Automated configuration guidance for implementing the U.S. Department of Defense's Secure Host Baseline settings on Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016.
Windows Secure Host Baseline is an open-source framework that provides configuration guidance and automation tools for implementing the U.S. Department of Defense's Secure Host Baseline security settings on Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016. It helps organizations deploy these operating systems with pre-configured security policies that align with national security standards and top mitigation strategies. The project includes Group Policy objects, compliance checks, and PowerShell scripts to automate and validate security configurations.
System administrators and security professionals in government, defense, and high-security environments who need to deploy Windows systems compliant with DoD security standards. It's particularly valuable for administrators of National Security Systems and Defense Industrial Base organizations.
Developers and administrators choose this project because it provides authoritative, pre-configured security baselines from the NSA Cyber team, eliminating the need to manually interpret complex security requirements. The automation tools save significant time and reduce human error when deploying secure configurations across large environments.
Configuration guidance for implementing the Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016 DoD Secure Host Baseline settings. #nsacyber
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Includes Group Policy Objects for Windows, browsers (Chrome, IE), and applications like Adobe Reader, reducing manual security configuration and ensuring consistency with DoD standards.
Provides PowerShell modules such as Invoke-ApplySecureHostBaseline to automate policy application for both domain-joined and standalone systems, saving time and minimizing human error.
Comes with Nessus/ACAS audit files to verify system compliance with the baseline settings, facilitating audits and continuous monitoring as outlined in the Compliance section.
Supports both Active Directory domains and local policies using the LGPO tool, making it adaptable to various infrastructure setups, including standalone systems.
Requires multiple manual steps like changing PowerShell execution policies, unblocking downloaded zip files, and extracting folders, which can be error-prone and daunting for inexperienced administrators.
Focuses solely on Windows 10 and Server 2016, with no mention of updates for Windows 11 or newer server versions, potentially limiting its relevance for modern deployments.
For local policy application, necessitates downloading and configuring the LGPO tool separately, adding an extra step and dependency that isn't bundled with the repository.