All communications that use the SMB protocol can be digitally signed at the packet level by using the SMB signing feature. By digitally signing the packets, the recipient of the packets can confirm the point of origination and authenticity of the packets. The message authentication negotiation occurs during the protocol negotiation and user validation phase. The SMB signing feature is completely configurable in Windows registry and in Group Policy for the server-side SMB component and for the client-side SMB component.
The following table describes the Group Policy settings and the corresponding registry values that you use to determine the settings for SMB signing on the client side and on the server side.
Group Policy setting | Corresponding registry value |
Microsoft network client: Digitally sign communications (if server agrees) | HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Lanmanworkstation\Parameters\Enablesecuritysignature |
Microsoft network client: Digitally sign communications (always) | HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Lanmanworkstation\Parameters\Requiresecuritysignature |
Microsoft network server: Digitally sign communications (if server agrees) | HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Lanmanserver\Parameters\Enablesecuritysignature |
Microsoft network server: Digitally sign communications (always) | HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Lanmanserver\Parameters\Requiresecuritysignature |
SMB signing configuration on the client side
SMB signing is disabled on the client side if the following conditions are true:
- The value of the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Lanmanworkstation\Parameters\Enablesecuritysignature registry entry is set to 0, or if the corresponding Group Policy setting is disabled.
- The value of the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Lanmanworkstation\Parameters\Requiresecuritysignature registry entry is set to 0, or if the corresponding Group Policy setting is disabled.
SMB signing is enabled on the client side if the following conditions are true:
- The value of the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Lanmanworkstation\Parameters\Enablesecuritysignature registry entry is set to 1, or if the corresponding Group Policy setting is enabled.
- The value of the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Lanmanworkstation\Parameters\Requiresecuritysignature registry entry is set to 0, or if the corresponding Group Policy setting is disabled.
SMB signing is required on the client side if the value of the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Lanmanworkstation\Parameters\Requiresecuritysignature registry entry is set to 1, or if the corresponding Group Policy setting is enabled.
SMB signing configuration on the server side
SMB signing is disabled on the server side if the following conditions are true:
- The value of the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Lanmanserver\Parameters\Enablesecuritysignature registry entry is set to 0, or if the corresponding Group Policy setting is disabled.
- The value of the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Lanmanserver\Parameters\Requiresecuritysignature registry entry is set to 0, or if the corresponding Group Policy setting is disabled.
SMB signing is enabled on the server side if the following conditions are true:
- The HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Lanmanserver\Parameters\Enablesecuritysignature registry value is set to 1, or if the corresponding Group Policy setting is enabled.
- The HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Lanmanserver\Parameters\Requiresecuritysignature registry value is set to 0, or if the corresponding Group Policy setting is disabled.
SMB signing is required on the server side if the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Lanmanserver\Parameters\Requiresecuritysignature registry value is set to 1, or if the corresponding Group Policy setting is enabled.
The update will change the behavior of the settings. These changes are described in the following Interoperability matrix for SMB signing.
Interoperability matrix (graphic version)Interoperability matrix (text version) | | | | | | Server | | |
---|
| | | Patched | Patched | Patched | Unpatched | Unpatched | Unpatched |
| | | Required | Enabled | Disabled | Required | Enabled | Disabled |
| Patched | Required | Signed | Signed | Signed | Signed | Signed | No communication |
Client | Patched | Enabled | Signed | Signed | Not signed | Signed | Signed | Not signed |
| Patched | Disabled | Signed | Not signed | Not signed | Signed | Not signed | Not signed |
| Unpatched | Required | Signed | Signed | No communication | Signed | Signed | No communication |
| Unpatched | Enabled | Signed | Signed | Not signed | Signed | Signed | Not signed |
| Unpatched | Disabled | No communication | Not signed | Not signed | No communication | Not signed | Not signed |
For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
823659
Client, service, and program incompatibilities that may occur when you modify security settings and user rights assignments
For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
839499
You cannot open file shares or Group Policy snap-ins when you disable SMB signing for the Workstation or Server service on a domain controller
For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
897341
How to use HotPatching to install security updates for Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1
For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
824684
Description of the standard terminology that is used to describe Microsoft software updates