Severity Override Guidance

Check Content Reference

Target Key

5576