Federal agencies that have met the challenge presented by the US Office of Management and Budget (OMB) mandate for standard Windows desktop configurations now face the task of verifying and reporting compliance by the March 31, 2008 deadline. Technical compliance reports must be generated using tools that have been validated through the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Security Content Automation Protocol (SCAP) accreditation program. Start the search for an appropriate tool now.
OMB Desktop Deadline Imminent
The implementation of standard Microsoft Windows desktop OS configurations, asmandated by the OMB and discussed in the McLean Report research note, “Federal Agencies: New Security Directive Dictates Desktop Configurations,” has been a key priority for federal agencies over the past year. As of February 2008, all agency laptops and desktops must adhere to the NIST-specified Windows XP and Windows Vista standards, known as the Federal Desktop Core Configurations (FDCC).