This article explains enabling or disabling Kernel-mode Hardware-enforce Stack Protection in Windows 11.
Windows has lots of security features one can enable to enhance the system’s protection against malware and viruses. One such feature is Core Isolation. Core Isolation is a security feature that protects critical Windows core processes from malicious software such as ransomware.
Another component of Core Isolation is Hardware-enforced Stack Protection. Hardware-enforced stack protection provides additional security enhancements to kernel code.
This feature will only work on chipsets supporting hardware, Intel’s Control-flow Enforcement Technology (CET), or AMD shadow stacks.
Here’s how to enable or disable it on Windows 11.
Enable or disable Kernel-mode Hardware-enforced Stack Protection
As described above, you can enable Core Isolation and Hardware-enforced Stack Protection to provide additional security enhancement for kernel code in Windows 11.
This will only work on chipsets supporting hardware, Intel’s Control-flow Enforcement Technology (CET), or AMD shadow stacks.
You must also turn on CPU virtualization and Memory Integrity to use these security features.
Here’s how to turn it on or off.
First, open the Windows Security app.
You can do that by clicking on the Start menu and searching for “Windows Security.” Then, under Best match, click on the Windows Security app.
In the Windows Security app, on the “Security at a glance page,” click the Device security link or icon.
On the Windows Security -> Device security page, under Core Isolation, click the Core Isolation details link.
On the Windows Security -> Device security -> Core Isolation settings page, under Kernel-mode Hardware-enforced Stack Protection, toggle the button to turn the On or Off position to enable or disable Kernel-mode Hardware-enforced Stack Protection for your device.
When you turn on or off this security feature, you must restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
Turn on or off Kernel-mode Hardware-enforced Stack Protection via Windows Registry Editor
Another way users can turn on or off Kernel-mode Hardware-enforced stack protection in Windows 11 is to use the Windows Registry Editor.
First, open the Windows Registry, and navigate to the folder key below. The registry settings below will first enable Core Isolation.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\DeviceGuard\Scenarios\HypervisorEnforcedCodeIntegrity
If you don’t see the HypervisorEnforcedCodeIntegrity folder key, right-click on the Scenarios key, then create the subkey (HypervisorEnforcedCodeIntegrity) folders.
Right-click the HypervisorEnforcedCodeIntegrity folder key’s right pane and select New -> DWORD (32-bit) Value. Next, type a new key named Enabled.
Double-click the new key item name (Enabled) and make sure the Base option is Decimal, and then update the Value data:
- Type 1 to enable Core Isolation.
- Type 0 to disable Core Isolation.
You first need to enable Core Isolation before using Kernel-mode Hardware-enforced protection. Turning on the value above will do that.
Next, browse the registry key below to turn on Kernel-mode Hardware-enforced protection.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\DeviceGuard\Scenarios\KernelShadowStacks
If you don’t see the KernelShadowStacks folder key, right-click on the Scenarios key, then create the subkey (KernelShadowStacks) folders.
Right-click the KernelShadowStacks folder key’s right pane and select New -> DWORD (32-bit) Value. Next, type a new key named Enabled.
Double-click the new key item name (Enabled) and make sure the Base option is Decimal, and then update the Value data:
- Type 1 to enable Kernel-mode Hardware-enforced protection.
- Type 0 to disable Kernel-mode Hardware-enforced protection.
Also, create a New -> DWORD (32-bit) Value in the same folder and name it WasEnabledBy.
Double-click the new key item name (WasEnabledBy) and make sure the Base option is Decimal, and then update the Value data:
- Type 2 to let memory integrity UI behave normally (Not grayed out).
Turning on Core Isolation and Kernel-mode Hardware-enforced protection above will enhance your device protection.
Save your changes and restart your computer.
That should do it!
Conclusion:
- Enabling or disabling Kernel-mode Hardware-enforced Stack Protection in Windows 11 is crucial for enhancing system security against malicious software.
- This feature should only be enabled on chipsets supporting hardware, such as Intel’s Control-flow Enforcement Technology (CET) or AMD shadow stacks.
- To use this security feature, it is necessary to turn on CPU virtualization and Memory Integrity.
- Users can toggle the Kernel-mode Hardware-enforced Stack Protection setting via the Windows Security app or Registry Editor.
- Following the provided steps will ensure this critical security feature’s proper enablement or disablement.
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