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NIST Special Publication 800-70

Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products -

Guidance for Checklists Users and Developers

May 2005

September 2009

SP 800-70 is superseded in its entirety by the publication of

SP 800-70 Revision 1 (September 2009).

NIST Special Publication 800-70 Revision 1

National Checklist Program for IT Products: Guidelines for Checklist

Users and Developers

Stephen D. Quinn, Karen A. Scarfone, Murugiah P. Souppaya

September 2009

http://dx.doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.800-70r1

Computer Security Division (Information Technology Lab)

SP 800-70 Revision 2 (as of August 6, 2015)

https://web.nvd.nist.gov/view/ncp/repository

N/A
NtST

A111Q7 amm^ "^'"'^^'ons

. REFERENCE

NIST Special Publication 800-70

Sponsored by the Department of

Homeland Security

Nisr

National Institute of

Standards and Technology

Technology Administration

U.S. Department of Commerce

Security Configuration

Checklists Program for IT

Products - Guidance for

Checklists Users and

Developers

Murugiah Souppaya

John P. Wack

Karen Kent

COMPUTER SECURITY

NisT Special Publication 800-70 Sccurity Configuration Checklists

Program for IT Products -

Guidance for Checklists Users

and Developers

Murugiah Souppaya

John P. Wack

Karen Kent

COMPUTER SECURITY

Computer Security Division

Information Technology Laboratory

National Institute of Standards and Technology

Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8930

May 2005

U.S. Department of Commerce

Carlos M. Gutierrez, Secretary

Technology Administration

Phillip J. Bond, Under Secretary ofCommerce for Technology

National Institute of Standards and Technology

Hratch G. Semerjian, Acting Director
Reports on Information Security Technology

The Information Technology Laboratory (ITL) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology

(NIST) promotes the U.S. economy and public welfare by providing technical leadership for the Nation's

measurement and standards infrastructure. ITL develops tests, test methods, reference data, proof of

concept implementations, and technical analyses to advance the development and productive use of

information technology. ITL's responsibilities include the development of technical, physical,

administrative, and management standards and guidelines for the cost-effective security and privacy of

sensitive unclassified information in Federal computer systems. This Special Publication 800-series

reports on ITL's research, guidance, and outreach efforts in computer security, and its collaborative

activities with industry, government, and academic organizations.

Certain commercial entities, equipment, or materials may be identified in this document in order

to describe an experimental procedure or concept adequately. Such identification is not intended

to imply recommendation or endorsement by the National Institute of Standards and Technology,

nor is it intended to imply that the entities, materials, or equipment are necessarily the best

available for the purpose.

National Institute of Standards and Technology Special Publication 800-70

Natl. Inst. Stand. Technol. Spec. Publ. 800-70, 64 pages (May 2005)

CODEN: NSPUE2

This document is available for download at http://checklists.nist.gov/.

Comments may be submitted to the Computer Security Division,

Information Technology Laboratory, NIST,

via electronic mail at checklists@nist.aov

Or via regular mail at

100 Bureau Drive (Mail Stop 8930)

Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8930
SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

Acknowledgements

The authors, Murugiah Souppaya and John Wack of the National Institute of Standards and Technology

and Karen Kent of Booz Allen Hamilton, wish to thank Anthony Harris and Paul M. Johnson of Booz

Allen Hamilton who has contributed to the development of the initial draft publication. The authors

acknowledge their colleagues who reviewed drafts of this document and contributed to its technical

content. The authors would like to thank Timothy Grance, Jeffrey Horlick, Arnold Johnson, Mark

Madsen, Edward Roback, Ron Ross, Michael Rubin, and Carolyn.Schmidt of NIST for their keen and

insightful assistance throughout the development of its content. The authors would also like to express

their thanks to Clint Kreitner of the Center for Internet Security; Chase Carpenter, Kurt Dillard, and

Jesper Johansson of the Microsoft Corporation; Paul Bartock, Trent Pitsenbarger, and Neal Ziring of the

National Security Agency; Terry Sherald of the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA); Glenn

Brunette of Sun Microsystems; and the following organizations who provided comments: Apple

Computer, Inc., the Department of Energy, and Symantec Corporation.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology would also like to express its appreciation and thanks

to the Department of Homeland Security for its sponsorship and support of the NIST Security

Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products.

iii
SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

Table of Contents

Executive Summary 1

1. Introduction 1-1

1.1 Authority 1-2

1 .2 Audience and Assumptions 1-2

1 .3 Document Organization 1-2

2. The NIST Security Configuration Checklists Program 2-1

2.1 What is a Security Configuration Checklist? 2-1

2.2 What Are the Benefits to Using Security Checklists? 2-2

2.3 The NIST Checklist Program 2-2

2.3.1 Types of Checklists Listed by the NIST Checklist Program 2-3

2.3.2 Procedures for Users and Developers 2-3

2.3.3 Common Operational Environments 2-5

2.4 Checklists for Federal Agencies in Meeting FISMA Requirements 2-8

3. NIST Checklist Program Operational Environments 3-1

3.1 Background 3-1

3.2 Standalone Environment 3-2

3.2.1 Threat Discussion and Recommended Technical Security Practices 3-3

3.3 Managed Environment 3-4

3.3.1 Threat Discussion and Recommended Technical Security Practices 3-4

3.4 Specialized Security-Limited Functionality Custom Environment 3-6

3.4.1 Threat Discussion and Recommended Technical Security Practices 3-7

3.5 Legacy Environments 3-9

4. Checklist Usage 4-1

4.1 Determining Local Requirements 4-2

4.2 Browsing and Retrieving Checklists 4-3

4.3 Reviewing, Customizing and Documenting, and Testing Checklists 4-5

4.4 Applying Checklists to IT Products 4-5

5. Checklist Development 5-1

5.1 Background on Security-Related Criteria for Checklists .....5-2

5.2 Developer Steps for Creating and Submitting Checklists 5-2

5.2.1 Initial Checklist Development 5-3

5.2.2 Checklist Testing 5-4

5.2.3 Documenting the Checklist 5-5

5.2.4 Checklist Package Submission to NIST 5-6

5.3 NIST Steps for Reviewing and Finalizing Checklists for Publication 5-6

5.3.1 Checklist Package Screening 5-6

5.3.2 Candidate Checklist Public Review 5-8

5.3.3 Final Listing, Maintenance, and Archival 5-8

Appendix A. References A-1

Appendix B. Checklist Description Template B-1

iv
SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

Appendix C. Checklist Program Operational Procedures C-1

1 . Overview and General Considerations C-3

2. Checklist Submission and Screening C-4

3. Candidate Checklist Public Review C-4

4. Final Checklist Listing C-5

5. Final Checklist Update, Archival, and Delisting C-5

6. Record Keeping C-6

Appendix D. Participation and Logo Usage Agreement Form D-1

Appendix E. Acronyms and Glossary E-1

List of Figures

Figure 2-1: Steps for Checklist Users 2-4

Figure 2-2: Steps for Checklist Developers 2-5

Figure 2-3: Sample of NIST Checklist Program Operational Environments 2-7

Figure 3-1: Home Office Standalone Environment Example 3-2

Figure 3-2: Centrally Managed Environment Example 3-5

Figure 3-3: Typical Specialized Security-Limited Functionality Environment 3-8

Figure 3-4: Legacy Environment Example 3-9

Figure 3-5: Legacy Workstation Environment 3-9

Figure 4-1 : Checklist User Process Overview 4-1

Figure 4-2: NIST Checklist Repository Home Page 4-3

Figure 5-1: NIST Checklist Program Development Steps 5-1

Figure 5-2: Initial Checklist Development Stages 5-3

Figure 5-3: Checklist Finalizing and Publishing Steps 5-6

List of Tables

Table 4-1: Checklist Description Fields 4-4

Table 5-1: Fields Completed at Initial Checklist Development 5-3

Table 5-2: Fields Completed During Checklist Testing 5-4

Table 5-3: Additional Documentation Fields 5-5

Table B-1: Fields in the Checklist Description Template B-1

V
SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

This page has been left blank intentionally.

vi
SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

Executive Summary

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), with sponsorship from the Department of

Homeland Security (DHS), has produced Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products:

Guidance for Checklist Users and Developers to facilitate the development and dissemination of security

configuration checklists so that organizations and individual users can better secure their IT products.

A security configuration checklist (sometimes called a lockdown or hardening guide or benchmark) is in

its simplest form a series of instructions for configuring a product to a particular operational environment.

It could also include templates or automated scripts and other procedures. Typically, checklists are created by IT vendors for their own products; however, checklists are also created by other organizations

such as consortia, academia, and government agencies. The use of well-written, standardized checklists can markedly reduce the vulnerability exposure of IT products. Checklists may be particularly helpful to small organizations and individuals that have limited resources for securing their systems.

This publication is intended for users and developers of IT product security configuration checklists. For

checklist users, this document gives an overview of the NIST Checklist Program, explains how to retrieve

checklists from NIST's repository, and provides general information about threat discussions and baseline

technical security practices for associated operational environments. For checklist developers, the

document sets forth the policies, procedures, and general requirements for participation in the NIST

Checklist Program.

The Cyber Security Research and Development Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-305) tasks NIST to

'''develop, and revise as necessary, a checklist settingforth settings and option selections that minimize

the security risks associated with each computer hardware or software system that is, or is likely to become widely used within the Federal Government^ In addition, the Common Configuration Working

Group Report of the Technical Standards and Common Criteria Task Force,' formed at the Department of

Homeland Security's first National Cyber Security Summit in 2003, recommended government promotion

of the use of a NIST central repository for IT security configuration checklists. In response, this

document has been developed by NIST in furtherance of its statutory responsibilities under the Cyber

Security Act as well as the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) of 2002 (Public Law

107-347).^

WHY USE SECURITY CONFIGURATION CHECKLISTS?

There are many threats to users' computers, ranging from remotely launched network service exploits to malicious code spread through e-mails, malicious web sites, and file downloads. Vulnerabilities in IT

products are discovered on an almost daily basis, and many ready-to-use exploits are widely available on

the Internet. Because IT products are often intended for a wide variety of audiences, restrictive security

controls are usually not enabled by default, so many IT products are immediately vulnerable out-of-thebox. It is a complicated, arduous, and time-consuming task for even experienced system administrators to

identify a reasonable set of security settings for many IT products.

While the solutions to IT security are complex, one basic yet effective tool is the security configuration

checklist. To facilitate the development of security configuration checklists and to meet the requirements

of the Cyber Security Act, NIST has developed a program to (a) provide vendors and other groups with

The final report of the Technical Standards and Common Criteria Task Force is available at

http://\v WW.cvberpartnership.org/TF4 TechSummarv.pdf. The full texts of the Cyber Security Act and the FISMA are available at http://csrc.nist.gov/policies/HR3394-tlnal.pdf and

http://csrc.nist.gov/policies/FlSMA-finai.pdf, respectfully.

1
SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

guidance for developing standardized, high-quality checklists to secure IT products, (b) establish a formal

framework for the submission of checklists to NIST, and (c) assist users by making available a checklist

repository.

Some of the benefits that organizations and individuals can achieve by using checklists are as follows:

Providing a baseline level of security to protect against common and dangerous local and remote

threats and a consistent approach to securing systems

Significantly reducing the time required to research and develop appropriate security

configurations for installed IT products

Allowing smaller organizations to leverage outside resources to implement recommended

practice security configurations

Preventing public loss of confidence or embarrassment due to compromise of publicly accessible

systems.

While the use of security configuration checklists can greatly improve overall levels of security in

organizations, no checklist can permit a system or a product to become 100 % secure. However, use of

checklists that emphasize hardening of systems against flaws or bugs inherent in software will typically

result in greater levels of product security and protection from future threats.

WHAT IS THE MOTIVATION BEHIND THE NIST PROGRAM?

Many organizations have created various checklists; however, these checklists may vary widely in terms

of quality and usability, and may have become outdated as software updates and upgrades have been

released. Because there is no central checklist repository, finding security checklists can be a difficult

task. Additionally, one checklist may differ significantly from another in terms of the level of security

provided. It may be difficult to determine if the checklist is current, or how the checklist should be

implemented. While many existing checklists are of high quality and usable, the majority of checklists

are not accessible or beneficial for most audiences.

The goals of the NIST program are:

To facilitate the development and sharing of security configuration checklists by providing a framework for developers to submit checklists to NIST

To assist developers in making checklists that conform to common operational environments

To assist developers and users by providing guidelines for making checklists better documented

and more usable

To provide a managed process for the review, update, and maintenance of checklists

To provide an easy-to-use repository of checklists.

NIST's program also serves to assist vendors in the process of making their checklists available to users out-of-the-box. In such cases, it will still be advisable for product users to consult the NIST checklist

repository for updates to pre-installed checklists.

2
SP 800-70: SECURiPt' Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

HOW DO USERS ACCESS THE CHECKLISTS?

NIST maintains a checklist repository containing the descriptions of the checklists, located at

http://checklists.nist.gov/ . Users can browse the descriptions to locate a particular checklist using a

variety of different criteria, including the product category, vendor name, and submitting organization.

This document contains procedures for checklist users to follow when retrieving checklists and applying

them to IT products.

WHAT ARE THE COMMON OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS?

NIST recognizes that checklists are significantly more useful when they follow common operational

environments. The NIST Checklist Program identifies several broad and specialized operational

environments, any one of which should be common to most audiences. By identifying and describing

these environments, users can better select the checklists that are most appropriate for their operating

environments, and developers can better target their checklists to the general security baselines associated

with the environments. The operational environments are:

Standalone or Small Office/Home Office (SOHO) describes small, informal computer

installations that are used for home or business purposes. Standalone encompasses a variety of

small-scale environments and devices, ranging from laptops, mobile devices, or home computers,

to telecommuting systems, to small businesses and small branch offices of a company.

Managed or Enterprise are typically large organizational systems with defined, organized suites

of hardware and software configurations, usually consisting of centrally-managed workstations

and servers protected from the Internet by firewalls and other network security devices.

Custom environments contain systems in which the functionality and degree of security do not fit the other environments. Two typical Custom environments are Specialized Security-Limited

Functionality and Legacy:

o Specialized Security-Limited Functionality. A Specialized Security-Limited

Functionality environment contains systems and networks at high risk of attack or data

exposure, with security taking precedence over functionality. It assumes systems have

limited or specialized (not general purpose workstations or systems) functionality in a highly threatened environment such as an outward facing firewall or public web server or whose data content or mission purpose is of such value that aggressive trade-offs in favor

of security outweigh the potential negative consequences to other useful system attributes

such as legacy applications or interoperability with other systems. Checklists for this

environment are not recommended for home users or for large scale general purpose

systems. A Specialized Security-Limited Functionality environment could be a subset of

another environment.

o Legacy. A Legacy environment contains older systems or applications that may use

older, less-secure communication mechanisms. Other machines operating in a Legacy

environment may need less restrictive security settings so that they can communicate

with legacy systems and applications. A Legacy environment could be a subset of a Standalone or Managed environment.

HOW DO CHECKLIST DEVELOPERS USE THE PROGRAM?

The NIST Checklist Program provides a process and guidance for developing checklists in a consistent

fashion. For checklist developers, steps include the initial development of the checklist, checklist testing,

documenting the checklist according to the guidelines of the program, and submitting a checklist package

3
SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

to NIST. NIST then screens the checklist according to program requirements prior to a public review of

the checklist, which typically lasts 30 to 60 days. After the public review period and any subsequent

issue resolution, it will be listed on the NIST checklist repository ( http://checklists.nist.gov/) with a

detailed description. NIST will periodically ask checklist developers to review their checklists and

provide updates as necessary. NIST will retire or archive checklists as they become outdated or incorrect.

WHERE DO FISMA REQUIREMENTS FIT IN?

FISMA (section 3544(b)(2)(D)(iii)) [3] requires each agency to determine minimally acceptable system

configuration requirements and ensure compliance with them. Accordingly, Federal agencies, as well as vendors of products for the Federal government, are encouraged to acquire or implement and share such

checklists using the NIST repository.

4
SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

1. Introduction

A security configuration checklist (sometimes called a lockdown or hardening guide or benciimark) is in

its simplest form a series of documented instructions for configuring a product to a pre-defined

operational environment. It could also include templates or automated scripts and other procedures.

Checklists can be developed for specific IT products and environments not only by IT vendors, but also

by consortia, industry. Federal agencies and other governmental organizations, and others in the public

and private sectors. The use of well-written, standardized checklists can reduce the vulnerability

exposure of IT products and be particularly helpful to small organizations and individuals for securing

their systems.

This publication is intended for users and developers of IT product security configuration checklists. For

checklist users, this document describes security configuration checklists and their benefits, and explains

how to use the NIST Checklist Program to find and retrieve checklists. For developers, the document and

its appendices describe the policies, procedures, and general requirements for participation in the NIST

Checklist Program.

It has become more important than ever to maintain secure networks and hosts. Widespread electronic

attacks on all computer systems have become commonplace. There are many threats to users' computers,

ranging from remotely launched network service exploits to malicious code spread through e-mails,

malicious web sites, and file downloads. Vulnerabilities in IT products (e.g., operating systems,

applications) are discovered on an almost daily basis, and many ready-to-use exploits are widely available on the Internet. Because IT products are often intended for a wide variety of audiences, restrictive

security controls are usually not enabled by default, so many IT products are immediately vulnerable in

their out-of-the-box configuration.

Complicating this situation is that today's systems and products can be very complex to administer and

difficult to secure. For example, personal computer systems of today are far more complicated and

sophisticated than yesterday's systems, and many if not most users and administrators cannot be expected

to manage them securely without assistance. It is a complicated, arduous, and time-consuming task for even experienced system administrators to know what a reasonable set of security settings is for many

different IT products. However, security is very important to all audiences, from individual home users to large enterprise end-users, because all systems face threats. In some cases, home and telecommuter user systems may benefit from the same strong security controls usually found in larger organizations because

they face common threats via use of the Internet.

While the solutions to IT security are complex, one simple yet effective tool is the security configuration

checklist. To facilitate the development of security configuration checklists and to meet the requirements

of the Cyber Security Research and Development Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-305) [1], NIST has

developed a program with the following goals:

To assist vendors and other groups with guidance for developing standardized, high-quality

checklists

To provide a formal program for the submission of the checklists to NIST

To assist checklist users by making available a checklist repository.

For current or potential checklist users, this document provides an overview of the NIST checklist

program and how to retrieve and use checklists. This publication describes the NIST checklist repository,

located at http://checklists.nist.gov/. Users of the repository can check the availability of checklists for IT

1-1
SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

products they are using or considering for purchase, identify the differences between checklists developed

for identical IT products, and find the locations where the checklists can be obtained.

For developers of checklists, this document provides an overview of using the program to build checklists

and submit them to NIST. It describes how NIST will screen checklist submissions, how checklists will

be listed and maintained, how issues will be addressed, and what the administrative requirements are for

participation in the program and for use of the NIST Checklist logo.

1.1 Authority

The Cyber Security Act tasks NIST to "develop, and revise as necessary, a checklist setting forth settings

and option selections that minimize the security risks associated with each computer hardware or software

system that is, or is likely to become widely used within the Federal Government." In response, this

document has been developed by NIST in furtherance of its statutory responsibilities under the Cyber

Security Act as well as the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) of 2002, Public Law

107-347 [3].

NIST is responsible for developing standards and guidelines, including minimum requirements, for

providing adequate information security for all agency operations and assets, but such standards and

guidelines shall not apply to national security systems. This guideline is consistent with the requirements

of the Office of Management and Budget (0MB) Circular A-130, Section 8b(3), "Securing Agency

Information Systems," as analyzed in A-130, Appendix IV: Analysis of Key Sections. Supplemental

information is provided in A-130, Appendix 111 [4].

This guideline has been prepared for use by Federal agencies. It may be used by nongovernmental

organizations on a voluntary basis and is not subject to copyright, though attribution is desired. Nothing

in this document should be taken to contradict standards and guidelines made mandatory and binding on

Federal agencies by the Secretary of Commerce under statutory authority, nor should these guidelines be

interpreted as altering or superseding the existing authorities of the Secretary of Commerce, Director of

the OMB, or any other Federal official.

1.2 Audience and Assumptions

This document has been created for current and potential checklist users and developers in both the public

and private sectors. Checklist developers include IT vendors, consortia, industry, government

organizations, and others in the public and private sectors. Checklist users include end-users, system

administrators, and IT managers within government agencies, corporations, small businesses, and other

organizations, as well as private citizens.

Readers of this document are assumed to be familiar with general computer security concepts and with

using Web-based methods for retrieving information.

1.3 Document Organization

Section 2 contains an overview of checklists, and also describes the advantages of the NIST Checklist

Program and how it works. It contains pointers to other sections of this document that provide greater

detail.

Section 3 provides additional details of pre-defined checklist operational environments, threat

discussions, and baseline technical security practices. These are used in the NIST Checklist Program to help developers create checklists that are consistent with these security practices. Checklist users can also

1-2
SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

apply the Section 3 material to better understand the baseline security practices and select the checklists

that best match their own operational environments.

Section 4 contains information for potential checklist users. It describes how to use the NIST Checklist

Program to find and retrieve checklists that best match the identified needs. It also contains guidance on

implementing checklists, including analyzing the specific operating environment and then tailoring

checklists as applicable.

Section 5 provides guidance to current and prospective checklist developers. This guidance contains

information on the procedures for preparing and submitting a checklist to NIST for inclusion in the

checklist repository.

Appendix A contains references to documents used in this publication.

Appendix B describes the checklist description fields of the template used to catalogue checklists in the

NIST repository.

Appendix C contains the programmatic and legal requirements that must be satisfied for participation in

the NIST Checklist Program.

Appendix D contains the NIST Checklist Program participation and logo usage agreement form.

Appendix E contains a glossary for terms used in this document.

1-3
SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

This page has been left blank intentionally.

1-4
SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

The NIST Security Configuration Checklists Program

This section contains an overview of tlie NIST Checklist Program. It begins by describing the contents of

checklists and giving examples of the types of IT products for which checklists are often created. Next,

the section explains the benefits that security configuration checklists can provide, such as improving

baseline levels of security for an organization. It also explains the goals and benefits of the NIST

Checklist Program, including increasing the quality, usability, and availability of checklists. This section

also provides an overview of the procedures for checklist users and developers and the types of

operational environments, as well as a summary of FISMA-related guidance pertaining to use of

configuration checklists. Subsequent sections of the guide provide additional information on procedures

and environment definitions.

2.1 What is a Security Configuration Checklist?

A security configuration checklist (sometimes referred to as a lockdown guide, hardening guide, security

guide, security technical implementation guide [STIG], or benchmark)'' is essentially a document that

contains instructions or procedures for configuring an IT product to an operational environment.

Checklists can be developed not only by IT vendors, but also by consortia, academia, and industry,

Federal agencies and other governmental organizations, and others in the public and private sectors. A

checklist might include any of the following:

Configuration files that automatically set various security settings (e.g., executables, security

templates that modify settings, scripts)

Documentation (e.g., text file) that guides the checklist user to manually configure an IT product

Documents that explain the recommended methods to securely install and configure a device

Policy documents that set forth guidelines for such things as auditing, authentication mechanisms

(e.g., passwords), and perimeter security.

Not all instructions in a security configuration checklist need to be for security settings. Checklists can

also include administrative practices for an IT product that go hand-in-hand with improvements to the

product's security. Often, successful attacks on systems are the direct result of poor administrative

practices such as not changing defauh passwords or failure to apply old patches.

Typically, a system administrator or end-user follows the instructions in the checklist to configure a product or system to the baseline level of security implemented in the checklist. The system

administrator may need to modify the checklist to incorporate the local security policy.

Some examples of the types of devices and software for which security checklists are intended are as follows:

General purpose operating systems

Common desktop applications such as e-mail clients, Web browsers, word processors, personal

firewalls, and antivirus software

Infrastructure devices such as routers, firewalls, virtual private network (VPN) gateways,

intrusion detection systems (IDS), wireless access points (WAP), and telecom systems

From herein, the Cyber Security Act terminology, checklist, will be used to describe a security configuration checklist or what other literature may refer to as a lockdown guide, hardening guide, or benchmark configuration.

2-1
SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

Application servers such as Domain Name System (DNS) servers, Dynamic Host Configuration

Protocol (DHCP) servers, Web servers, Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) servers, File

Transfer Protocol (FTP) servers, and database servers

Other network devices such as mobile devices, scanners, printers, copiers, and fax appliances.

2.2 What Are the Benefits to Using Security Checklists?

Security configuration checklists, when developed correctly, can greatly assist users in configuring IT

products to security baselines that offer more protection than the installed out-of-the-box defaults. The

following list includes some of the benefits associated with using checklists:

Providing a baseline level of security to protect against common and dangerous local and remote

threats (e.g., viruses and worms, denial of service attacks, unauthorized access, inappropriate

usage)

Significantly reducing the time required to research and develop appropriate security

configurations for installed IT products by leveraging existing checklists with in-house expertise

Allowing smaller organizations to leverage outside resources to implement recommended

practice security configurations

Preventing public loss of confidence or embarrassment due to compromise of publicly accessible

systems.

While the use of security configuration checklists can significantly improve overall levels of security in

organizations, no checklist can permit a system or a product to become 100 % secure. However, use of

checklists that emphasize hardening of systems against the hidden flaws or bugs inherent in software will

typically result in greater levels of product security and protection from future threats (e.g., zero day

vulnerabilities). IT vendors that provide recommended checklists "out of the box" that adhere with the

FISMA-associated security control baselines will not only provide more consistency in configuration

settings within the federal agencies but also provide a much more cost-effective method of establishing

the minimum configurations settings even if the agencies must modify the original checklists provided by

checklist developers to fine tune the configuration settings for their particular applications and operational

environments.

2.3 The NIST Checklist Program

Many organizations have created various checklists; however, these checklists may vary widely in terms

of quality and usability, and may have become outdated as software updates and upgrades have been

released. Because there is no central checklist repository, finding security checklists can be a difficult

task. Additionally, one checklist may differ significantly from another in terms of the level of security

provided. It may be difficult to determine if the checklist is current, or how the checklist should be

implemented. While many existing checklists are of high quality and usable, the majority of checklists

are not accessible or beneficial for most audiences.

NIST's program serves to make checklists more organized and usable. The goals of the NIST program

are as follows:

To facilitate the development and sharing of checklists by providing a framework for developers

to submit checklists to NIST

2-2
SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

To assist developers by providing a consistent approach to securing different types of systems

that are connected to the same environments (i.e., a network consisting of Microsoft Windows®-

based, UNIX-based, and Linux-based systems that need to be at the same security levels)

To assist developers and users by providing guidelines for making checklists better documented

and more usable

To provide a managed process for the review, update, and maintenance of checklists

To provide an easy-to-use national repository of checklists.

2.3.1 Types of Checklists Listed by the NISI Checklist Program

The NIST Checklist Program deals with checklists that are tied to specific IT products, such as a checklist

for a specific brand and model of a router. Some checklists may point to other checklists. For example, a

checklist for a database product may reference the checklist for the operating system on which the

database product runs.

The NIST Checklist Program can assist civilian Federal government agencies in meeting FISMA

requirements, which is discussed more in Section 2.4. Additionally, the program can list checklists for a

large variety of specialized needs,'* such as checklists related to compliance with regulatory requirements

such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 [5], or the SarbanesOxley Act of 2002 [6].

The NIST checklist repository is located at http://checklists.nist.gov/. The repository contains checklists

that have been developed and screened to meet the requirements of the program. Users can browse

checklist descriptions to locate and retrieve a particular checklist using a variety of different fields,

including the product category, vendor name, and submitting organization.

2.3.2 Procedures for Users and Developers

The general steps involved for checklist users and developers are shown in Figure 2-1 and

Figure 2-2. For checklist users, the steps are simple and straightforward:

In step one, users gather their local requirements (e.g., IT products, the operating environment

and associated security needs) and then acquire or purchase the IT product that best suits their

needs.

In step two, users browse the checklist repository to retrieve checklists that match the user's

operational environment and security requirements. If a product is intended to be secure out-ofthe-box (e.g., it was secured by the vendor using a security configuration checklist), it is still important to check the repository for updates to that checklist.

Step three involves tailoring and documenting the checklist as necessary to take into account local

policies and functional requirements, testing the checklist, and providing any feedback to NIST

and the checklist developers.

Lastly, step four involves preparation for deploying the checklist, such as making configuration '

or data backups, and then applying the checklist in production.

The program does not list checklists that describe best practices for genera! technology areas (e.g., firewalls, routers). NIST

maintains several directories of best practices checklists, as well as links to locations for other checklists, at http://csrc.nist.gov/pcig/ppsp.htmi .

2-3
SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

Section 4 contains more details on considerations associated with each step. The checklist description

fields, used when browsing checklist, are summarized in Appendix B.

Steps for

Checklist End -Users:

IT Product

Out-of-the-box

1 . Determine Local Operational

Product Requirements

OR 2. Browse. Retrieve New or Updated Checklists

3. Review. Tailor. Test, and

Document Checklist in Local

Environment

T

IT Product

Checklist

Feedback on

CheckDst

IT Product,

Checklist Included

4. Apply Checklist to IT Product

IT Product,

Secured

Checklist Repository

http://checklistsnist.gov

Figure 2-1 : Steps for Checklist Users

For developers, the process is composed of two stages. The first stage involves only developer actions,

whereas the second stage involves interactions between NIST, the developer, and public reviewers. The

first stage contains four steps, as shown in Figure 2-2:

In step one, the developer becomes familiar with the procedures and requirements of the checklist

program and completes an agreement to participate in the program.

In step two, the developer creates, tests, and refines the checklist.

In step three, the developer documents the checklist according to the guidelines of the program.

In step four, the developer prepares a checklist submission package and submits it to NIST.

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SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

In stage two, NIST then performs the remaining four steps, with interaction from the developer and public

reviewers:

In step five, NIST screens the checklist according to program requirements and addresses any

issues with the developer.

The next step is a public review of the checklist, which typically lasts 30 to 60 days. Comments

submitted during the review are addressed as applicable by the developer and NIST.

For step seven, NIST posts the checklist on the repository and announces its presence.

Lastly, step eight involves periodic updates to the checklist and issues of checklist archival.

Steps for

Checklist Developers:

IT Product

Checklist

1. Agrees to Participate

I f

2. Builds and Tests Checl<list -4 I

3. Documents Checklist

4. Submits Checklist to NIST

Checklist Program Operational

Environment Policies Checklist Development Criteria Recommendations

5. NIST Screens Checklist

procedure

M

Checklist Repository,

http://checklists.nist.gov

6. Checklist Gets Public

Review

7. Listing on Checklist

Repository

8. Periodic Updates

as Necessary

If Major

Update

Required

Figure 2-2: Steps for Checklist Developers

Checklist development procedures and NIST's process for screening and publishing the checklist are described in specific detail in Section 5 and Appendix C.

2.3.3 Common Operational Environments

Checklists are significantly more useful if they can be associated with generic operational environments.

However, it is difficult or perhaps impossible to specify these environments in detail; they must by

necessity remain general so as to be useful to a wide range of audiences. The NIST Checklist Program

identifies several broad and specialized operational environments, any one of which should be common to

2-5
SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

most audiences. By identifying and describing these environments, developers can better target their

checkHsts to the general security requirements associated with the environments. End-users can better

select the checklists that are most appropriate for their operating environments.

The operational environments are as follows:

Standalone or Small Office/Home Office (SOHO) describes small, informal computer

installations that are used for home or business purposes. Standalone encompasses a variety of

small-scale environments and devices, ranging from laptops, mobile devices, or home computers,

to telecommuting systems, to small businesses and small branch offices of a company.

Managed or Enterprise are typically large organizational systems with defined, organized suites

of hardware and software configurations, usually consisting of centrally-managed workstations

and servers protected from the Internet by firewalls and other network security devices.

Custom environments contain systems in which the funcfionality and degree of security do not fit

the other environments. Two typical Custom environments are Specialized Security-Limited

Functionality and Legacy:

o Specialized Security-Limited Functionality. A Specialized Security-Limited

Functionality environment contains systems and networks at high risk of attack or data

exposure, with security taking precedence over functionality. It assumes systems have

limited or specialized (not general purpose workstations or systems) functionality in a highly threatened environment such as an outward facing firewall or public Web server or whose data content or mission purpose is of such value that aggressive trade-offs in

favor of security outweigh the potential negative consequences to other useful system

attributes such as legacy applications or interoperability with other systems. Checklists

for this environment are not recommended for home users or for large scale general

purpose systems. A Specialized Security-Limited Functionality environment could be a subset of another environment.

o Legacy. A Legacy environment contains older systems or applications that may use

older, less-secure communication mechanisms. Other machines operating in a Legacy

environment may need less restrictive security settings so that they can communicate

with legacy systems and applications. A Legacy environment could be a subset of a Standalone or Managed environment.

Figure 2-3 shows representative Standalone, Managed, and Custom (e.g., Specialized Security-Limited

Functionality) environments. The environments and their general security baselines are further detailed in

Section 3.
SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

Broadband Modem

Standalone

Environment

standalone Systems

Small Businesses Telecommuters Home Users Remote/Branch

Office

Internet Service

Provider

Wireless Laptops

Stand-alone Computer

Systems

. Mobile Devices, PDAs

Protected Enterprise_

Environment

Internal Firewall

Managed

Environment

Typically Centrally Managed

Behind Corporate Firewalls Large/Medium Businesses

Federal Agencies

Protected Enterprise

Environment

Managed

Workstations

Server Farm

Custom

Environment:

Specialized

Security-Limited

Functionality

Public sen/ers

Border Routers

Rrewalls Systems w/lmportant Data

Security Takes Precedence Over Usability Subset of Enterprise. SOHO Firewalls

environments Not for Home Users

Network

Management

Systems

Financial Server

Email Ser

Figure 2-3: Sample of NIST Checklist Program Operational Environments

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SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

2.4 Checklists for Federal Agencies in Meeting FISMA Requirements

Security configuration checklists assist Federal agencies in meeting the security requirements of FISMA.

FISMA (section 3544(b)(2)(D)(iii)) [3] requires each agency to determine minimally acceptable system

configuration requirements and ensure compliance with them. Accordingly, Federal agencies, as well as vendors of products for the Federal government, are encouraged to acquire or develop and share such

checklists using the NIST repository. The development and sharing of these checklists can greatly reduce

what would otherwise be a "reinvention of the wheel" for IT products that are widely used in the Federal

government, such as common operating systems, servers, and client applications.

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SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

3. NIST Checklist Program Operational Environments

The NIST Checklist Program identifies several broad and custom operational environments, any one of

which should be common to most audiences. Each of the operating environments has a general threat

description and baseline technical security practice.

Users of IT products may find this section useful to consult when initially identifying their own security

requirements and needs (outlined in greater detail in Section 4). Developers may find this section useful

when building checklists; by tailoring checklist development to these environments and their policies,

they can create checklists for diverse products but still adhere to the general uniform technical security

practices and settings associated with the environments. This is discussed in greater detail in Section 5.

The two broad environments are referred to respectively as Standalone (or Small Office/Home Office)

and Managed (or Enterprise). Two typical Custom environments, which could be subsets of the broader

environments, are Specialized Security-Limited Functionality and Legacy. The following sections

describe the environments and discuss threats and baseline technical security recommendations.

Prior to submission of a checklist to NIST, developers should ensure they have the most recent version of

this document, as updates to the criteria for operational environments may occur periodically. The most

recent version is available as a separate file at http://checkl ists.nist.gov/ .^

3.1 Background

To secure something, it is essential to first define the threats that need to be mitigated. Knowledge of

potential threats is important to understanding the reasons behind various baseline technical security

practices that have been chosen for this document.

The threat discussions for each environment represent the major threat categories that were considered

during the selection of the environments and their associated baseline practices. Many threats against

data and resources are possible because of mistakes—either bugs in operating system and application

software that create exploitable vulnerabilities, or errors made by end-users and administrators. Threats

may involve intentional actors (e.g., an attacker who wants to access information on a system) or

unintentional actors (e.g., an administrator who forgets to disable user accounts of a terminated

employee.) Threats can be local, such as a disgruntled employee, or remote, such as an attacker in

another geographical area. Organizations using checklists should conduct risk assessments to identify the

specific threats against their systems and determine the effectiveness of existing security controls in

counteracting the threats, then perform risk mitigation to decide what additional measures (if any) should

be implemented, as discussed in NIST's Risk Assessment Guide for Information Technology Systems

publication [12]. Performing this step permits organizations to better understand their needs and whether

modifications or enhancements need to be made on any selected checklists.

The checklist environment baseline technical security practices are based on commonly accepted

technical security principles and practices, catalogued in various NIST Special Publications [8], [10], [23]

and other sources such as the DoD's Information Assurance Technical Framework [32]. In particular,

NIST Special Publication 800-27, Engineering Principles for Information Technology Security (A

Baselinefor Achieving Security) [1 1], contains a set of engineering principles for system security that

provide a foundation upon which a more consistent and structured approach to the design, development,

and implementation of IT security capabilities can be constructed. For additional information. Section 5.1

NIST may, from time to time as new information becomes available, update the criteria and information for the operational

environments as well as other criteria contained in this document.

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SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

contains detailed discussion of the security-related criteria recommended for developers when building

checklists.

3.2 Standalone Environment

The Standalone environment, sometimes referred to as Small Office/Home Office (SOHO), describes

small, informal computer installations. This environment encompasses a wide variety of operational

settings, from a home computer used for occasional work purposes to a small branch office of a company

in another geographical area that is not managed remotely for technical or business reasons. Figure 3-1

shows a typical Standalone network architecture.

The Standalone environment assumes the following end-user audiences and operational settings:

Home users with standalone systems, generally with dial-up or high-speed access to the Internet,

possibly using wired or wireless home networks, possibly sharing resources across the networks

Telecommuters using standalone systems who work from a home office

Small businesses, typically with small networks of standalone desktop systems and small office servers protected from direct Internet access by a firewall, but possibly including some small

centrally-managed networks of desktop systems and products, and typically not maintaining

publicly-accessible servers

Other small organizations with similar functions.

ISP

Wireless Laptop

Broadband ^

Modem Firewall/Router/ ^

WAP

Mobile Devices, PDAs

Wireless PC

Multi-Function Device

Wired PC .

Figure 3-1: Home Office Standalone Environment Example

Standalone environments are typically the least secured. The individuals performing Standalone system

administration are assumed to be less knowledgeable about security. This often results in environments

that are less secure than they should be because the focus is on functionality. In some instances, there

may be no network-based security controls such as firewalls, so Standalone systems may be directly

exposed to external attacks. Standalone environments are frequently targeted for exploitation—not

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SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

necessarily to acquire information, but instead for the purpose of attacking other computers, or

incidentally as collateral damage from the propagation of a worm.

Standalone checklists should be relatively simple to understand and implement by home users or novice

system administrators in small organizations.

3.2.1 Threat Discussion and Recommended Technical Security Practices

Because the primary threats in Standalone environments are external, and Standalone devices generally

have less restrictive security policies than Managed or Specialized Security-Limited Functionality

systems, they tend to be most vulnerable to attacks from remote threat categories. Local threats are often

less significant because few people typically have local access to Standalone systems; however, it is still important to protect against local and other threats. Standalone systems are typically exposed to attacks

against network services and by malicious payloads (e.g., viruses, worms). These attacks are most likely

to affect availability (e.g., crashing the system, consuming all network bandwidth, breaking functionality)

but may also affect integrity (e.g., infecting data files) and confidentiality (e.g., providing remote access

to sensitive data, e-mailing data files to others).

The baseline technical security practices for the Standalone environment include protecting IT systems

and products from the common out-of-the-box configuration vulnerabilities, blocking external access to the network, and restricting local access when possible. The adoption of inexpensive, hardware-based

firewall routers and personal firewalls can help to better secure Standalone environments. Another key to Standalone security is strengthening the hosts on the Standalone network by patching vulnerabilities and

altering settings to restrict unneeded services and applications. Some commonly accepted security

practices for Standalone environments are:

Use of small hardware firewall appliances at Internet connections to block inbound connections

and possibly to filter outbound traffic also

Use of personal firewall products on standalone systems

Application (e.g., antivirus software, Web browser, e-mail client) and operating system updates

and patches applied regularly

Web and e-mail clients configured to filter and block traffic/messages that could contain

malicious content

Unnecessary applications disabled (e.g., personal Web servers, SNMP, messaging)

Encryption used for wireless network traffic and as appropriate for other traffic

Restrictions on which systems/users can connect to wired and wireless LANs

Restrictions on user privileges

Restrictions on sharing resources such as directories or printers

Backup and recovery procedures

Physical security procedures.

NIST and other security publications can be consulted for additional guidance in security practices related

to Standalone environments. Users may find the guidance on system administration for Microsoft

Windows® systems [13], [26], telecommuting [14], and wireless network security [15] particularly

3-3
SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

useful. NIST has a variety of security-related special publications and general security guidance available on its computer security Web site.^

3.3 Managed Environment

The Managed environment, sometimes referred to as Enterprise, is generally for centrally-managed

networks of IT products protected from direct Internet access by firewalls. Figure 3-2 shows a typical

enterprise network architecture. As an example, it would include networked printers and multi-function

devices, managed workstations, and internal servers.

The Managed environment audience generally includes medium to large businesses, large governmental

agencies, and organizations requiring managed telecommuting systems and remote offices. Managed

checklists are generally intended for advanced end-users and system administrators in a medium to large

organization. Managed environments typically have a group dedicated to supporting users and providing

security. The combination of structure and skilled staff allows better security practices to be implemented

during initial system deployment and in ongoing support and maintenance. The managed nature of

typical Managed environments gives administrators centralized control over various settings on

workstations, servers, and other types of devices, as well as the sharing of resources (e.g., file servers,

printers). The enterprise enables only the services needed for normal business operations, with other

possible avenues of exploit removed or disabled. Authentication, account, and policy management can

also be administered centrally to maintain a consistent security posture across an organization.

3.3.1 Threat Discussion and Recommended Teclinical Security Practices

Remote and local threats to Managed networks could have significant impacts to systems and

applications. Managed organizations often have systems with permanent, well-known IP addresses and

name spaces with high visibility on the Internet to attackers. Most systems on enterprise networks are usually inward-facing—protected from direct exposure to the Internet by firewalls—but penetrations of

those systems through other means could permit intruder access to internal networks. For example,

viruses and worms could spread across homogenous networks in a short amount of time. Also, in

Managed environments, the insider threat is generally greater due to the larger number of users.

The Managed environment is more restrictive and provides less functionality than the Standalone

environment. However, Managed environments typically have better control on the flow of various types

of traffic, such as filtering traffic based on protocols and ports at the enterprise's connections with

external networks. Because of the supported and largely homogeneous nature of the Managed

environment, it is typically easier to use more functionally restrictive settings in Managed environments

than in Standalone environments. Managed environments also tend to implement several layers of

defense (e.g., firewalls, antivirus servers, intrusion detection systems, patch management systems, e-mail

filtering), which provides greater protection for systems.

NIST's computer security Web site is located at http://csrc.nist.gov/.

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SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

Protected Enterprise

Environment

Multi-Function Devices

Internal Servers

Switch

Protected Enterprise

Environment

Managed

Wokstations

Server Farms

Mobile Devices

PDAs

Mainframes

Figure 3-2: Centrally Managed Environment Example

In the Managed environment, systems are typically susceptible to local and remote threats. Local attacks,

such as unauthorized usage of another user's workstation, most often lead to a loss of confidentiality (e.g.,

unauthorized access to data) but may also lead to a loss of integrity (e.g., data modification) or availability

(e.g., theft of a system). Remote threats may be posed not only by attackers outside the organization, but

also by local users who are attacking other local systems across the organization's network. Most

security breaches caused by remote threats involve malicious pay loads sent by external parties, such as viruses and worms acquired via e-mail or infected Web sites. Threats against network-based applications

tend to affect a smaller number of systems and may be caused by internal or external parties. Both

malicious payloads and network application attacks are most likely to affect availability (e.g., crashing the

3-5
SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

system, consuming all network bandwidth, breaking functionality) but may also affect integrity (e.g.,

infecting data files) or confidentiality (e.g., providing remote access to sensitive data). Data disclosure

threats tend to come from internal parties who are monitoring traffic on local networks, and they

primarily affect confidentiality.

Some commonly accepted security practices for Managed environments are as follows:

Segmented internal networks with internal firewalls and other defense in depth techniques

Centralized management of systems with highly restricted local user access

Centralized management of security-related applications such as antivirus

Automated installation of system and application patches and updates

Restricted access to printer and multi-function devices and their features

Centralized systems for log monitoring

Centralized backup and recovery facilities.

Security publications can be consulted for additional guidance in security practices related to Managed

environments. NIST has produced a variety of special publications particularly useful for the Managed

operational environment. Relevant publications available from NIST's security web site include guidance

for system administration of Microsoft Windows systems [13], [26], wireless network security [15],

active content and mobile code [16], security patches [18], firewalls [19], network security testing [20],

and incident handling [25].

3.4 Specialized Security-Limited Functionality Custom Environment

A Custom environment contains systems in which the functionality and degree of security do not fit the

other environments. The Specialized Security-Limited Functionality is a typical Custom environment

that is highly restrictive and secure; it is usually reserved for systems that have the highest threats and

associated impacts. Typical examples of such systems are outward-facing Web, e-mail, and DNS servers, other publicly accessed systems, and firewalls. It also encompasses computers that contain confidential

information (e.g., central repository of personnel records, medical records, financial information) or perform vital organizational functions (e.g., accounting, payroll processing, air traffic control). These

systems might be targeted by third parties for exploitation, but also might be targeted by trusted parties

inside the organization.

A Specialized Security-Limited Functionality environment could be a subset of another environment. For

example, three desktops in a Managed environment that hold the organization's confidential employee

data could be thought of as a Specialized Security-Limited Functionality environment within a Managed

environment. In addition, a laptop used by a mobile worker, e.g., organization management might be a Specialized Security-Limited Functionality environment in a Standalone environment. A Specialized

Security-Limited Functionality environment might also be a self-contained environment outside any other

environment, such as a government security installation processing sensitive data.

Specialized Security-Limited Functionality checklists are intended for experienced security specialists

and seasoned system administrators who understand the impact of implementing strict technical security

practices. If home users and other users without deep security expertise attempt to apply Specialized

Security-Limited Functionality checklists to their systems, they would typically experience unwanted

limitations on system functionality and possibly unrecoverable system damage.

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SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

3.4.1 Threat Discussion and Recommended Technical Security Practices

Systems in this environment face the same threats as systems in Managed environments. Although

threats from insider attacks are still a large concern, the primary attack vector is likely to be external.

Systems may be directly connected to the Internet, and as in the Managed environment, may have

permanent, well-known IP addresses and name spaces with high visibility to attackers. Systems may be

subject to automated intrusions and denial of service attacks, as well as manual intrusions. Penetrations

of firewalls and servers could lead to local attacks and intrusions. Local threats may be high if the

systems are connected to large networks with many users, or may be less if connected to smaller

networks. Because of the risks and possible consequences of a compromise, this environment usually has

the most functionally restrictive and secure configuration. The suggested configuration provides the

greatest protection with considerable tradeoffs to ease of use, functionality, and remote system

management.

It is difficult to specify technical security practices except in very general terms because many disparate

types of systems and applications could, depending on how they are used, quality as Specialized SecurityLimited Functionality. However, the following general practices and controls are likely to be applicable:

Systems should generally process as few types of data as possible (e.g., do not combine multiple

server applications on the same system).

Systems should be stripped of all unnecessary services and applications.

If possible, host-based firewall applications should be used.

Systems should have as few users as needed.

The strongest possible authentication should be used (e.g., authentication token, biometrics, smart

cards).

Remote administration or access should be restricted; if used, connections should be encrypted.

Security-related operating system and application patches and updates should be tested and

applied as soon as possible.

Systems should be placed behind firewalls and other network security devices that restrict access and filter unnecessary protocols.

Intrusion detection and other logs should be monitored on a frequent basis.

Vulnerability assessment tools should be run against the systems on a frequent basis.

System administrators should be highly skilled in the appropriate technologies.

NIST and other organizations have recommended security practices for firewalls [19], Web servers [21],

and e-mail servers [22]. The publications mentioned previously for the Standalone and enterprise

environments also should be consulted for detailed recommendations.

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Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

Figure 3-3: Typical Specialized Security -Limited Functionality Environment

3-8
SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

3.5 Legacy Environments

Legacy is another example of a Custom environment for situations in which legacy systems may need to

be combined with newer equipment and secured to meet today's threats. The threat discussion can vary

widely.

PDAs

Figure 3-4: Legacy Environment Example

One example of a Legacy environment is shown in Figure 3-4. Warehouse workers use wireless PDA

devices to collect inventory for shipping and receiving. The PDAs cannot be inexpensively upgraded to support wireless protocols with encryption (e.g., WEP or WPA). However, the location and structure of

the warehouse prevents easy intercepts of the wireless traffic. Due to cost considerations, a risk

determination was made and a Legacy environment checklist was created for the server/wireless access

point.

Legacy

Workstations

Server with Legacy settings

(e.g., file sharing, password

protocol, security settings)

Figure 3-5: Legacy Workstation Environment

3-9
SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

Figure 3-5 shows another simple example of a Legacy environment in which older workstations must be

part of a network using more recent server technology. The older workstations cannot support newer,

more robust aspects of the newer technology, such as a more secure file sharing protocol, file system, or

authentication protocol. Consequently, modifications need to be made to support the legacy workstations.-

In this case, the server would require a Legacy environment checklist.

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SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

E Checklist Usage

This section describes a high-level process for checklist users to follow when retrieving and using

checklists. Although all checklist users, ranging from home users to system administrators at large

organizations, have their specific requirements, the process described here will apply to most situations.

This section includes guidance on conducting an initial analysis of local environment threats and risks,

and the impacts if threats were to occur. It then describes a process for selecting and retrieving checklists

from the NIST checklist repository, and recommends steps for analyzing, tailoring, and applying the

checklist.

Steps for

Checklist End -Users:

IT Product,

Out-of-the-box

OR

IT Product.

Checklist Included

Determine Local Operational

Product Requirements

Browse. Retrieve New or Updated Checklists

3. Review. Tailor. Test, and

Document Checklist in Local

Environment

T

IT Product

Checkfist

Feedback on

ChecWist

4. Apply Checklist to IT Product

IT Product.

Secured

Checklist RepositoPj<

http:.i7checklists.nist.gov

Figure 4-1: Checklist User Process Overview

Figure 4-1 shows the general process for using checklists. In step one, a prospective checklist user

analyzes local requirements and security needs or policy and identifies the appropriate operational

environment model. The user then selects the IT product that best matches the needs. In step two, the user browses the repository for checklists that match the IT product and the selected operational

environment (and possibly other criteria, such as whether the checklist can be rolled back or whether it is supported by the product vendor). The user downloads the checklists along with any supporting

documents and tools. In step three, the user reviews the downloaded checklists and tests and customizes

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SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

them to reflect local policy and functionality as needed. Feedback on the checklists can be sent to NIST

and the developer via the repository. In step four, the user prepares to apply the checklists in production

by backing up information that might be affected if the application of the checklists isn't successful or causes unanticipated problems. Finally, the checklists can be applied to production systems. The

following sections describe each of these steps in more detail.

4.1 Determining Local Requirements

Organizations usually conduct a requirements analysis before actually selecting and purchasing a

particular IT product. The analysis would include an identification of the needs of the organization (what

the product must do) and the security requirements for the product (e.g., relevant security policies).

Individual end-users can conduct the same process, although it could be quite informal. Since security is

difficult to add later, assessing requirements upfront is a better method for incorporating security into IT

operations, big or small.

NIST Special Publication 800-30, Risk Management Guidefor Information Technology Systems [12],

contains useful guidance for Federal agencies on conducting a requirements analysis and a subsequent

risk assessment. Organizations use risk assessments to determine the extent of the potential threat and the

risk associated with an IT system or product throughout its lifecycle. The output of this process helps to identify appropriate controls for reducing or eliminating risk. (Risk is a function of the likelihood of a given threat-source exercising a particular potential vulnerability and the resulting impact of that adverse

event on the organization.) Organizations other than Federal agencies can also benefit by following the

methodology in SP 800-30.

The methodology includes steps that are straightforward and simple, even for the individual home user who may not be especially savvy with regard to IT security. Important steps include the following:

Identifying Functional Needs. What must the product do? Identifying upfront the end-user's

requirements, such as remote access for telecommuters or a web server to make internal

information available to employees, is necessary so that the appropriate security controls can be

selected that implement an appropriate security solution and still meet the requirements for

functionality.

Identifying Threats and Vulnerabilities. A threat is the potential for a particular threat-source

to successfully exercise a particular vulnerability. A vulnerability is a weakness that can be

accidentally triggered or intentionally exploited. The goal of this step is to identify potential

threat-sources that are applicable to the IT product or system being considered, as well as the

vulnerabilities that could be exploited by the potential threat-sources.

Identifying Security Needs. The goal of this step is to determine the controls needed to minimize or eliminate the likelihood (or probability) of a threat exercising a product or system

vulnerability. It answers the question, "What security features must the product provide?"

Armed with this information, the organization can make wiser choices as to which IT product

best meets their needs.

Federal agencies conduct formal requirements analysis and risk assessments as outlined in SP 800-30.

For any organization or individual, the threat discussions and general security practices associated with

each operational environment in Section 3 can assist in identifying threats and vulnerabilities, and

recommended security policies. For example, a home user could study the discussion in Section 3 on the

Standalone operational environment prior to purchasing a product (assuming that the home user's environment matches up well with Standalone). Given that the home user understands their requirements

and the type of product that should be acquired, the home user can use the Standalone environment's

4-2
SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

security model and general recommendations to make an informed choice as to which product best meets

the needs.

NIST has also written several documents and guides to assist Federal agencies when selecting

information security products and for the acquisition and use of tested/evaluated products [10], [17].

Another key resource available at NIST for identifying vulnerability-related information about IT

products is the ICAT tool.'' This tool provides a product-by-product index to identified system

vulnerabilities and information on patches available to correct the vulnerabilities.

4.2 Browsing and Retrieving Checklists

After determining local requirements and identifying an IT product, a checklist user is ready to browse

the NIST checklist repository. Figure 4-2 shows a sample repository home page. The checklists can be

browsed by the main IT product category, by the IT product manufacturer, and by the submitting

organizations that have produced the checklist.

Informofion Technology Laboratory - Computer Security Division

Computer Security Resource Center - CSRC

Nisr

NaHonol Inrlltuta of Stondards end Tvchnologr

^ Focus Areas Publications Sttaliap Search |

NIST Seciuity Coiifigiuatioii (Checklists Repositoiy

IhecHiit? Pec J I Glossary | Subscribe to Mailing List | Contact Us

BiowM Repositoiy by

• Product Category • Vendor • Submitting

Organization

Our Sponsor

U.S. Depaitiiient of Homrlanri Security

Browse the Checklists Repository

The Checklists Repository is organized into the following categories:

Product Catec

Submitting

Orqanization

Tlie checklists are listed by the rnain product category of the

IT product, e.g. firewall, IDS, operating system, web server,

The name of the organization and authors that produce the

checklist.

How to participate in the NIST Checklists Program?

Checklist Producers IT vendors, consortia, agencies and academia can produce and submit security configuration checklists to the

repository. To find out more about the process, refer to the FAQ - Developer information and the participations

Ivl.aterials .

Checklist lecklist Users Agency and pou

test checklists and p

comoletiri:

Figure 4-2: NIST Checklist Repository Home Page

The ICAT tool can be found at http://icat.nist.gov/.

4-3
SP 800-70: Securipi' Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

Selecting a particular checklist will show a description template that includes extensive information to help users decide whether the checklist will suit their specific purposes (the listing and definition of all the fields used to describe each checklist is in Appendix B). Depending on a user's needs, role, and skills

(e.g., home user, enterprise administrator), some fields in the description will be more important than

others. Table 4-1 lists fields that should be helpful to all users in determining whether the checklist meets

their specific needs.

Table 4-1: Checklist Description Fields

Field Name Description

Checklist Summary Summarizes the purpose of the checklist and its settings.

Status Whether Candidate, Final, or Archived. NIST will fill in this field.

Version Indicates the version or release number of the checklist.

Comments,

Warnings, Disclaimer,

Miscellaneous

Any additional information that the checklist developer wishes to convey to users.

Revision Date

States the date when the checklist was last revised, in the format CCYY-MMDD. NIST will fillin this field. Vendor Contains the name of the manufacturer of the IT product.

Point of Contact

Provides an e-mail address where questions, comments, suggestions, and

problem reports can be sent in reference to the checklist. The point of contact

should be an e-mail address that the checklist developer monitors for checklist

problem reports.

Product Category

The main product category of the IT product, e.g. firewall, IDS, operating

system, web server.

Product The official IT product name.

Product Role

Specifies the primary use or function of the IT product as described by the

checklist, e.g., Client Desktop Host, Web Server, Bastion Host, Network

Border Protection, Intrusion Detection.

Product Version

The specific software or firmware released version number of the IT product,

including service pack or patch level as appropriate.

Rollback Capability

Whether the changes in product configuration made by applying the checklist can be rolled back and, if so, how to rollback the changes.

Submitting

Organization/Authors

The name of the organization and authors that produced the checklist.

Target Audience

Intended audience that should be able to install, test, and use the checklist,

including suggested minimum skills and knowledge required to correctly use

the checklist.

Target Operational

Environment

The IT product's operational environment, e.g.. Standalone, Managed, Custom

(with description, such as Specialized Security-Limited Functionality or Legacy).

Testing Information

Platforms on which checklist was tested. Can include any additional testingrelated information such as summary of testing procedures used.

Product Support

Vendor will accept support calls from users who have applied this checklist on

their IT product; warranty for the IT product has not been affected. Required

for usage of Checklist Program logo.

4-4
SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

4.3 Reviewing, Customizing and Documenting, and Testing Checl<lists

Checklist users should download all documentation for the checklist and review it carefully. The

documentation should explain any required preparatory activities, such as backing up a system. Because

a checklist will not match exactly the user's specific requirements, the review is useful in determining

whether the checklist may need to be modified or if the system or product will require further

modifications after applying the checklist.

For larger organizations, the review can identify the impact on their current policies and practices if a given security checklist is implemented (e.g., a checklist that turns off JavaScript in a browser might

make some web pages unusable). An organization may determine that some aspects of the checklist do

not conform to certain organization-specific needs and requirements. Organizations should tailor the

checklists to reflect local rules, regulations, and mandates. Because the checklist may be applied many

times over within the organization, the checklist itself might need to be modified. This is especially likely

if the checklist includes a script or template to be applied to systems.

At this point, any changes to the checklist should be documented for future reference. Feedback can be

sent to NIST as well as the checklist developers; feedback is especially important to developers in

gauging whether the checklist is written well and the settings are applicable to the targeted environment.

Before applying a checklist, users should first test it on non-critical systems, preferably in a controlled

non-operational environment (albeit testing may be difficult for home or small business users who do not

have extra systems and networks for testing purposes). The testing configuration of the IT product should

match the deployment configuration. In some cases, a security control modification can have a negative

impact on a product's functionality and usability, or on other products or security controls. For example,

installing a patch could inadvertently break another patch, or enabling a firewall could inadvertently block

antivirus software from updating its signatures or disrupt patch management software. Consequently, it is important to perform testing to determine the impact on system security, functionality, and usability, and

to take appropriate steps to address any significant issues. Section 4.4 contains recommendations for

performing backups and other suggestions to prevent or recover from potential damage or unwanted

effects that could occur if applying an untested checklist.

4.4 Applying Cliecl<lists to IT Products

Each checklist will include specific installation instructions to assist with deployment. Even after review

and testing, users should handle deployment carefully to minimize any issues that might arise from

applying a security checklist.

For users unable to test a checklist in a non-operational environment (e.g., home users), it is all the more

important to carefully review the checklist documentation completely and determine whether an initial

backup is required or a good idea. The Rollback Capability field within the checklist description (see

Table 4-1 ) will indicate whether the checklist can be reversed, returning the product to the original

configuration. Regardless of this setting, backing up the IT product's configuration prior to installing the

checklist recommendations is strongly recommended.

Users should minimally back up all critical data files in their computing environment. If possible, a full backup of the system should be made in the event they need to restore the system to a state prior to implementing the checklist. (This is actually a recommended practice before making any major system

change and is not specific to applying a checklist.) Large organizations should also follow this procedure

and, if possible, first select several operational systems as pilots to provide 'real-world' testing for the

checklist prior to enterprise-wide deployment.

4-5
SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

Depending on the product, a checklist may be updated periodically or frequently, and NIST may maintain

a mailing address for selected checklists. Users who subscribe will receive announcements of updates or

other issues connected with a checklist. The selected checklist's description on the checklist repository

will contain subscription instructions.

NIST welcomes all feedback, bug reports, comments, or suggestions from checklist users in regards to individual checklists or the repository itself. Where applicable, NIST will encourage feedback from

checklist users so that the developers are better able to gauge the effectiveness and appropriateness of the

checklist.

4-6
SP 800-70: Securipc Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

5. Checklist Development

This section describes the general process of developing security configuration checklists and submitting

them to the NIST Checklist Program. It includes an overview of the process NIST will follow to screen

the checklist submissions and publish them in its repository, and the process NIST and developers will

follow for eventual updates to the checklist or checklist archival. Individual developers and organizations

that wish to submit checklists to NIST should review the appendices of this document, which contain the

administrative requirements for the NIST Checklist Program. Prior to submission of a checklist to NIST,

developers should ensure they have the most recent version of this document. The most recent version is available as a separate file at http://checklists.nist.gov/ .

Maintenance,

Archival

Start

Final Listing

On Checklist

Repository

Developer updates

checklist as necessary or

checklist is archived

1

Initial Checklist

Development

NIST lists checklist on

repository, announces

checklist availability

NIST begins public review of candidate checklist, developer

addresses comments as necessary

NIST screens checklist package

for content and format, addresses

any issues with developer prior to public review

Developer chooses target

environment, security baseline,

controls, checklist procedures

IT Product

Checklist

LIfecycle

Developer tests checklist

in target environment,

corrects problems, identifies other product issues

2

Checklist

Testing

Developer documents checklist

usage, completes checklist

description template

Developer submits checklist

and documentation

package to NIST

3

Checklist

Documented

4

Checklist

Submitted to NIST

Figure 5-1 : NIST Checklist Program Development Steps

The lifecycle steps shown in Figure 5-1 are straightforward. Each step should be followed so that the

checklist is accurate, tested, and documented during its development and subsequent publication, update, or archival. The following sections describe considerations for each step.

5-1
SP 800-70: Securipit Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

5.1 Background on Security-Related Criteria for Checklists

This section discusses the security-related criteria that NIST recommends developers follow so that

technical security policies practices in checklists are more consistent. NIST recognizes that detailed

checklist development cannot be covered extensively in this document. Therefore, NIST has based the

security-related criteria on commonly accepted technical security principles and practices, as catalogued

in NIST Special Publication 800-53 [23], other NIST publications [8], [10], and other literature [32].

Additional considerations are contained in NIST SP 800-27, Engineering Principles for Information

Technology Security (A Baseline for Achieving Security) [1 1]. To aid in designing secure information

systems, NIST compiled a set of engineering principles for system security discussed in this document.

These principles provide a foundation upon which a more consistent and structured approach to the

design, development, and implementation of IT security capabilities can be constructed. SP 800-27's

guidance is based in part on the Information Assurance Technical Framework (lATF) [32].

The checklist needs to be consistent with one of the general operational environment described in Section

3 (excepting the Custom environment). This will require consulting the guidance in Section 3, the

checklist format and content guidelines in the remainder of this section and in Appendix C, and other

generally recommended practices and procedures. If no recommended practices guidance is yet available

for a product or class of products, general security recommended practices should be used (e.g., defense

in depth and layered security; least privilege, confidentiality, integrity, and availability controls).

In terms of vulnerability coverage, the security objectives should take into account the most up-to-date

vulnerabilities and generally be consistent with recognized sources of vulnerability-related information,

including the DHS US-CERT, the CERT/CC, and NIST's ICAT.^ The security objectives should be

consistent with recognized checklist-producing organizations including NIST [13], [26], the National

Security Agency (NSA) [36], the Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs) produced by the

Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) [37], and the Center for Internet Security (CIS)

benchmarks [38].

Developers of checklists for products that will be used in the Federal government may wish to consult the

FISMA-associated security control baselines. NIST SP 800-53, Recommended Security Controls for

Federal Information Systems [23], provides a catalog of security controls; it uses groupings of the

controls to create three minimum baseline security control sets for Federal information systems—low,

moderate, and high impact as specified in FIPS 199 [27]. It may be useful for developers of checklists

aimed towards the Federal government to build checklists that help Federal agencies meet the applicable

security controls in SP 800-53. Developers of IT products that will be employed in federal information

systems can help federal agencies meet the mandatory requirements in FISMA by creating checklists that

will provide recommended configuration settings in a variety of operational environments or for

information systems of differing impact levels as described in FIPS 199 and SP 800-53.

5.2 Developer Steps for Creating and Submitting Checklists

The first four steps in the development methodology (from Figure 5-1 , summarized below in Figure 5-2)

begin with the developer becoming familiar with the procedures and requirements of the checklist

program, and then performing the initial development of the checklist. From there, the developer tests the

checklist and refines it as needed. The third step involves documenting the checklist according to the

guidelines of the program. Finally, the developer prepares and submits a checklist submission package to

The DHS US-CERT's site is http://www.us-cert.gov/ . The CERT/CC's site is http://www.cert.org/ . The ICAT tool can be

found at http://icat.nist.gov/ . The NSA's checiclists are available at http://w\vw. nsa.gov/ia/ . DISA"s STIGs are available at

http://iase.disa.inil/stigs/index.html . CIS's site is http://www.cisecurirv.org/.

5-2
SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

NIST for screening and public review. The sections below describe various considerations in each of

these steps.

1

Initial

Checklist

Development

Developer chooses

target environment,

security baseline,

controls, checklist procedures

2

Checklist

Testing

Developer tests checklist

in target environment,

corrects problems, identifies other product issues

3

Checklist

Documented

Developer documents

checklist usage, completes

checklist description

4

Checklist

Submitted to

NIST

Developer submits

checklist package

to NIST

Figure 5-2: Initial Checklist Development Stages

5.2.1 Initial Checklist Development

In this step, a developer becomes familiar with the requirements of the checklist program and all procedures involved during the checklist lifecycle (as described throughout this section). At this point, a developer would presumably agree to the participation requirements of the program before continuing

further to build the checklist. The participation requirements of the program are described in this

document but are laid out in administrative and programmatic terms in Appendix C, which is intended

less for technical developers and more for those in developer organizations who would need to formally

agree to the program's requirements. The participation agreement itself is contained in Appendix D.'°

The developer then decides which operational environment from Section 3 should be implemented by the

checklist, and builds the checklist accordingly, using the security-related criteria from Sections 3 and 5.1

.

The output of this step is an initial checklist for the product.

Appendix B describes the complete set of fields for a checklist description on the repository; users can browse and view these fields when using the repository. Table 5-1 shows fields of the checklist

description that would be completed at this step:

Table 5-1: Fields Completed at Initial Checklist Development

Field Name Description

^^^^^

Vendor Contains the name of the manufacturer of the IT product.

Product Category

The main product category of the IT product, e.g. firewall, IDS, operating

system, web server.

Product The official IT product name.

Product Version

The specific software or firmware released version number of the IT product,

including service pack or patch level as appropriate.

Target Operational

Environment

The IT product's operational environment, such as Standalone, Managed, or Custom (with description, such as Legacy or Specialized Security-Limited

Functionality).

The latest updates to these sections and to this document are available at http://checklists.nist.gov/. This updated material

should be consulted before formally agreeing to participate in the program.

5-3
SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

Field Name Description

Target Audience

Intended audience that should be able to install, test, and use the checklist,

including suggested minimum skills and knowledge required to correctly use

the checklist.

Name States the name of the checklist.

Checklist Summary Summarizes the purpose of the checklist and its settings.

Submitting

Organization/Authors

The name of the organization and authors that produced the checklist.

Product Roles

Specifies the primary use or function of the IT product as described by the

checklist, e.g.. Client Desktop Host, Web Server, Bastion Host, Network

Border Protection, Intrusion Detection.

Checklist Installation ToolsDescribes the functional tools required to use the checklist to configure the

system, if they are not included with the checklist.

5.2.2 Checklist Testing

Before a checklist is submitted to NIST, it should be fully tested in a configuration that meets the target

environment and platform. The checklist should be tested with a variety of applications and hardware

platforms, if applicable. The testing data does not need to be submitted to NIST; however, the developer

should retain it for review as appropriate.

Table 5-2 shows fields in the checklist description that would be completed at this step.

Table 5-2: Fields Completed During Checklist Testing

Field Name Description

Known Issues

Summarizes issues that may arise after application of the checklist to help users

pinpoint any functional and operational problems caused by the checklist.

Testing Information

Platforms on which checklist was tested. Can include any additional testingrelated information such as summary of testing procedures used.

Rollback Capability

Whether the changes in product configuration made by applying the checklist can be rolled back and, if so, how to rollback the changes.

Selecting the most appropriate set of security controls can be a daunting task, because many security

controls have limited system functionality and usability. In some cases, a security control can even have

a negative impact on other security controls. For example, installing a patch could inadvertently break

another patch, or enabling a firewall could inadvertently block antivirus software from updating its signatures or disrupt patch management software. Therefore, it is important to perform testing for all

security controls to determine what impact they have on system security, functionality, and usability, and

to take appropriate steps to address any significant issues.

NIST has produced SP 800-42, Guideline on Network Security Testing [20], to assist administrators in

testing systems for vulnerabilities and configuration problems. Although this publication is more focused on testing systems instead of individual IT products, it may still be useful to checklist developers.

5-4
SP 800-70: Securipi' Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

5.2.3 Documenting the Checklist

The quality of checklist documentation often makes a major difference in the checklist's effectiveness.

The checklist documentation should clearly explain how to install the checklist, using concise, sound, and

complete instructions. The skill level required to install the checklist needs to be identified, as well as the

targeted environment. The documentation should also explain the significance of individual settings,

including any changes to product functionality. The documentation should also include procedures to

verify that the checklist installation is successful, as well as guidance for uninstalling the checklist or

restoring the product to a state prior to installation of the checklist. In some cases, it may not be possible

to roll back checklist settings, in which case the checklist documentation should recommend procedures

such as backups and system restoration as applicable.

The testing methodology, such as how the checklist was tested and what platforms were used, should be

documented. The checklist documentation should also contain troubleshooting information if errors occur or the checklist settings cause the product to operate incorrectly. Ideally, assistance is available for

(registered) users of the product in case of problems.

Table 5-3 shows additional fields in the checklist description that would be completed in this step.

Table 5-3: Additional Documentation Fields

Field Name Description

Checklist Target

Audience

Intended audience that should be able to install, test, and use the checklist, including

suggested minimum skills and knowledge required to correctly use the checklist.

Download Package URL or filenames(s) of the checklist documentation.

Checklist Point of

Contact

Provides an e-mail address where questions, comments, suggestions, and problem

reports can be sent in reference to the checklist. The point of contact should be an

email address that the checklist developer monitors for checklist problem reports.

References Any supporting references chosen by the developer that were used to produce the

checklist or checklist documentation

.

Product Support Vendor will accept support calls from users who have applied this checklist on their IT product; warranty for the IT product has not been affected. Required for usage of

Checklist Program logo.

NIAP/CMVP Checklist

Whether the product has been NIAP or CMVP evaluated using this checklist. The field also states the type of evaluation received.

Comments, Warnings,

Disclaimer,

Miscellaneous

Any additional information that the checklist developer wishes to convey to users.

The developer needs to complete the fields as indicated to describe the checklist accurately and reduce

possible user confusion as to what the checklist accomplishes.

In summary, well-structured checklist documentation includes the following, as appropriate:

Complete and accurate checklist description

Statement of the security objectives, including the targeted environment and the expected

behavior of the product after applying the checklist

The target audience (e.g., end-user, system administrator) and the level of technical skill required

to install the checklist

5-5
SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

Explanation of the checklist settings, including each setting's effect on the operation of the

product and any functionality the settings enable or disable

Backup procedures or any other initial steps required before applying the checklist

As appropriate, step-by-step instructions for applying the checklist (e.g., screen shots, illustrated

procedures) and verifying that the installation is successful

Procedures for uninstalling the checklist (if applicable)

Troubleshooting instructions or other information and references.

5.2.4 Checklist Package Submission to NIST

At this point, the checklist developer has completed, tested, and documented the checklist, and now

submits the package of materials to NIST. The package includes:

The checklist and configuration files, templates, scripts, etc.

The completed checklist description

The checklist documentation

Identification of the developer point of contact

A signed participation agreement.

The participation agreement and other requirements are outlined in more detail in Appendix C. This

appendix also includes the appropriate NIST contact information.

NIST screens checklist package for content and

format, addresses any

Issues with developer prior to public review 4

Checklist

Submitted to

1 NIST

NIST Screens

Checklist

If Updates Are_

Required

NIST begins public review

of candidate checklist, developer addresses comments as necessary

6

Public Review

i i

NIST lists checklist on

repository, announces

checklist availability

Final Listing on

Repository

When Major Updates Occur

NIST schedules periodic reviews, developer updates

checklist as necessary, or

checklist is archived

8

Updating

and

Maintenance

Figure 5-3: Checklist Finalizing and Publishing Steps

5.3 NIST Steps for Reviewing and Finalizing Checklists for Publication

NIST's process for screening and publishing the checklist is described within the following sections.

Figure 5-3 shows the general steps; steps 4 and 5 may loop depending on the amount of feedback to the

developer. Steps 6 and 8 may repeat depending on the magnitude of updates to an already published

checklist (most changes should not require additional public reviews).

5.3.1 Checklist Package Screening

This step determines if the checklist is sufficiently accurate and complete to be publicly reviewed. NIST

will screen the checklist materials for completeness and accuracy, and examine testing procedures used to

5-6
SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

evaluate the checklist. The developer may be contacted with questions about the submitted materials

during the screening period. NIST will complete the screening and, if all issues are addressed, post the

checklist and description as a candidate for a period of typically 30 to 60 days.

Section 5.1 describes criteria for checklist and checklist description development; the criteria are used

also for screening the checklist. Essentially, the security objectives of the checklist should be consistent

with recommended guidance from NIST and other recognized security organizations, and guidance from

other checklist producing organizations. The checklist must be documented according to the guidelines in

this section and in Appendix C. Some of the questions typically posed by NIST when screening checklist

submissions include the following:

Documentation

o Does it specify the target audience?

o Does it identify the targeted environment?

o Does it explain the security objectives?

o Does it contain a complete, clear, and concise description of the checklist settings?

Best Practices

o Are the checklist settings consistent with recommended practices?

o Do the checklist settings take into account recent vulnerabilities?

Impact of Settings

o Has the checklist developer tested the checklist settings on the product in a real-world

environment and determined that the checklist settings cause the product to meet the

security objectives of the checklist?

o Do any of the checklist settings cause the product to become inoperable or unstable?

o Do certain checklist settings reduce product functionality? If so, is this documented?

Ease of Implementation

o Is the checklist straightforward to apply?

o Are the instructions concise, sound, and complete?

o Is the required skill level identified?

o Are procedures to verify that the installation is successful included?

o Is there guidance for uninstalling the checklist or restoring the product to the state prior to

installation?

o If the checklist cannot be rolled back, does the documentation recommend other

preparatory measures such as backups?

Assistance

o Is checklist-related help available?

o Does the documentation contain troubleshooting information if errors occur or the

checklist settings cause the product to operate incorrectly?

o Is there assistance available for qualified users of the product?

5-7
SP 800-70; Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

If the checklist developer is NOT the IT product's vendor, does the documentation indicate

whether the checklist has been sponsored or endorsed by the IT product's vendor?

5.3.2 Candidate Checklist Public Review

Once the checklist has been screened and the developer has addressed any issues, NIST will post it for

public review for a period of typically 30 to 60 days. This will allow the public to review and test the

checklist, and provide the checklist developers and NIST with comments and feedback. These may be

incorporated in a revision of the checklist to improve its quality. When a candidate checklist has

completed the review process, it will be included in the checklist repository.

A reviewer will complete a standardized feedback form to capture comments as well as other information

regarding the reviewer's test environment, procedures, and other relevant information. Depending on the

review, the checklist developer may need to respond to comments. NIST may also consult independent

expert reviewers as appropriate. Typical reasons for using independent reviewers include the following:

NIST may determine that it does not possess the expertise to determine whether the comments

have been addressed satisfactorily.

NIST may disagree with the proposed issue resolutions and decide to seek reviews from third

parties.

At the end of the public review period, NIST will announce that the comment period is closed.

Depending upon the number of comments received and the ramifications of those comments to the

checklist, NIST will determine a timeframe in which the developer must respond to comments, which will

typically range from 1 5 to 30 days from the end of the review period.

5.3.3 Final Listing, Maintenance, and Archival

After any outstanding issues are addressed, NIST will list the final checklist and announce the inclusion

of the checklist on the repository. At this time, the developer (e.g., an IT product vendor) may be eligible

to use the checklist logo on the IT product's promotional material if the developer provides assistance for

the checklist. Requirements for usage of the logo are described in Appendix D.

NIST will also announce procedures for accepting further comments or questions regarding the checklist

throughout its remaining lifecycle. Depending on the product and how frequently updates may occur,

NIST may maintain a mailing address for the associated checklists. Users who subscribe can receive

announcements of updates or other issues connected with a checklist. The selected checklist's description

(on the checklist repository) will contain subscription instructions. Throughout the checklist lifecycle,

NIST will continue to collect feedback and pass this information to the checklist developer.

When the final checklist is listed, NIST will set a periodic review schedule with the developer. Typically,

the timeframe for the review will be one year; however, it could be sooner depending on certain factors

such as the discovery of new vulnerabilities. If the developer decides to update the checklist, NIST will

announce that the checklist is in the process of being updated. If the checklist contains major changes, it

will be accepted as if it were a new submission; it must undergo the same reviews as a new submission.

At the developer's discretion, the checklist can be removed from the repository or reclassified as an

archive. Typical reasons would include that the product is no longer supported or is obsolete, or that the

developer no longer wishes to provide support for the checklist.

5-8
SP 800-70: Securipit Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

Appendix A. References

This section contains references to documents used in this publication.

[I] Cyber Security Research and Development Act of 2002,

http://www.house.gov/science/cvber.htm

[2] Report of the Technical Standards and Common Criteria Task Force,

http://www.cvberpai1nership.org/init-tech.html

[3] Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) of 2002,

http://csrc.nist.gov/policies/FISlVlA-fmal.pdf

[4] OMB Circular A-1 30, http://www.vvhitehouse.gov/omb/circulars/al30/al30trans4.pdf

[5] Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA),

http://aspe.hhs.gov/admnsimp/pl 1 04 1 9 1 .htm

[6] Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, http://thomas.loc.gOv/cgi-bin/querv/z7cl07:H.R.3763.ENR:

[7] The New FISMA Standards and Guidelines, Ron S. Ross, Ph.D., http://csrc.nist.gov/sec- , cert/fisma-article-vl 5.pdf

[8] NIST Special Publication 800-14, Generally Accepted Principles and Practices for Securing

Information Technology Systems, http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-14/800-14.pdf

[9] NIST Special Publication 800-1 8, Guidefor Developing Security Plans for Information

Technology Systems, http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-l 8/Planguide.PDF

[10] NIST Special Publication 800-23, Guideline to Federal Organizations on Security Assurance

and Acquisition/Use of Tested/Evaluated Products,

http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-23/sp800-23.pdf

[II] NIST Special Publication 800-27, Engineering Principles for Information Technology Security

(A Baseline for Achieving Security), http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-27A/SP800-

27-RevA.pdf

[12] NIST Special Publication 800-30, Risk Management Guidefor Information Technology

Systems, http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-30/sp800-30.pdf

[13] NIST Special Publication 800-43, Systems Administration Guidancefor Securing Microsoft

Windows 2000 Professional System, http://csrc.nist.gov/itsec/guidance W2Kpro.html

[14] NIST Special Publication 800-46, Securityfor Telecommuting and Broadband Communication,

http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-46/sp800-46.pdf

[15] NIST Special Publication 800-48, Wireless Network Security: 802.11, Bluetooth and Handheld

Devices, http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/8Q0-48/NIST SP 800-48.pdf

[16] NIST Special Publication 800-28, Guidelines on Active Content and Mobile Code,

http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-28/sp800-28.pdf

A-1
SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

[1 7] NIST Special Publication 800-36, Guide to Selecting Information Security Products,

http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-36/NIST-SP8Q0-36.pdf

[18] NIST Special Publication 800-40, Procedures for Handling Security Patches,

http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-40/sp800-40.pdf

[19] NIST Special Publication 800-41, Guidelines on Firewalls and Firewall Policy,

http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/8Q0-41/sp800-41 .pdf

[20] NIST Special Publication 800-42, Guideline on Network Security Testing,

http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-42/NlST-SP8Q0-42.pdf

[21] NIST Special Publication 800-44, Guidelines on Securing Public Web Servers,

http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-44/sp800-44.pdf

[22] NIST Special Publication 800-45, Guidelines on Electronic Mail Security,

http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/8QQ-45/sp80Q-45.pdf

[23] NIST Special Publication 800-53, Recommended Security Controls for Federal Information

Systems, http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-53/SP800-53.pdf

[24] NIST Special Publication 800-58, Security Considerations for Voice Over IP Systems,

http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-58/SP800-58-flnal.pdf

[25] NIST Special Publication 800-61 , Computer Security Incident Handling Guide,

http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-61/sp80Q-61 .pdf

[26] NIST Special Publication 800-68, Guidancefor Securing Microsoft Windows XP Systems for IT

Professionals: A NIST Security Configuration Checklist,

http://csrc.nist.gov/itsec/guidance_WinXP.html

[27] FIPS PUB 199, Standards for Security Categorization of Federal Information and Information

Systems, http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/fips/fipsl99/FlPS-PUB-199-flnal.pdf

[28] NIST Handbook 150, Procedures and General Requirements for the National Voluntary

Laboratory Accreditation Program, http://ts.nist.gOv/ts/htdocs/2 1 0/2 1 4/docs/fmal-hb 1 50-

2QQl.pdf

[29] NIST NVLAP Assessor Declaration, http://ts.nist.gOv/ts/htdocs/2 1 0/2 1 4/assessors/declare.pdf

[30] NIST NVLAP Assessor Performance Information Form,

http://ts.nist.gOv/ts/htdocs/2 1 0/2 1 4/assessors/apef pdf

[3 1 ] Common Criteria for Information Technology Security Evaluation (CC), Version 2. 1 , August

1 999, http://csrc.nist.gov/cc/CC-v2. 1 .html

[32] Information Assurance Technical Framework (lATF), Release 3.0, October 2000,

http://www.iatf.net/, member-only area, site registration at: https://www.iatf.net/register/

[33] Advanced Technology Program Proposal Preparation Kit, Appendix B,

http://www.atp.nist.gov/atp/kit-04/append-b.htm

A-2
SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

ISO/IEC Guide 58, 1993, available for sale at http://www.iso.ch/iso/en/Standards Search.StandardsOueryForm

Top Ranked Information Security Issues: The 2004 International Information Systems Security

Certification Consortium (ISC)" Survey Results, available to members at https://vvww.isc2.org/cgi-bin/index.cgi

National Security Agency (NSA) - Security Configuration Guides, available at http://www.nsa.gov/ia/

Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) Security Technical Implementation Guides

(STIGS), available for .mil and .gov domains at https://iase.disa.mil/techguid/stigs.html and, for

other domains, at http://iase.disa.mil/stigs/index.html

Center for Internet Security (CIS) Benchmarks, available at http://www.cisecuritv.org/

National Information Assurance Glossary, CNSS Instruction no. 4009, revised May 2003,

http://www.nstissc.gov/Assets/pdf/4009.pdf
SP 800-70: Securipi' Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

This page has been left blank intentionally.

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SP 800-70; Securipi' Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

Appendix B. Checklist Description Template

This section describes the fields of the checkMst description that is maintained for each checlclist

on the checklist repository. The completed fields will be used to provide information about the

checklist to users.

Checklist developers must complete a checklist description form for each checklist. The latest

version of the checklist description form can be downloaded from the checklist repository at http://checklists.nist.gov/.

Table B-1 shows all fields of the checklist description, with sample data from NIST's Microsoft

Windows XP checklist [26].

Table B-1: Fields in the Checklist Description Template

Field Name Description Example Data

Name States the name of the checklist. SP 800-68: Guidance for Securing Microsoft

Windows XP Systems for IT Professionals (Draft)

Version Indicates the version or release

number of the checklist.

Draft Update R1. 0.2

Status Whether Candidate, Final,

Archived, or Under Review.

Candidate

Creation Date States the date when the checklist

is first listed by NIST, in the format

CCYY-MM-DD.

2004-07-17

Revision Date States the date when the checklist

was last revised, in the format

CCYY-MM-DD.

2004-08-24

Product Category The main product category of the

IT product, e.g. firewall, IDS,

operating system, Web server.

Operating System

Vendor Contains the name of the

manufacturer of the IT product.

Microsoft Corporation

Product The official IT product name. Windows XP Professional

Product Version The specific software or firmware

released version number of the IT product, including service pack or patch level as appropriate.

Microsoft Windows XP 5.1.2600 Service Pacl< 1 Build 2600

Product Role Specifies the primary use or

function of the IT product as

described by the checklist, e.g.. Client Desktop Host, Web Server,

Bastion Host, Network Border

Protection, Intrusion Detection.

Client desktop and mobile fiost

B-1
SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

Field Name Description ^^^^ Example Data ^^^^

Checklist Summary Summarizes the purpose of the

checklist and its settings.

NIST Special Publication 800-68 has been created

to assist IT professionals, in particular Windows XP

system administrators and information security

personnel, in effectively securing Windows XP

systems. It discusses Windows XP and various

application security settings in tecfinical detail. The

guide provides insight into the threats and security

controls that are relevant for various operational

environments, such as for a large enterprise or a home office. It describes the need to document,

implement, and test security controls, as well as to monitor and maintain systems on an ongoing basis.

It presents an overview of the security components

offered by Windows XP and provides guidance on

installing, backing up, and patching Windows XP

systems. It discusses security policy configuration,

provides an overview of the settings in the

accompanying NIST security templates, and

discusses how to apply additional security settings

that are not included in the NIST security templates.

It demonstrates securing popular office productivity

applications, Web browsers, e-mail clients, personal

firewalls, antivirus software, and spyware detection

and removal utilities on Windows XP systems to provide protection against viruses, worms, Trojan

horses, and other types of malicious code. This list

is not intended to be a complete list of applications

to install on Windows XP system, nor does it imply

NIST's endorsement of particular commercial off- the-shelf (COTS) products.

Known Issues Summarizes issues that may arise

after application of the checklist to help users pinpoint any functional

and operational problems caused

by the checklist.

Do not attempt to implement any of the settings in

this guide without first testing them in a nonoperational environment. These recommendations

should be applied only to the Windows XP Systems

and will not work on Windows 9X/ME, Windows NT,

Windows 2000 or Windows Server 2003. The

security templates have been tested on WinXP

Professional systems and will not work on Windows

9X/ME, Windows NT, Windows 2000 or Windows

Server 2003. The Specialized Security-Limited

Functionality template should not be used by home

users and should be used with caution since it will

restrict the functionality and reduce the usability of

the system.

Target Audience Intended audience that should be

able to install, test, and use the

checklist, including suggested

minimum skills and knowledge

required to correctly use the

checklist.

This checklist has been created for IT professionals,

particularly Windows XP system administrators and

information security personnel. The document assumes that the reader has experience installing

and administering Windows-based systems in domain or standalone configurations.

Target Operational

Environment

The IT product's operational

environment, e.g., SOHO,

Enterprise, Custom (with

description, such as Specialized

Security-Limited Functionality or Legacy).

SOHO, Enterprise, Custom (e.g.. Specialized

Security-Limited Functionality, Legacy).

B-2
SP 800-70: Securipi' Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

Field Name Description Example Data

Checklist Installation

Tools

Describes the functional tools

required to use the checklist to configure the system, if they are

not included with the checklist.

The Microsoft Windows tools (e.g., Security

Templates MMC snap-in, Security Configuration

Analysis MMC snap-in, Group Policy MMC snap-in,

Group Policy Management Console MMC snap-in) can be used to customize and apply the NIST

security templates to Windows XP systems.

Rollback Capability Whether the changes in product

configuration made by applying the

checklist can be rolled back and, if so, how to rollback the changes.

There is no automated way of rolling back the

settings unless a full system backup was performed

before a security template was applied to the

system.

Testing Information Platforms on which checklist was

tested. Can include any additional

testing-related information such as summary of testing procedures

used.

The security templates have been tested on Windows XP Professional systems and will not work

on Windows 9X/ME, Windows NT, Windows 2000

or Windows Server 2003. The recommended

'ipffinnt have been tP'^ted the '^uite nf annlicafinn'^

described in section 8 of NIST SP 800-68.

NIAP/CMVP Status Whether the product has been

NIAP or CMVP evaluated using this checklist. The field also states the

type of evaluation received.

Microsoft Windows XP Professional can be

configured to operate in the FIPS validated mode.

The product has not been evaluated with a NIAPapproved Common Criteria Testing Laboratory.

Regulatory

Compliance

Whether the checklist is consistent

with various regulations, e.g. HIPAA, GLBA, FISMA, IS017799,

Sarbanes & Oxiey, DoD 8500.

The recommendations are consistent with the

security control baselines advocated in SP 800-53

draft (NIST FISMA implementation project

publication).

Comments,

Warnings,

Disclaimer,

Miscellaneous

Any additional information that the

checklist developer wishes to convey to users.

Refer to Known Issues.

Disclaimer Legal notice pertaining to the

checklist.

Do not attempt to implement any of the settings in this guide without first testing them in a nonoperational environment. NIST assumes no

responsibility whatsoever for its use by other

parties, and makes no guarantees, expressed or

implied, about its quality, reliability, or any other

characteristic. NIST would appreciate

acknowledgement if the document and template are

used.

Product Support Vendor will accept support calls from users who have applied this checklist on their IT product;

warranty for the IT product has not been affected.

Microsoft will provide best efforts support, in line with the customer's support contract, to assist in removing the worst results of such file and registry

permissions, but Microsoft can only guarantee

returning to the recommended out-of-the-box

settings by reformatting and reinstalling the

operating system.

Submitting

Organization/Authors

The name of the organization and

authors that produced the checklist.

NIST, Computer Security Division

Point of Contact Provides an e-mail address where

questions, comments, suggestions,

and problem reports can be sent in reference to the checklist. The

point of contact should be an email

address that the checklist

developer monitors for checklist

problem reports.

itsec(^nist.gov

B-3
SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

Field Name Description Example Data

Sponsor States the name of the IT product

manufacturer organization and

individuals who sponsor the

submitted checklist if it is submitted

by a third party entity.

Chase Carpenter and Kurt Dillard, Microsoft

Corporation

Licensing States the license agreement, e.g. the checklist is copyrighted, open

source, GPL, free software,

shareware.

* 1 A. It 1 J. ±t K t ±' 1 This document was developed at the National

insiiiuie or oianoaros ana i ecnnoiogy, wnicn

collaborated with NSA, DISA, CIS, and Microsoft to produce the Windows XP security templates.

Pursuant to title 17 Section 105 of the United States

Code this document and template are not subject to copyright protection and are in the public domain.

Checklist Homepage States the URL of the checklist

home page.

http://csrc.nist.Qov/itsec/puidance WinXP.html

Download Package URL or filenames(s) of the checklist

documentation, scripts, templates,

etc.

http://csrc. nist. pov/itsec/puidance WinXP. html

Integrity The message digest or hash of the

checklist package. SHA-1 or SHA256 is recommended.

SHA1 Digest

(NIST WinXP draft R1.0.2 08242004.zip) = 9a8f2e8fc7c18e56c9646336c343d1917a2fb02f

Change History Running log detailing any changes

made to the checklist since its inclusion in the repository. This

field is updated with each version

of the checklist.

Security Templates (.inf files) 2004-08-24 - Draft Update R1.0.2

2004-07-04 - Draft Update R1.0.1

2004-06-24 - Draft Release RI O

Draft Guidance for Securing Microsoft Windows XP

Systems for IT Professionals document

2004-08-24 - Draft Update

2004-07-04 - Draft Update

^uU4-uo-^:4 - uran r<eiease

Dependency/Require

ment

Indicate that another checklist or guide is required in order to properly use and implement the

current checklist.

Microsoft Threats and Countenveasures Guide

References Any supporting references chosen

by the developer that were used to produce the checklist or checklist

documentation.

DISA, NSA. CIS, Microsoft and other security

guides.

NIST Identifier A NIST-assigned identifier to uniquely identify the checklist.

1001

B-4
SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

Security Configuration

CHECKLISTS

h tt p ://ch e c k I i sts . n i st^gov^

Appendix C. Checklist Program Operational Proc

Nisr

National Institute of

Standards and Technology

Operational Procedures

for

The NIST Security Configuration Cliecklists Program

for IT Products

Version 1.0

This document sets forth the poHcies, procedures and general requirements for the NIST Security

Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products. This document is intended for those individuals in

developer organizations who would need to formally agree to the program's requirements.

This document is organized as follows:

Section 1 - general considerations for the NIST Checklist Program

Section 2 - procedures for initial screening of a checklist prior to public review

Section 3 - procedures for the public review of a candidate checklist

Section 4 - final acceptance procedures

Section 5 - maintenance and delisting procedures

Section 6 - record keeping

The following terminology is used in this appendix:

Candidate is a checklist that has been screened and approved by NIST for public review.

FCL refers to the final checklist list—the listing of all final checklists on the NIST repository.

Final is a checklist that has completed public review, has had all issues addressed by the checklist

developer and NIST, and has been approved for listing on the repository according to the

procedures of this section.

C-I
SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

Checklist is a Technical Configuration Checklist, which is a checklist that refers to a specific

product and version.

Checklist Developer or Developer is an individual or organization that develops and owns a

checklist and submits it to the NIST Checklist Program.

Independent Qualified Reviewers are tasked by NIST with making a recommendation to NIST

regarding public review or listing of the checklist. They work independently of other reviewers

and are considered expert in the technology represented by the checklist.

Logo refers to the NIST Checklist Program logo.

NIST Checklist Program or Program is used in place of the NIST Security Configuration

Checklists Program for IT Products.

NIST Checklist Repository or Repository refers to the Web site that maintains the checklists, the

descriptions of the checklists, and other information regarding the NIST Checklist Program.

Public Reviewer is any member of the general public who reviews a candidate checklist and

sends comments to NIST.

Operational Environments refer to the operational environments outlined in this document.

References to documents that form a basis for requirements of this program are as follows:

Advanced Technology Program Proposal Preparation Kit Appendix B,

http://www.atp.nist.gov/atp/kit-04/append-b.htm

Common Criteria for Information Technology Security Evaluation (CC), Version 2. 1 , August

1 999, http://csrc.nist.gov/cc/CC-v2. 1 .html

Information Assurance Technical Framework (IAT¥), Release 3.0, October 2000,

http://www.iatfnet/, member-only area, site registration at: https://www.iatf net/register/

FIPS PUB 199, Standards for Security Categorization of Federal Information and Information

Systems, http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/fips/index.html

NIST Handbook 1 50, Procedures and General Requirementsfor the National Voluntary

Laboratory Accreditation Program, http://ts.nist.gOv/ts/htdocs/2 1 0/2 1 4/docs/final-hb 1 50-

2001.pdf

NIST SP 800-14, Generally Accepted Principles and Practices for Securing Information

Technology Systems, http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-14/800-14.pdf

NIST SP 800-27, Engineering Principles for Information Technology Security (A Baselinefor

Achieving Security), http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-27A/SP800-27-RevA.pdf

NIST SP 800-53, Recommended Security Controls for Federal Information Systems,

http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/800-58/SP800-58-t1nal.pdf

NIST SP 800-70, Security Configuration Checklists Programfor IT Products,

http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/nistpubs/

C-2
SP 800-70: Securip*' Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

1. Overview and General Considerations

This section focuses on general considerations for all parts of the NIST Checklist Program.

(a) Checklist Lifecycle Overview: Checklists typically have the following lifecycle:

1. Checklist developers inquire about the program and download a submission package. The

developer subsequently contacts NIST with a tested checklist and supporting information,

and a signed agreement to the requirements of the NIST Checklist Program. General

information about checklists is discussed in Section 1. Checklist submission requirements

and procedures are discussed in Section 2.

2. NIST verifies that all information is complete and performs a screening on the checklist.

Checklists meeting the requirements for listing receive further consideration and are referred

to as "candidate checklists." Section 2 discusses screening criteria and procedures. Section

Id discusses issue resolution processes.

3. NIST lists the candidate on the repository for a public review period of typically 30 to 60

days, as discussed in Section 3.

4. NIST forwards comments from public reviewers to the developer. When all issues are addressed, the checklist is listed on the FCL, as discussed in Section 4.

5. The developer contacts NIST on typically an annual basis to determine whether the listing

should continue, be updated, or archived, as discussed in Section 5.

(b) Intellectual Property Rights: Developers retain intellectual property rights in their checklists.

(c) Confidential Information: NIST does not anticipate the need to receive confidential information

from checklist developers. If it becomes necessary to disclose confidential information to NIST,

NIST and the developer must enter into a separate confidentiality agreement prior to such disclosure.

(d) Independent Qualified Reviewers: NIST may decide to seek technical advice from independent

qualified experts who will review checklist submissions to determine whether they meet the program

requirements. The reviewers are tasked with making a recommendation to NIST regarding a subsequent public review or final listing of the checklist. Typical but not exclusive of the reasons for

using independent reviewers include the following:

1. NIST does not possess the expertise to determine whether issues have been addressed

satisfactorily.

2. NIST disagrees with proposed issue resolutions.

(e) Terminating Consideration of a Checklist Submission: NIST or the developer may terminate

consideration of checklist submissions at any time. If NIST terminates consideration, the points of

contact are asked to respond within 10 business days. Typical but not exclusive of the reasons for

terminating consideration of checklist submissions are the following:

1 . The submission package does not meet the screening criteria.

2. The developer fails to address issues raised at other times.

3. The developer violates the terms and conditions of participation in the program.

C-3
SP 800-70; Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

2. Checklist Submission and Screening

This section outlines the procedures and requirements for submitting checklists to NIST and the process

by which NIST determines that checklists are suitable for public review. When checklists meet the

screening requirements, they receive further consideration in a public review and are referred to as "candidate checklists". NIST then follows the subsequent procedures.

(a) Notification of Checklist Program Requirements: NIST maintains on the repository a complete set of information for developers. The information outlines the requirements for participation in the

program and describes materials and timeframes.

(b) Materials Required from the Developer: Developers provide the following information, all in the

English language:

1 . Contact information for an individual from the submitting organization who will serve as the

point of contact for questions and comments pertaining to the checklist, and contact

information for a backup or deputy point of contact. The information must include postal

address, direct telephone number, facsimile number, and e-mail address.

2. The checklist, documentation, and description template.

3. The participation agreement, which must be printed, signed, and sent to NIST. NIST accepts

e-mailed PDF copies of the participation agreement, facsimiles, or copies via regular mail.

4. Participation fees. Currently, there is no fee to checklist developers. NIST reserves the right

to charge fees for participation in the future. Fees are not retroactive.

(c) Preliminary Screening Checklist Contents: NIST performs a preliminary screening to verify that

checklists meet the program requirements. The following paragraphs summarize the screening

criteria, which is described more fully in NIST Special Publication 800-70.

1 . The checklist settings reflect consideration of recommended security and engineering

practices.

2. The checklist contains a complete, clear, and concise description of the configuration settings.

3. The checklist has been tested and configuration or compatibility issues have been identified.

4. The documentation explains how to install or uninstall the checklist.

5. Checklist-related help is available.

3. Candidate Checklist Public Review

NIST follows the subsequent procedures when listing candidate checklists for public review.

(a) Public Review Period: NIST typically lists candidates for a 30 to 60 day comment period. NIST

reserves the right to extend the review cycle, particularly for long or complicated checklists. NIST

uses the following disclaimer (or very similar words) in conjunction with candidate checklists:

NIST does not guarantee or warrant the checklist 's accuracy or completeness. NIST is not

responsible for loss, damage, or problems that may be caused by using the checklist.

C-4
SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

(b) Accepting Comments from Reviewers: Public reviewers complete a web-based feedback form to capture their comments as well as other information regarding the reviewer's test environment,

procedures, and other relevant information. The contents of the feedback forms are considered public

records.

(c) Maintaining Records: NIST maintains copies of all correspondence and feedback between the

public and developers by creating a unique e-mail address for each checklist. NIST will archive the

information.

(d) Addressing Comments: At the end of the public review period, NIST announces that the comment

period is closed. Depending upon the number of comments received and the ramifications of those

comments to the checklist settings, NIST determines a timeframe in which the developer must

respond to comments. This typically ranges from 1 5 to 30 days from the date the comments were

submitted or from the end of the review period. At no time will this period be less than 15 days.

4. Final Checklist Listing

After NIST determines that checklists and associated developers have met all requirements for final

listing, NIST lists checklists in the FCL and refers to them as "final checklists." NIST then follows the

subsequent procedures.

(a) Finalizing Checklists: NIST lists the checklist in the FCL. NIST may send announcements to various e-mail lists maintained by NIST or other organizations. NIST uses the following disclaimer

(or very similar words) for final checklists:

NIST does not guarantee or warrant the checklist 's accuracy or completeness. NIST is not

responsiblefor loss, damage, or problem, that may be caused by using the checklist.

(b) Handling Comments: NIST continues to accept comments regarding final checklists by maintaining

a central electronic mailing address on the repository. NIST lists the procedures for contacting the

developer, along with information for contacting the developer, such as e-mail addresses or URLs.

(c) Scheduling Periodic Reviews: NIST determines whether a final checklist should be reviewed

periodically and typically sets the review timeframe for one year. NIST may request that a checklist

be reviewed sooner for reasons such as new vulnerabilities or threats. NIST schedules reviews with

the developer's points of contact. If at any time the point of contact changes, NIST must be notified

immediately.

5. Final Checklist Update, Archival, and Delisting

NIST follows the subsequent procedures for periodic update, archival, and delisting of final checklists.

(a) Periodic Reviews: Developers contact NIST at least annually to determine changes in the status of

checklists. .NIST may contact developers, as appropriate, to determine changes in the status of a

checklist, in which case developers have 30 days to respond and indicate whether checklists should be

updated, archived, or delisted.

C-5
SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

(b) Updates: NIST may indicate on tiie FCL when checklists are under periodic review. Developers

have 60 days in which to submit the updated material to NIST. Depending on the magnitude of

updates, NIST may screen the checklist and schedule a public review.

(c) Archival: When a developer no longer provides support for the checklist, at the developer and

NIST's discretion, the checklist can remain in the repository but reclassified as an archive. Typical reasons would include that the product is no longer supported or is obsolete, or that the developer no

longer wishes to provide support for the checklist.

(d) Delisting: NIST removes the checklist from the FCL. NIST may send announcements to various e- mail lists maintained by NIST or other organizations.

(e) Automatic Delisting: If a fmal checklist is not reviewed annually, it is removed from the FCL. At

the developer and NIST's discretion, it can be reclassified as an archive.

6. Record Keeping

NIST maintains information associated with the program and requires that participants in the checklist

program also maintain certain records, as follows.

(a) NIST Records: During the period that a checklist has been submitted to NIST, and during the period

that a checklist is listed on the FCL as a final or archived checklist, and for three years thereafter,

NIST will maintain the following:

1. The checklist description template, as listed on the repository

2. The checklist and checklist description, as listed on the repository

3. All comments submitted as part of the public review

4. All comments submitted to NIST regarding the checklist.

(b) Developer Records: During the period that a checklist has been submitted to NIST, and during the

period that a checklist is listed on the FCL as a final or archived checklist, the developer will maintain

the following:

1. The checklist description template, as listed on the repository

2. The checklist and checklist description, as listed on the repository

3. Test reports and other evidence of checklist testing.

C-6
SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

This appendix contains the terms and requirements for participation in the NIST Checklist Program and

for use of the NIST Checklist Program logo. Prior to submission of a checklist to NIST, developers

should ensure they have the most recent version of this appendix. The most recent version is available as a separate file at http://checklists.nist.gov/.

The NIST Security Configuration Cliecklist Program for IT Products

The phrase "NIST Security Configuration Checklists Program for Information Technology Products" and

the NIST Checklist Program logo are intended for use in association with specific versions of IT products

for which a checklist has been created and has met the requirements of the National Institute of Standards

and Technology (NIST) Security Configuration Checklists for Information Technology Products

(Checklist) Program for final listing on its checklist repository. You may participate in the NIST

Checklist Program and use the phrase and logo provided that you agree in writing to the following terms

and conditions:

1 . You will follow the rules and requirements of the program as outlined in the NIST Operational

Procedures for the NIST Checklist Program (Appendix C of NIST SP 800-70).

2. You will respond to comments and issues raised by a public review of your checklist submission.

Any comments from reviewers and your responses may be made publicly available.

3. You agree to maintain the checklist and timely response to requests from NIST for information or

assistance with regard to the contents of the checklist.

4. You agree to maintain checklist-related records according to the requirements of the NIST

Checklist Program.

5. You will hold NIST harmless in any subsequent litigation involving the checklist submission.

National Institute of

Standards and Technology

Participation and Logo Usage Agreement Form

for

Version 1.1

February 1, 2005

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SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

6. You may terminate your participation in the NIST Checklist Program at any time. You will

provide two business weeks' notice to NIST of your intention to terminate participation. NIST

may terminate its consideration of a checklist submission or your participation in the NIST

Checklist Program at any time. NIST will contact you two business weeks prior to its intention to terminate your participation. You may, within one business week, appeal the rejection and

provide supporting evidence.

7. You may not use the name of NIST or the Department of Commerce on any advertisement,

product, or service which is directly or indirectly related to this agreement. By accepting this

agreement, NIST does not directly or indirectly endorse any product or service provided, or to be

provided, by you, your successors, assignees, or licensees. You may not in any way imply that

this agreement is an endorsement of any such product or service. You may not combine use of

the logo with other Marks, phrases, or logos in such a way that would imply endorsement by

NIST.

8. The phrase "NIST Security Configuration Checklists Program for Information Technology

Products" and the NIST Checklist Program Logo are Registered Marks of NIST, which retains

exclusive rights to their use. NIST reserves the right to control the quality of the use of the phrase

"NIST Security Configuration Checklists Program for Information Technology Products" and the

NIST Checklist Program Logo.

9. Your permission for advertising participation in the NIST Checklist Program and use of the logo

is conditional on and limited to those products and the specific product versions for which a

checklist is made currently available by NIST through the NIST Checklist Program on its Final

Checklist List.

10. Your permission for advertising participation in the NIST Checklist Program and use of the logo

is conditional on and limited to those checklist developers who provide assistance and help to users of the checklist with regard to proper use of the checklist and that the warranty for the

product and the specific product versions is not changed by use of the checklist.

1 1. Your use of the logo on product reports, letterhead, brochures, marketing material, and product

packaging must be accompanied by the following: 'TM: a Registered Mark of NIST, which does

not imply product endorsement by NIST or the U.S. Government'.

12. The dimensional requirements for the size, placement, color, and other aspects of the logo are specified in the NIST SP 800-70.

13. NIST reserves the right to charge a participation fee in the future. No fee is required at present.

No fees will be made retroactive.

14. NIST may terminate the NIST Checklist Program at its discretion. NIST may terminate your

participation in the Program for any violation of the terms and conditions of the program or for

statutory or regulatory reasons.

By signature below, the developer agrees to the terms and conditions contained herein.

Organization or company name:

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SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

Name and title of organization authorized person:

Signature:

Date:

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SP 800-70: Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

Selected acronyms and terms used in the guide are defined below. Definitions for some terms liave been

adapted fi-om [39].

ATP Advanced technology pi'ogram; http://www.atp.nist.gov/

Availability Timely, reliable access to data and information services for authorized users

Candidate A checklist approved by NIST for public review

Checklist

CERT®/CC Computer Emergency Response Team/Coordination Center; http://www.cert.org/

CIS Center for Internet Security; http://cisecuritv.org/

CMVP Cryptographic Module Validation Program; http://csrc.nist.gov/crvptval/

Confidentiality Assurance that information is not disclosed to unauthorized individuals,

processes, or devices

Consortia An association or society, i.e., the IETF

Consumer Organizations or private individuals using checklists

Custom A specialized operational environment

DHCP Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol

DHS Department of Homeland Security; http://www.dhs.gov/dhspublic/

DISA Defense Information Systems Agency; http://www.disa.mil/

DNS Domain Name System

FCL Final Checklist List on the repository

Final Checklist A checklist approved by NIST for placement on the repository

FIPS Federal Information Processing Standards; http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/fips/

FISMA Federal Information Security Management Act; http://csrc.nist.gov/sec-cert/

FTP File Transfer Protocol

IDS Intrusion Detection System

IETF Internet Engineering Task Force; http://www.ietf.org/

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SP 800-70; Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

Independent A reviewer tasked by NIST to make a recommendation regarding a checklist

Qualified Reviewer

Integrity

Inward-Facing

LAN

Legacy

Logo

Managed

NIAP

NIST

NSA

NVLAP

OMB

Operational

Environment

Outward-Facing

PDA

PKI

Producer

Repository

Public Reviewer

SMTP

Quality of a system or product reflecting the logical correctness and reliability of

the operating system; verification that the original contents of information have

not been altered or corrupted

When a system is connected on the interior of a network behind a firewall

Local Area Network

Typical Custom environment usually involving older systems or applications

The NIST Checklist Program logo

An inward-facing environment typically very structured and centrally managed

National Information Assurance Partnership; http://niap.nist.gov

National Institute of Standards and Technology; http://www.nist.gov/

National Security Agency; checklists at http://www.nsa.gov/snac/

National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program;

http://ts.nist.gOv/ts/htdocs/2 1 0/2 1 4/2 1 4.htiTi

Office of Management and Budget; http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/

Standalone, Managed, or Custom (including Specialized Security-Limited

Functionality and Legacy)

When a system is directly connected to the Internet

Personal Digital Assistant

Public Key Infrastructure

A developer of a checklist

The NIST checklist repository; http://checklists.nist.gov/

A member of the general public who reviews a candidate checklist and sends

comments to NIST

Simple Mail Transfer Protocol

Specialized Security- An environment encompassing systems with specialized security requirements,

Limited Functionality in which higher security needs typically result in more limited functionality

Standalone A Small Office/Home Office Environment

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SP 800-70; Security Configuration Checklists Program for IT Products

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