Archive for the ‘Security’ Tag

Security Compliance Manager 2.5 Beta

The Microsoft Security Compliance Manager (SCM) tool—version 2.5—is now available for beta download

NEW baselines include:
•Exchange Server 2007 SP3 Security Baseline
•Exchange Server 2010 SP2 Security Baseline

Updated client product baselines include:
•Windows 7 SP1 Security Compliance Baseline
•Windows Vista SP2 Security Compliance Baseline
•Windows XP SP3 Security Compliance Baseline
•Office 2010 SP1 Security Baseline
•Internet Explorer 8 Security Compliance Baseline

SCM 2.5 enables you to quickly configure and manage your desktops and laptops, traditional data center, and private cloud using Group Policy and Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager.

Configure and manage your computers, traditional data center and private cloud with new and updated baseline configurations available with SCM 2.5 Beta. In addition to key features from the previous version, SCM 2.5 offers new Exchange Server 2010 and 2007 security baselines. Updated SCM2 client product baselines are included in the Beta download as well. Beta client product baselines include Windows 7 SP1, Windows Vista SP2, Windows XP SP3, Microsoft Office 2010 SP1, and Internet Explorer 8.

KeyFeatures in SCM 2.5 include:

  • Integration with the System Center 2012 IT GRC Process Pack for Service Manager-Beta:Product baseline configurations are integrated into the IT GRC Process Pack to provide oversight and reporting of your compliance activities.
  • Gold master support: Import and take advantage of your existing Group Policy or create a snapshot of a reference machine to kick-start your project.
  • Configure stand-alone machines: Deploy your configurations to non-domain joined computers using the new GPO Pack feature.
  • Updated security guidance: Take advantage of the deep security expertise and best practices in the updated security guides, and the attack surface reference workbooks to help reduce the security risks that you consider to be the most important.
  • Compare against industry best practices: Analyze your configurations against prebuilt baselines for the latest Windows client and server operating systems.

SCM2 tool released in September 2011 with a full complement of Microsoft product baselines, including Windows Internet Explorer 9, Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (SP1), Windows Server 2008 SP2, and Windows Server 2003 SP2. As well as new features such as GPO import, baseline setting customization, Local GPO functionality, enhanced UI and improved installation with SQL Server 2005 and later releases of SQL Server.

To learn more about the Security Compliance Manager tool, visit the TechNet Library page  Microsoft.com .

Next Steps

Microsoft Security Compliance Manager (SCM 2) tool

Secure Client Computers with updated SCM 2 Client Baselines—Beta now available for download

Available beta baselines are:

  • Windows 7 SP1 Security Compliance Baseline
  • Windows Vista SP2 Security Compliance Baseline
  • Windows XP SP3 Security Compliance Baseline
  • Office 2010 SP1 Security Baseline
  • Internet Explorer 8 Security Compliance Baseline

SCM 2 enables you to quickly configure and manage your desktops and laptops, traditional data center, and private cloud using Group Policy and Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager.

SCM 2 is a free tool from the Microsoft Solution Accelerators team that enables you to quickly configure and manage your computers, traditional data center, and private cloud using Group Policy and Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager.

Key features in SCM 2 include:

  • Integration with the System Center 2012 IT GRC Process Pack for Service Manager-Beta:Product configurations are integrated into the IT GRC Process Pack to provide oversight and reporting of your compliance activities.

  • Gold master support: Import andtake advantage of your existing Group Policy or create a snapshot of a reference machine to kick-start your project.

  • Configure stand-alone machines: Deploy your configurations to non-domain joined computers using the new GPO Pack feature.

  • Updated security guidance: Take advantage of the deep security expertise and best practices in the updated security guides, and the attack surface reference workbooks to help reduce the security risks that you consider to be the most important.

  • Compare against industry best practices: Analyze your configurations against prebuilt baselines for the latest Windows client and server operating systems.

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SCM 2 released with the a full complement of Microsoft product baselines, including Windows Internet Explorer 9, Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (SP1), Windows Server 2008 SP2, and Windows Server 2003 SP2.

Also the security guides are also in the download.

 

Get SCM2 from the Microsoft Download Center. Click here to download the latest version of the tool.

Security and Compliance Baselines

In addition to the previously released security baselines, the SCM 2 includes a new Windows Internet Explorer 9 Security Baseline, and updated versions of the security and compliance baselines for Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, Windows Server 2008 SP2, and Windows Server 2003 SP2.

These new beta baselines provide:

  • Setting severity ratings, allowing you to quickly sort, prioritize, and apply Microsoft security recommendations.
  • Consolidated product baselines that eliminate EC and SSLF baseline components, and make viewing, customizing, and implementing your security baselines easier than ever!
  • New compliance-based settings groups allow quicker and easier compliance reporting and audit preparation, when used with theGRC management solution within System Center.

Security Compliance Manager 2

Microsoft Security Compliance Manager (SCM) 2 enables you to take better advantage of your organization’s existing knowledge and investments, and customize security settings with ease.

SCM main screen

New Features in SCM 2 Include:

  • GPO import: SCM 2 is can now able to import Group Policy Object (GPO) Backup files to allow organizations to import and compare their existing knowledge against Microsoft baseline recommendations. This long-awaited feature effectively helps you to customize and manage your organization’s existing knowledge stored in Active Directory.
  • Baseline setting customization: Modifying baselines just got easier. Adding, extending, or deleting settings from a baseline is an effortless process in this new version of the tool.
  • Local GPO functionality: Apply security baselines directly to client and server computers using the LocalGPO command-line tool, which enables you to secure stand-alone computers and test different baselines without using Active Directory to deploying them. Use this tool to create local policy snapshots that you can import into SCM 2, using the new GPO import capabilities, which you can then compare, customize, and export as needed.
  • Additional features: These include a new and enhanced UI that provides simpler navigation in the tool, and improved installation with SQL Server 2005 and later releases of SQL Server.

Version 2 of the SCM tool will release with the a full complement of Microsoft product baselines, including Windows Internet Explorer 9, Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (SP1), Windows Server 2008 SP2, and Windows Server 2003 SP2.

Security and Compliance Baselines

In addition to the previously released security baselines, the SCM 2 beta download includes a new Windows Internet Explorer 9 Security Baseline, and updated versions of the security and compliance baselines for Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, Windows Server 2008 SP2, and Windows Server 2003 SP2.

These new beta baselines provide:

  • Setting severity ratings, allowing you to quickly sort, prioritize, and apply Microsoft security recommendations.
  • Consolidated product baselines that eliminate EC and SSLF baseline components, and make viewing, customizing, and implementing your security baselines easier than ever!
  • New compliance-based settings groups allow quicker and easier compliance reporting and audit preparation, when used with the GRC management solution within System Center.

Looking Ahead

Additional product baselines are currently in development, including baselines for:

  • Windows 7 SP1
  • Microsoft Exchange Server 2007
  • Exchange Server 2010
  • SQL Server 2008 and SQL Server 2008 R2 (multiple roles)
  • Microsoft Office 2010
  • Windows Vista SP2
  • Windows XP SP3
  • Windows Internet Explorer 8

Previously released security baselines include: Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Internet Explorer 8, Microsoft Office 2010, and Office 2007.

 
You can use local GPo settings

and some screens about group viewing or simple view in the old version all info is on one screen

now it is much better but still you have to know what you are doing. and not all IT pro’s are aware of this. With GPO’s you can easy tear down your domain so never test in the production environment. I see to often that GPo’s are quickly set and have problems afterwards.

Compliance Group View

(IT GRC compliance) Group View.

 

Great tool that can help you to secure your environment based on the templates.

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