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The federal desktop core configuration (FDCC) defines a set of mandatory configuration requirements for the Microsoft Windows XP pro and Windows Vista operating systems to be used on desktop computers that are connected to a network of a United States government agency.
The main purpose of the FDCC mandate is to build a strong federal IT security and minimize the exploitation risks by the hackers on the government computer systems. FDCC mandate applies to all desktops and laptops that are connected to a network of a US government agency.
Techopedia Explains Federal Desktop Core Configuration
The US office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a memorandum to the federal agencies to develop plans for using the Microsoft Windows XP and Vista security configurations. As a result, FDCC was developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in joint venture with OMB, DHS, DOI, DISA, NSA, USAF and Microsoft.
The federal agencies certify the desktop systems to be FDCC complaint using tools that support the secure content automation protocol (SCAP) specified by the NIST. The OMB has enforced FDCC compliance by mandating federal procurement guidelines covering applications running on XP Pro or Vista operating systems. The federal agencies must also ensure that the third-party vendor software on Federal desktop systems doesn’t make the systems non-complaint with the FDCC.
