Microsoft Security Compliance Manager

Solution Accelerator team have just released the final 3rd version Security Compliance Manager. Here are the key features of the new version:

  • Integration with the System Center 2012 Process Pack for IT GRC: Product configurations are integrated into the Process Pack for IT GRC to provide oversight and reporting of your compliance activities.
  • Gold master support: Import and take advantage of your existing Group Policy or create a snapshot of a reference machine to kick-start your project.
  • Configure stand-alone machines: Deploy your configurations to non-domain joined computers using the new GPO Pack feature.
  • Updated security guidance: Take advantage of the deep security expertise and best practices in the updated security guides and the attack surface reference workbooks to help reduce the security risks that you consider to be the most important.
  • Centralized Management of Your Baseline Portfolio: The centralized management console of the Security Compliance Manager provides you with a unified, end-to-end user experience to plan, customize, and export security baselines. The tool gives you full access to a complete portfolio of recommended baselines for Windows client and server operating systems, and Microsoft applications. The Security Compliance Manager also enables you to quickly update the latest Microsoft baseline releases and take advantage of baseline version control.
  • Security Baseline Customization: Customizing, comparing, merging, and reviewing your baselines policy configurations just got easier. Use the customization capabilities of the Security Compliance Manager to duplicate any of the recommended baselines from Microsoft and quickly modify security settings to meet the standards of your organization’s environment.
  • Multiple Export Capabilities: Export baselines in formats like XLS, Group Policy objects (GPOs), Desired Configuration Management (DCM) packs, or Security Content Automation Protocol (SCAP) to enable automation of deployment and monitoring baseline compliance.
  • Available policy configuration baselines include Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, Windows Server 2008 SP2, Windows Server 2003 SP2, Hyper-V, Windows 8, Windows 7 SP1, Windows Vista SP2, Windows XP SP3, BitLocker Drive Encryption, Windows Internet Explorer 10, Windows Internet Explorer 9, Windows Internet Explorer 8, Microsoft Office 2010 SP1, Microsoft Office 2007 SP2, Exchange Server 2010 SP2 and Exchange Server 2007 SP3.

 

You can download the tool from here.

Microsoft Security Compliance Manager 3.0 beta is available

SCM 3.0 beta is available for download at MS Connect site. New baselines for Windows Server 2012, Windows 8 and Internet Explorer 10 are introduced:

Windows Server 2012 Security Baselines:

  • Domain Controller Security Compliance
  • Domain Security Compliance
  • Hyper-V Security Compliance
  • Member Server Security Compliance
  • Web Server Security Compliance
  • Windows 8 Security Baselines:

  • BitLocker Security
  • Computer Security Compliance
  • Domain Security Compliance
  • User Security Compliance:
  • Internet Explorer 10 Security Baselines:

  • Computer Security Compliance
  • User Security Compliance
  • In a later stage of the Beta programs more baselines will be introduced for server roles in Windows Serer 2012:

  • Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS)
  • DNS Server
  • DHCP Server
  • File Services
  • Network Policy and Access Servers
  • Print Services
  • Remote Access
  • Remote Desktop Services

MVA: Using Solution Accelerators to Prepare for Windows Server 2012

Another course from MVA. This time is about using Solution Accelerators tools for Windows Server 2012:

Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 7.0 Module

Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2012 Update 1 Module

Microsoft Security Compliance Manager 3.0 Module

Microsoft Virtual Machine Converter Final Version Released

Solutions Accelerator team released the final version of MVMC that will allow you to convert VMware virtual machines to Hyper-V virtual machines. Documentation is also provided with the tool. More about the tool and download location are located here.

Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2012 Update 1

MDT is a free tool provided by Microsoft that will help you deploy Windows Operating Systems. Key changes in the new version are:

  • Added support for Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012.
  • Support for System Center 2012 Configuration Manager SP1 CTP: Added support in MDT for deploying Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 with Configuration Manager 2012 SP1 CTP, while supporting all new Configuration Manager functionality (offline BitLocker, UEFI, and Assessment and Deployment Kit).
  • Support for DaRT 8 Beta: Updated MDT to support DaRT 8 for Windows 8 deployments, while continuing to support DaRT 7 for Windows 7 deployments. Added DaRT support for Configuration Manager scenarios.
  • New “Build Your Own Pages” User-Driven Installation (UDI) feature: Enhanced the UDI wizard and designer to enable IT pros to design their own wizard pages with little effort.
  • New System Center 2012 – Orchestrator support: Provided the ability to add steps into an OS deployment task sequence to execute Orchestrator runbooks as part of the deployment process.
  • Other improvements: Added support for Windows PowerShell 3.0, reworked Roles and Features installation logic for Windows 8, improved “boot from VHD” deployment scenarios, and added support for Configuration Manager monitoring.

Download the tool and its documentation from here.