1. From your computer workstation, create a new text document called Workstation Domain
2. Consider the following scenario:
You are a security consultant for an information systems security firm and have a new health care provider client under HIPAA compliance. Your new client wants to know the requirements and business drivers for securing the workstation domain in its health care environment. Your new client requires compliance with HIPAA. Similarly, your firm has a U.S. government DoD client that also wants you to perform a workstation domain compliance audit per DoD workstation hardening guidelines and baseline requirements.
3. In your text document, discuss how the compliance law requirements and business drivers for the health care provider's workstation domain might differ from the DoD's workstation domain security compliance requirements.
4. Launch your Web browser and in the address box, type the Web address http://cve.mitre.org. Browse the site, and then in your text document, identify the risks, threats, and vulnerabilities commonly found in the workstation domain.
5. Change your Web address to http://iase.disa.mil/stigs/index.html. Review the Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs) available and the proper implementation of security based on DoD's workstation/desktop hardening guidelines. In your text document, discuss three STIGs and the DoD's workstation/desktop hardening guidelines.
6. Change your Web address to http://iase.disa.mil/stigs/downloads/pdf/unclassified_DesktopApplicationsGeneral_V4R1_STIG.pdf. You will download the pdf document from the IASE/DISA website.
Review the Desktop Applications General Version 4, Release 1 document. In your text document, discuss this document's significant points. Then, review the following concepts from this overarching DoD standards document for desktop hardening, and in your text document, discuss the significant points of two of these topics:
a. Appropriate backup strategy does not exist
b. Public instant message clients are installed
c. Peer to Peer clients or utilities are installed
d. Execution Restricted File Type Properties
e. Open-restricted File Type Properties
7. Change your Web address to http://iase.disa.mil/stigs/os/index.html#. Review the Windows OS security guidelines by clicking the +Windows tab toward the top of the page, clicking on Windows 7 and Windows 2008, and then clicking on the Guidance Documents tabs.
Determine which technical controls are appropriate for Windows 7 and Windows 2008. Note these in your text document.
8. On the left side of the website, click the STIGs Master List (A to Z) link. Scroll down the list to locate and then download the following Windows OS security guideline documents/zip files:
a. Windows 7 STIG (you will see several Windows 7 STIG options; click the one with only a Version number and a Release number after STIG)
b. Windows 2008 STIG (you will see a couple of Windows 2008 STIG options; click the one with only a Version number and a Release number after STIG)
Once you've downloaded the Windows 7 STIG ZIP file to your desktop, double-click the ZIP file to extract the Windows 7 STIG folder. Double-click the folder to open it, double-click the Windows 7 Manual STIG ZIP file to extract the Windows 7 Manual STIG folder, double-click the folder to open it, and then double-click the Windows 7 STIG Manual XML file to open it. Review some of the following concepts.
In your text document, list each of these and discuss a significant point about each:
a. Display Shutdown Button
b. Clear System Pagefile
c. Removable media devices
d. Halt on Audit Failure
e. Security Configuration Tools
Next you will work with the Windows 2008 STIG ZIP file on your desktop. Double-click the ZIP file to extract the Windows 2008 STIG folder. Double-click the folder to open it, double-click the Windows 2008 DC Manual STIG ZIP file to extract the Windows 2008 DC Manual STIG folder, double-click the folder to open it, and then double-click the Windows 2008 DC STIG Manual XML file to open it. Review some of the following concepts and vulnerabilities for configuring and hardening Windows 2008 Domain Controllers. In your text document, list each of these and discuss a significant point about each:
a. System Recovery Backups
b. Caching of Logon Credentials
c. Dormant Accounts
d. Recycle Bin Configuration
e. Password Uniqueness
f. Printer Share Permissions
9. Change your Web address back to http://cve.mitre.org/. Review the National Cyber Security Division of the U.S. Homeland Security Department's CVE listing hosted by the Mitre Corporation. To access the CVE listing, click CVE List in the left-hand column to reach the CVE List Main Page. In your text document, discuss how workstation domain OS and application software vulnerabilities are housed in the CVE listing. Next, click the National Vulnerability Database link on the CVE homepage or CVE List Main Page. In your text document, discuss how vulnerabilities are housed in the National Vulnerability Database. Discuss how this is both a security control tool and an attack tool used by hackers.
10. Write an executive summary to summarize the top workstation domain risks, threats, and vulnerabilities and include a description of the risk mitigation tactics you would perform to audit the workstation domain for compliance. Use the U.S. DoD workstation hardening guidelines as your example for a baseline definition for compliance.