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Microsoft Windows XP

As part of a change in our development strategy for security guidance, NSA is no longer maintaining and updating security guides for Windows XP Professional beyond what was produced as a cooperative effort between the vendor and the security community. The "Specialized Security - Limited Functionality" (SSLF) security settings in Microsoft's Windows XP Security Guide track closely with the security level historically represented in the NSA guidelines. It is our belief that this guide establishes the latest best practices for securing the product and recommend that traditional customers of our security recommendations use the Microsoft guide when securing Windows XP.

Microsoft Windows 2000

Windows 2000 is NOT RECOMMENDED for security-critical environments. It lacks important security features that are available in Windows XP and Vista. Microsoft currently provides security patches for Windows 2000, but the product is in its Extended Support Period, and this will end in June 2010. NSA recommends upgrading as soon as possible.
To assist our Windows 2000 user community, NSA has developed security configuration guidance for Windows 2000, with the cooperation of other government agencies and industry partners who provided their expertise and extensive technical review. The configuration guide for Microsoft Windows 2000 is being posted on the NSA web site and is presented in three parts: ".INF" files, configuration guides, and supporting documents..
NOTE: Follow these instructions to ensure that Microsoft Exchange will work with the Windows 2000 Security Configuration Guide.
A description of the files and how to modify the settings is available in the Guide to Securing Microsoft Windows 2000 Group Policy: Security Configuration Tool Set.

Microsoft Windows Server 2003

As part of a change in our development strategy for security guidance, NSA does not intend to publish a separate security guide for Windows Server 2003 beyond what was produced as a cooperative effort between the vendor and the security community. The Special Security - Limited Functionality (SSLF) settings in Microsoft's Windows Server 2003 Security Guide track closely with the security level historically represented in the NSA guidelines. It is our belief that this guide establishes the latest best practices for securing the product and recommend that traditional customers of our security recommendations use the Microsoft guide when securing Windows Server 2003.

Microsoft Windows Vista

As part of a change in our development strategy for security guidance, NSA does not intend to publish a separate guide for Windows Vista beyond what was produced as a cooperative effort between the vendor and the security community. The "Specialized Security - Limited Functionality" (SSLF) security settings in Microsoft's Windows Vista Security Guide track closely with the security level historically represented in the NSA guidelines. It is our belief that this guide establishes the latest best practices for securing the product and recommend that traditional customers of our security recommendations use the Microsoft guide when securing Windows Vista. Windows Vista FAQs

**To download and uncompress zipped files you need to have winzip loaded on your local machine.