[pchelpers] News:Feds mandate 'secure' Windows set-up

One registry setting to rule them all
By John Leyden 
Published Thursday 22nd March 2007 20:03 GMT

Changes in US government purchasing policies due to come into effect
this summer could have a huge effect on computer security, particularly
for Windows desktops.

A White House directive to federal chief information officers issued
this week calls for all new Windows PC acquisitions, beginning 30 June,
to use a common "secure configuration". Applications (such as
anti-virus, email etc) loaded onto systems remain flexible but what will
be specified in the registry settings and which services would be turned
on or off by default.


Even more importantly, the directive calls for suppliers (integrators
and software vendors) to certify that the products they supply operate
effectively using these more secure configurations.

The federal government scheme builds on the "comply or don't connect"
program of the US Air Force. The principal targets are Windows XP and
Vista client systems but the same ideas might be applied in Unix and
Windows Servers environments over time. The schedule for introduction
gives application developers building applications for Windows Vista to
test against. The incentives for developers to get this right will be
huge.

More here:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/03/22/us_common_security_config/
-- 
John Durham
Site http://modecideas.com
Server hosted on Ubuntu 4.10
Good advice is like good paint. It only works when applied.



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