Agencies push ahead on security efforts

[InfoSec News <alerts () infosecnews org>]

http://www.fcw.com/online/news/152933-1.html

By Mary Mosquera
FCW.com
June 23, 2008

The National Institute of Standards and Technology has released updated 
security settings for agencies to adopt for Microsoft Windows XP and 
Vista operating systems under the Federal Desktop Core Configuration 
(FDCC).

NIST officials said they made the changes as a result of public comments 
they received in April and May and an analysis of agencies. reports on 
their experiences implementing the existing settings.

Agencies must install the security settings when they upgrade to 
Microsoft XP or Vista, the Office of Management and Budget said in 
announcing the initiative last year. FDCC aims to provide a standard 
desktop view so agencies can make security improvements, such as 
installing virus patches, faster and more effectively, OMB said.

Currently, FDCC consists of 674 settings, but agencies can check 99 
percent of them electronically using the Security Content Automation 
Protocol validation tool, NIST said in its June 20 announcement.

[...]


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