Would you like to learn how to use a group policy to prevent the anonymous enumeration of shares and SAM accounts on Windows? In this tutorial, we will show you how to create a group policy to deny the anonymous enumeration of shared folders and SAM accounts.
• Windows 2012 R2
• Windows 2016
• Windows 2019
• Windows 2022
• Windows 10
• Windows 11
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Tutorial GPO – Block anonymous enumeration of SAM accounts and shares
On the domain controller, open the group policy management tool.
Create a new group policy.
Enter a name for the new group policy.
In our example, the new GPO was named: MY-GPO.
On the Group Policy Management screen, expand the folder named Group Policy Objects.
Right-click your new Group Policy Object and select the Edit option.
On the group policy editor screen, expand the Computer configuration folder and locate the following item.
Access the folder named Security options.
Enable the item named Network access: Do not allow anonymous enumeration of SAM accounts and shares.
To save the group policy configuration, you need to close the Group Policy editor.
Congratulations! You have finished the GPO creation.
Tutorial GPO – Block anonymous enumeration of SAM accounts and shares
On the Group policy management screen, you need to right-click the Organizational Unit desired and select the option to link an existent GPO.
In our example, we are going to link the group policy named MY-GPO to the root of the domain.
After applying the GPO you need to wait for 10 or 20 minutes.
During this time the GPO will be replicated to other domain controllers.
Congratulations! You are able to deny the anonymous enumeration of shares and SAM accounts using a GPO.
