Remote Registry (RemoteRegistry) Service Defaults in Windows 10

Microsoft Windows Server 2016 Services and Counters. WMI access to the target server. Windows Administrator on the target server. Service: Remote Registry. Enables remote users to modify registry settings on this computer. If this service is stopped, the registry can be modified only by users on this computer. May 24, 2019  Process Go to Start Run type services.msc. Right-click on Remote Registry and select Properties. Set startup type to Automatic. Open the Run window again and type regedit.

Enables remote users to modify registry settings on your computer. If this service is stopped, the registry can be modified only by users on your computer. If this service is disabled, any services that explicitly depend on it will fail to start.

Default Settings

Startup type:	Disabled
Display name:	Remote Registry
Service name:	RemoteRegistry
Service type:	share
Error control:	normal
Object:	NT AUTHORITYLocalService
Path:	%SystemRoot%system32svchost.exe -k localService -p
File:	%SystemRoot%system32regsvc.dll
Registry key:	HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesRemoteRegistry
Privileges:	SeCreateGlobalPrivilege SeImpersonatePrivilege

Default Behavior

Remote Registry is a Win32 service. In Windows 10 it is disabled. When the Remote Registry service is started, it is running as NT AUTHORITYLocalService in a shared process of svchost.exe along with other services. If Remote Registry fails to start, the failure details are being recorded into Event Log. Then Windows 10 will start up and notify the user that the RemoteRegistry service has failed to start due to the error.

Dependencies

Remote Registry cannot be started under any conditions, if the Remote Procedure Call (RPC) service is disabled.

Restore Default Startup Configuration for Remote Registry

Before you begin doing this, make sure that all the services on which Remote Registry depends are configured by default and function properly. See the list of dependencies above.

1. Run the Command Prompt as an administrator.

2. Copy the commands below, paste them into the command window and press ENTER:

sc stop RemoteRegistry
sc config RemoteRegistry start= disabled

3. Close the command window and restart the computer.

The RemoteRegistry service is using the regsvc.dll file that is located in the %WinDir%system32 folder. If the file is changed, damaged or deleted, you can restore its original version from Windows 10 installation media.

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Applies to

• Windows 10

Describes the best practices, location, values, and security considerations for the Network access: Remotely accessible registry paths and subpaths security policy setting.

Reference

This policy setting determines which registry paths and subpaths are accessible when an application or process references the WinReg key to determine access permissions.

The registry is a database for device configuration information, much of which is sensitive. A malicious user can use it to facilitate unauthorized activities. The chance of this happening is reduced by the fact that the default ACLs that are assigned throughout the registry are fairly restrictive,and they help protect it from access by unauthorized users.

To allow remote access, you must also enable the Remote Registry service.

Possible values

• User-defined list of paths
• Not Defined

Best practices

• Set this policy to a null value; that is, enable the policy setting, but do not enter any paths in the text box. Remote management tools, such as the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer and Configuration Manager, require remote access to the registry. Removing the default registry paths from the list of accessible paths might cause these and other management tools to fail.

Location

Computer ConfigurationWindows SettingsSecurity SettingsLocal PoliciesSecurity Options

Default values

The following table lists the actual and effective default values for this policy. Default values are also listed on the policy’s property page.

Server type or GPO	Default value
Default Domain Policy	Not defined
Default Domain Controller Policy	Not defined
Stand-Alone Server Default Settings	See the following registry key combination
DC Effective Default Settings	See the following registry key combination
Member Server Effective Default Settings	See the following registry key combination
Client Computer Effective Default Settings	See the following registry key combination

The combination of all the following registry keys apply to the previous settings:

1. SystemCurrentControlSetControlPrintPrinters
2. SystemCurrentControlSetServicesEventlog
3. SoftwareMicrosoftOLAP Server
4. SoftwareMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionPrint
5. SoftwareMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionWindows
6. SystemCurrentControlSetControlContentIndex
7. SystemCurrentControlSetControlTerminal Server
8. SystemCurrentControlSetControlTerminal ServerUserConfig
9. SystemCurrentControlSetControlTerminal ServerDefaultUserConfiguration
10. SoftwareMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionPerflib
11. SystemCurrentControlSetServicesSysmonLog

Policy management

This section describes features and tools that are available to help you manage this policy.

Restart requirement

None. Changes to this policy become effective without a computer restart when they are saved locally or distributed through Group Policy.

Security considerations

This section describes how an attacker might exploit a feature or its configuration, how to implement the countermeasure, and the possible negative consequences of countermeasure implementation.

Vulnerability

The registry contains sensitive device configuration information that could be used by an attacker to facilitate unauthorized activities. The fact that the default ACLs that are assigned throughout the registry are fairly restrictive and help to protect the registry from access by unauthorized users reduces the risk of such an attack.

Countermeasure

Configure the Network access: Remotely accessible registry paths and sub-paths setting to a null value (enable the setting but do not enter any paths in the text box).

Potential impact

Remote management tools such as MBSA and Configuration Manager require remote access to the registry to properly monitor and manage those computers. If you remove the default registry paths from the list of accessible ones, such remote management tools could fail.

Note: If you want to allow remote access, you must also enable the Remote Registry service.

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