The United States Government Configuration Baseline (USGCB) - Windows Vista Content

Do not attempt to implement any of the settings without first testing them in a non-operational environment. These recommendations have only been tested on Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit, Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit, Windows 7 Enterprise x86, and Windows 7 Enterprise x64. These settings may be applicable to other Windows systems and service packs; however, NIST has not tested other Windows based systems with these settings. Please see the National Checklist Program (NCP) website for configuration guides related to other Windows Based systems and applications.

The draft download packages contain recommended security settings; they are not meant to replace well-structured policy or sound judgment. Furthermore, these recommendations do not address site-specific configuration issues. Care must be taken when implementing these settings to address local operational and policy concerns.

These recommendations were developed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, which collaborated with DoD and Microsoft to produce the Windows 7, Windows 7 Firewall, Internet Explorer 8 USGCB. Pursuant to title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, these recommendations are not subject to copyright protection and are in the public domain. NIST assumes no responsibility whatsoever for their use by other parties, and makes no guarantees, expressed or implied, about their quality, reliability, or any other characteristic. We would appreciate acknowledgement if the recommendations are used.