Comm squadron develops Air Force Standard Desktop Published Dec. 14, 2005 By Staff Sgt. Don Branum 50th Space Wing Public Affairs SCHRIEVER AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (AFPN) -- The 50th Space Communications Squadron here is spearheading development of the Air Force Standard Desktop Configuration. This move will strengthen network defenses on all Air Force active-duty, Reserve and Guard installations in 2006 and may become a part of an approved configuration for all federal government personal computers. Schriever was selected because it, along with Air Force Space Command, had the best practices that could be adopted Air Force-wide, said Kenneth Heitkamp, associate director for life cycle management at the Operations and Sustainment Systems Group at Maxwell Air Force Base’s Gunter Annex, in Alabama. The Standard Desktop is a specific configuration within a network environment for personal computers in a local area network that provides all PCs with the same level of protection. It will include security measures built into Windows such as Windows XP Service Pack 2 and Windows Firewall. Schriever was the first base in the Air Force to activate Service Pack 2’s firewall on all base PCs, squadron commander Lt. Col. Mark Langenderfer. The standard desktop configuration allows network users to accomplish their mission while limiting attackers’ ability to cause damage to the network, he said. Tighter desktop settings prevent users from installing unapproved software and provide greater security than the thousands of personal configurations that currently exist, the colonel said. It also helps the Air Force realize its vision of quickly responding to network vulnerabilities as they are discovered, he said. “The bottom-line goal (of the standard desktop configuration) is to provide more security to the net-centric environment that has become increasingly vital to U.S. and coalition warfighters’ successes,” the colonel said. OSSG employees, including Mr. Heitkamp, and Microsoft contractors, visited Schriever in November to review the progress in testing the standard desktop configuration. Mark Reid, the squadron LAN management lead, and Larry Roberts, a unit network administrator, first developed a desktop management strategy in October 2003, Mr. Thomas said. The diligence of the standard desktop configuration team in overcoming technical challenges will ensure an easier transition in 2006 to stronger network security for Air Force personnel around the world, Colonel Langenderfer said. Other federal government agencies can use the standard desktop after the Air Force finishes testing and service leaders approve implementation.