Microsoft's USGCB Tech Blog
A technical resource to help implement the US Govt Configuration Baseline (USGCB) on the Windows platform.
LGPO.exe is a new command-line utility to automate the management of local group policy. It replaces...
Date: 01/21/2016
Interview on "Taste of Premier" about Security Guidance for Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 R2 and IE 11
Aaron Margosis interviewed on Channel 9's Taste of Premier about Security Guidance for Windows 8.1,...
Date: 10/21/2014
Microsoft has published its security guidance and baselines for Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 R2...
Date: 08/15/2014
Although the US Government has not published a US Government Configuration Baseline (USGCB) standard...
Date: 04/07/2014
I just posted a minor update to IEZoneAnalyzer. Version 3.5.0.5 fixes an issue in which IE10 was...
Date: 06/19/2013
I'm presenting a couple of sessions at TechEd North America 2012 in Orlando (June 11-14) and at...
Date: 06/06/2012
I received some questions and comments about Internet Explorer's Explicit Security Zone Mappings and...
Date: 05/14/2012
Enabling “Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe” in ANY zone can get you hurt, bad.
This post is about a security setting that is often underestimated in its ability to enable serious...
Date: 11/03/2011
My colleague Shelly Bird, a highly esteemed Architect in Microsoft Public Sector Services, has years...
Date: 10/18/2011
Java’s Forward-Compatibility PromiseWriting forward-compatible software is really hard. You...
Date: 10/18/2011
IEZoneAnalyzer is a utility for viewing and comparing Internet Explorer security zone settings...
Date: 09/22/2011
[Updated 15 May 2012 to correct a bug involving precedence of Computer policies over User policies.]...
Date: 09/22/2011
… is not needed and will not be created. I had kind of blogged about this a while back but it...
Date: 08/10/2011
Announcing a major update to the IE security zone analyzer! IEZoneAnalyzer is a utility for viewing...
Date: 04/14/2011
When removing administrative rights from end users, it’s important to ensure that there are no...
Date: 01/24/2011
This post is a bit off-topic. Neither the Federal Desktop Core Configuration (FDCC) nor the US...
Date: 11/29/2010
This blog post describes how to perform basic web application testing to identify and fix...
Date: 10/25/2010
I work with a lot of customers, and there are some problems I see over and over. One problem that...
Date: 10/06/2010
Along with the release of official government guidance for Windows 7, NIST has rebranded the Federal...
Date: 10/01/2010
Apply_LGPO_Delta used to come with a bunch of sample files to address some common needs for policy...
Date: 03/24/2010
As you may know, the Federal Desktop Core Configuration is largely based on Microsoft’s...
Date: 01/27/2010
The updated sources corresponding to the updated versions of the Apply_LGPO_Delta and ImportRegPol...
Date: 01/15/2010
I discovered an “unintended feature” in the Apply_LGPO_Delta and ImportRegPol utilities,...
Date: 01/15/2010
A few months ago I blogged about a case in which an ill-advised registry hack caused application...
Date: 12/02/2009
I've enhanced the IE security zone comparison utility that I posted here a few weeks ago. The new...
Date: 11/07/2009
The Security tab of the Internet Explorer Properties dialog shows security settings for the...
Date: 10/01/2009
Since Mark Russinovich hasn’t trademarked his “Case of the Unexplained…” series, I’m appropriating...
Date: 09/28/2009
Visual Studio 2008 source and project files for the new ImportRegPol utility and the updated...
Date: 09/15/2009
A customer requested an addition to the local group policy toolset posted on the FDCC blog. While...
Date: 09/15/2009
OverviewNOTE: This entry only focuses on the Windows Vista version of the FDCC and desktop...
Date: 07/08/2009
This is the [long-delayed] third installment in a series discussing various issues regarding the...
Date: 06/16/2009
Visual Studio 2005 project files and source code for Set_FDCC_LGPO.exe v1.06 is attached to this...
Date: 04/15/2009
Set_FDCC_LGPO has been updated to reflect the updated GPO content on NIST's download page. The FDCC...
Date: 04/15/2009
Visual Studio 2005 project and source code files for Apply_LGPO_Delta v1.01 is attached to this blog...
Date: 03/19/2009
Apply_LGPO_Delta is a utility for automating the management of local group policy -- administrative...
Date: 03/19/2009
Visual Studio 2005 project files and source code for Set_FDCC_LGPO.exe v1.05 is attached to this...
Date: 01/23/2009
[2009-04-15: Attachment removed. Bookmark this page for the latest versions of these utilities.] The...
Date: 01/23/2009
This is the second installment in a series discussing various issues regarding the intersection of...
Date: 11/12/2008
Date: 10/21/2008
Date: 10/21/2008
SummaryIn the process of defining the FDCC image, the National Institute of Standards (NIST)...
Date: 10/13/2008
Date: 09/26/2008
@font-face { font-family: wingdings; } @font-face { font-family: Cambria Math; } @font-face {...
Date: 09/19/2008
The source code and Visual Studio project files for the Set_FDCC_LGPO Q3 2008 update are included as...
Date: 06/28/2008
[2009-04-15: Attachment removed. Bookmark this page for the latest versions of these utilities.]...
Date: 06/28/2008
Q&A content from the "Using BitLocker with FDCC and FIPS" webcast from May 27, 2008. The...
Date: 05/29/2008
The source code and Visual Studio project files for the Apply_LGPO_Delta utility are included at an...
Date: 05/07/2008
[2009-04-15: Attachment removed. Bookmark this page for the latest versions of these utilities.]...
Date: 05/07/2008
Update, 21 January 2016: LGPO.exe is a new command-line utility to automate the management of local...
Date: 05/07/2008
Updated, 28 April 2008We're preparing a new utility for public release and will be demonstrating it...
Date: 04/25/2008