CIS Microsoft Windows 10 Enterprise RTM (Release 1507) Benchmark

2.3.15 System objects
This section contains recommendations related to system objects.
2.3.15.1 (L1) Set 'System objects: Require case insensitivity for non-
Windows subsystems' to 'Enabled' (Scored)
Profile Applicability:
Level 1
Level 1 + BitLocker
Description:
This policy setting determines whether case insensitivity is enforced for all subsystems.
The Microsoft Win32' subsystem is case insensitive. However, the kernel supports case
sensitivity for other subsystems, such as the Portable Operating System Interface for UNIX
(POSIX). Because Windows is case insensitive (but the POSIX subsystem will support case
sensitivity), failure to enforce this policy setting makes it possible for a user of the POSIX
subsystem to create a file with the same name as another file by using mixed case to label
it. Such a situation can block access to these files by another user who uses typical Win32
tools, because only one of the files will be available.
The recommended state for this setting is: Enabled.
Rationale:
Because Windows is case-insensitive but the POSIX subsystem will support case sensitivity,
failure to enable this policy setting would make it possible for a user of that subsystem to
create a file with the same name as another file but with a different mix of upper and lower
case letters. Such a situation could potentially confuse users when they try to access such
files from normal Win32 tools because only one of the files will be available.
Audit:
Navigate to the UI Path articulated in the Remediation section and confirm it is set as
prescribed. This group policy setting is backed by the following registry location:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session
Manager\Kernel:ObCaseInsensitive
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