STIGhubSTIGhub
STIGsRMF ControlsCompare

STIGhub

A free tool to search and browse the entire DISA STIG library. Saves up to 75% in security compliance research time.

Navigation

  • Browse STIGs
  • Search
  • RMF Controls
  • Compare Versions

Resources

  • About
  • Release Notes
  • VPAT
  • DISA STIG Library
STIGs updated 3 hours ago
Powered by Pylon
© 2026 Beacon Cloud Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.
← Back to Microsoft Exchange 2016 Mailbox Server Security Technical Implementation Guide

V-228356

CAT II (Medium)

Exchange auto-forwarding email to remote domains must be disabled or restricted.

Rule ID

SV-228356r879533_rule

STIG

Microsoft Exchange 2016 Mailbox Server Security Technical Implementation Guide

Version

V2R6

CCIs

CCI-001368

Discussion

Attackers can use automated messages to determine whether a user account is active, in the office, traveling, and so on. An attacker might use this information to conduct future attacks. Verify Automatic Forwards to remote domains are disabled, except for enterprise mail that must be restricted to forward only to .mil and .gov. domains. Before enabling this setting, configure a remote domain.

Check Content

Note: Requirement is not applicable on classified or completely closed networks.

Non-Enterprise Mail Check Content: 

Open the Exchange Management Shell and enter the following command:

Get-RemoteDomain | Select Identity, AutoForwardEnabled

If the value of AutoForwardEnabled is not set to "False", this is a finding.

Enterprise Mail Check Content:

If the value of "AutoForwardEnabled" is set to "True", this is not a finding.

and 

In the Exchange Management Shell, enter the following command:

Get-RemoteDomain

If the value of "RemoteDomain" is not set to ".mil" and/or ".gov" domain(s), this is a finding.

Fix Text

Non-Enterprise Mail Fix Text:

Open the Exchange Management Shell and enter the following command:

Set-RemoteDomain -Identity <'IdentityName'> -AutoForwardEnabled $false 

Note: The <IdentityName> value must be in single quotes.

Enterprise Mail Fix Text:

New-RemoteDomain -Name <NewRemoteDomainName> -DomainName <SMTP Address>

Note: <NewRemoteDomainName> must either be a .mil or .gov domain.

Set-RemoteDomain -Identity <'RemoteDomainIdentity'> -AutoForwardEnabled $true

Note: The <RemoteDomainIdentity> value must be in single quotes.