On June 1 the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released recommended language for all federal government chief information officers for required common security configurations for Windows computer operating systems that should be included in acquisitions solicitations to information technology providers.
The goal of the language is to ensure that providers certify that “their products operate effectively using these configurations.”
The memo indicates other specification requirements and language should be included in the solicitations if necessary.
The new security configurations for all government computers using Microsoft Windows XP and WIndows Vista were referenced in a March 20 OMB memo indicating the new configurations were aimed at improving computer security in the federal government.
U.S. Federal agencies must “develop plans for using the Microsoft Windows XP and Vista security configurations with an implementation date of no later than February 1, 2008.”
Tags: awareness and training, government, Information Security, IT compliance, OMB, privacy, Windows Vista, Windows XP