Knowledge Base

The Security Templates feature does not correctly apply file system security settings on a Windows 2000-based computer

Article ID: 313379

Article Last Modified on 10/26/2006

APPLIES TO

Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional Edition

This article was previously published under Q313379

SYMPTOMS

You can use the Security Templates feature to create a custom security template to analyze and to apply security settings on files and folders. However, if you try to apply the custom security template on a Microsoft Windows 2000-based computer, the new security settings for files and folders that are located on the system drive may not be applied. (This article assumes that the system drive is the C drive.)

CAUSE

This problem occurs because the Security Templates feature may insert two backslash characters in the path of files that are in the root directory of the system drive. For example, you create a custom security template to analyze files on the system drive as follows:

C:\Autoexec.bat

However, the custom security template lists the file as follows:

C:\\Autoexec.bat

When the two backslash characters are present, the security settings are not applied because the file cannot be found.

RESOLUTION

Service pack information

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows 2000. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

260910 How to obtain the latest Windows 2000 service pack

Hotfix information

A supported hotfix is now available from Microsoft, but it is only intended to correct the problem that is described in this article. Only apply it to systems that are experiencing this specific problem. This hotfix may receive additional testing. Therefore, if you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next Windows 2000 service pack that contains this hotfix.

To resolve this problem immediately, contact Microsoft Product Support Services to obtain the hotfix. For a complete list of Microsoft Product Support Services telephone numbers and information about support costs, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support

Note In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.

File information

The English version of this hotfix has the file attributes (or later) that are listed in the following table. The dates and times for these files are listed in coordinated universal time (UTC). When you view the file information, it is converted to local time. To find the difference between UTC and local time, use the Time Zone tab in the Date and Time tool in Control Panel.

   Date         Time   Version    Size     File name
   ------------------------------------------------------
   27-Nov-2001  19:03  1.0.0.1    542,480  Wsecedit.dll

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, follow these steps:

Edit the custom security template to remove any files that contain two backslash characters in the file path:
1. Click Start, click Run, type mmc in the Open box, and then click OK.
2. On the Console menu, click Add/Remove Snap-in.
3. In the Add/Remove Snap-in dialog box, click Add.
4. In the Add Standalone Snap-in dialog box, click Security Templates, and then click Add.
5. Click Close, and then click OK.
6. In the Console window, double-click Security Templates, double-click the custom security template, and then click the File System folder.
7. Right-click the file that contains two backslash characters, and then click Delete.
8. Right-click the File System folder, and then click Add File.
9. In the Add a File or Folder dialog box, type the correct path for the file that originally contained the two backslash characters, and then click OK.
  
  For example, type c:\autoexec.bat.
10. In the Database security for c:\autoexec.bat dialog box, set the security settings that you want, and then click OK.
11. In the Template Security Policy Setting dialog box, select the security policy settings that you want, and then click OK.
Import the new security settings template, analyze the existing settings, and then apply the new security setting that is in the security template:
1. Click Start, click Run, type mmc in the Open box, and then click OK.
2. On the Console menu, click Add/Remove Snap-in.
3. In the Add/Remove Snap-in dialog box, click Add.
4. In the Add Standalone Snap-in dialog box, click Security Configuration and Analysis, and then click Add.
5. Click Close, and then click OK.
6. In the Console window, click Security Configuration and Analysis.
7. On the Action menu, click Open database.
8. Select the database that you want to edit, or create a new database, and then click Open.
9. On the Action menu, click Import Template.
10. Select the security template that you want to import, and then click Open.
11. On the Action menu, click Analyze Computer Now.
12. Verify that the correct path is specified in the Error log file path box, and then click OK.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section. This problem was first corrected in Windows 2000 Service Pack 3.

MORE INFORMATION

For additional information about defining security templates in Windows 2000, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

313434 How to define security templates in the Security Templates Snap-in in Windows 2000

For additional information about how to analyze security settings in Windows 2000, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

313203 How to analyze system security in Windows 2000

For additional information about how to obtain a hotfix for Windows 2000 Datacenter Server, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

265173 The Datacenter Program and Windows 2000 Datacenter Server product

For additional information about how to install multiple hotfixes and restart only one time, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

296861 How to install multiple Windows updates or hotfixes with only reboot

For additional information about how to install Windows 2000 and Windows 2000 hotfixes at the same time, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

249149 Installing Microsoft Windows 2000 and Windows 2000 hotfixes

Additional query words: security configuration editor SCE former double

Keywords: kbhotfixserver kbqfe kbbug kbfix kbsecurity kbwin2000presp3fix kbwin2000sp3fix KB313379

Microsoft KB Archive/313379

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