SSA Definition Update with Windows Firewall check!

Today we published another Security State Assessment (SSA) definition update on Microsoft Update!

Included in this release is a new check that will provide visibility into end-user configuration of the Windows Firewall. When used with Group Policy, this new functionality aids in firewall management.

The Windows Firewall check reports on:

· Firewall status (on/off)

· User-defined exceptions

· Applicability to each network interface

Determining firewall status:

· If Windows Firewall is disabled on any network interface, the score is “High”

· If Windows Firewall is configured by Group Policy, the score is “Informational

Visibility into firewall exceptions:

· Enumerates each port and application exception

· Any exception not configured via Group Policy, the score is “Medium”

· If configured by Group Policy, the score is “Informational”

Another update included in this release is a change to the Unapproved Updates check. In an earlier version, this check enumerated any updates that were available but not yet approved, to provide a complete view on overall vulnerability state. Based on customer feedback, we updated the check to report only on unapproved security updates with a Critical severity.

Please give your SSA summary report a look, and find out more about what these new checks are discovering in your organization!

-Adrienne

Program Manager, Forefront Client Security