Understanding VBS Device Guard Status: Security Services Running on Windows
Virtualization-Based Security (VBS) is a security feature in Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016 that uses hardware virtualization to create a secure environment for running critical system processes and applications. One of the components of VBS is Device Guard, which is a security service that prevents unapproved code from running on a device. In this article, we will discuss how to understand the status of VBS Device Guard and the security services running on Windows.
Key Concepts
Virtualization-Based Security (VBS): VBS is a security feature that uses hardware virtualization to create a secure environment for running critical system processes and applications. VBS is available on Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016.
Device Guard: Device Guard is a security service that is part of VBS. It prevents unapproved code from running on a device by using a combination of hardware and software-based security measures. Device Guard can be configured to allow only approved applications to run on a device.
Checking the Status of VBS Device Guard
To check the status of VBS Device Guard, you can use the following PowerShell command:
Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_DeviceGuard -Namespace root\cimv2\security\MicrosoftVirtualizationThis command will return information about the current status of VBS Device Guard, including whether it is enabled or disabled, and the status of the security services running on the device.
Understanding the Security Services Running on Windows
When VBS Device Guard is enabled, several security services run on the device. These services include:
- Code Integrity: Code Integrity is a security service that ensures that only approved code can run on a device. Code Integrity uses digital signatures to verify the authenticity of code before it is allowed to run.
- Credential Guard: Credential Guard is a security service that protects user credentials by isolating them in a secure environment. This prevents attackers from stealing user credentials and using them to gain access to a device.
- Kernel Mode Code Integrity: Kernel Mode Code Integrity is a security service that ensures that only approved code can run in kernel mode. This prevents attackers from exploiting vulnerabilities in the kernel to gain control of a device.
- User Mode Code Integrity: User Mode Code Integrity is a security service that ensures that only approved code can run in user mode. This prevents attackers from exploiting vulnerabilities in user mode applications to gain control of a device.
Configuring VBS Device Guard
To configure VBS Device Guard, you can use the following PowerShell cmdlets:
Set-DeviceGuardPolicy: This cmdlet is used to configure the security settings for VBS Device Guard.Set-RuleOption: This cmdlet is used to configure the rule options for VBS Device Guard.Add-AppLockerRule: This cmdlet is used to add an AppLocker rule to VBS Device Guard.
References
This article provided an overview of VBS Device Guard and the security services running on Windows. By understanding the status of VBS Device Guard and the security services running on a device, you can ensure that your device is protected against unapproved code and other security threats. For more information, please refer to the references provided above.