The Windows Server 2025 "Create symbolic links" user right must only be assigned to the Administrators group.
Overview
| Finding ID | Version | Rule ID | IA Controls | Severity |
| V-278249 | WN25-UR-000090 | SV-278249r1182217_rule | CCI-002235 | medium |
| Description | ||||
| Inappropriately granting user rights provides system, administrative, and other high-level capabilities. Accounts with the "Create symbolic links" user right can create pointers to other objects, which could expose the system to attack. | ||||
| STIG | Date | |||
| Microsoft Windows Server 2025 Security Technical Implementation Guide | 2026-02-20 | |||
Details
Check Text (C-278249r1182217_chk)
Verify the effective setting in Local Group Policy Editor.
Run gpedit.msc.
Navigate to Local Computer Policy >> Computer Configuration >> Windows Settings >> Security Settings >> Local Policies >> User Rights Assignment.
If any accounts or groups other than the following are granted the "Create symbolic links" user right, this is a finding:
- Administrators.
For server core installations, run the following command:
Secedit /Export /Areas User_Rights /cfg c:\path\filename.txt
Review the text file.
If any SIDs other than the following are granted the "SeCreateSymbolicLinkPrivilege" user right, this is a finding:
S-1-5-32-544 (Administrators)
Systems that have the Hyper-V role will also have "Virtual Machines" given this user right (this may be displayed as "NT Virtual Machine\Virtual Machines", SID S-1-5-83-0). This is not a finding.
Fix Text (F-82684r1182216_fix)
Configure the policy value for Computer Configuration >> Windows Settings >> Security Settings >> Local Policies >> User Rights Assignment >> Create symbolic links to include only the following accounts or groups:
- Administrators.
Systems that have the Hyper-V role will also have "Virtual Machines" given this user right. To add this manually, enter it as "NT Virtual Machine\Virtual Machines".