A baseline measurement for a secure operating system is the U.S. Department of Defense's criteria for a C2-level secure system. While C2 security is a requirement for many U.S. government installations, its substantial value extends to any organization concerned about the security of business-sensitive data.

Some of the most important requirements of C2-level security include the following:

• The owner of a resource (such as a file) must be able to control the resource.
• System administrators must be able to audit security-related events and the actions of individual users.
• The operating system must protect data stored in memory for one process so that is not reused by other processes. For example, Window NT protects memory such that its contents cannot be read after it is freed by a process.
• Each user must have a unique way to identify him/herself. In Windows NT, this is achieved by typing a unique logon name and password before being allowed to access the system. The system must use this unique information to track the activities of the user.

Since the beginning of the evaluation, Microsoft® and the NCSC have worked closely together to ensure C2 compliance of the Windows NT Workstation and Windows NT Server platforms. The security protection provided by Microsoft Windows NT, when configured according to the Windows NT Trusted Facility Manual, has been evaluated by the NSA. The security features of Windows NT have been examined against the requirements specified by the Department of Defense Trusted Computer Security Evaluation Criteria (TCSEC) dated December 1985.

The Windows NT platform was examined against the B2 Trusted Path and B2 Trusted Facility Management functional requirements of the TCSEC. In order to satisfy the B2 Trusted Path functional requirement, a system must support a trusted communication path between itself and the user for identification and authentication. Although Windows NT satisfies these functional requirements at the B2 level, it was not evaluated against any assurance requirements above its rated C2 level.

A priority for many users is protecting private, sensitive data from being lost or exposed. With Windows NT Workstation and Windows NT Server, large corporations, banks, hospitals, and U.S. government agencies can be assured that critical business data is protected from malicious tampering, unauthorized access, and user error.

Security was one of the primary design goals for the Windows NT platform, and has been built into the base operating system since the first release of Windows NT 3.1. As such, all base components of the operating system-the file system, networking, user account directory, user authentication system, memory management, environment subsystems, and all key operating system features-have been designed to provide the highest levels of overall security.

Graphical Administration Tools
Both Windows NT Workstation and Windows NT Server include comprehensive, graphical tools to help administrators manage and maintain security in their environments. An administrator can easily control which users have access to specific resources, such as files or printers, from a central location.

For users that require C2 certification, the NCSC requires that you install Service Pack 3 for Windows NT Workstation and Windows NT Server version 3.5. Furthermore, The NSA requires that you configure the Windows NT platform according to the Windows NT Trusted Facilities Manual.

Microsoft has recently created several specific SKUs for users that require C2 certification. These SKUs include the following components:

• Windows NT Server version 3.5 or Windows NT Workstation version 3.5
• Service Pack 3 for Windows NT Workstation and Windows NT Server version 3.5
• Administrator's Security Guide for Windows NT (known as the Trusted Facilities Manual)

These can be ordered directly from Microsoft Inside Sales. For more information, call Microsoft at
(800) 426-9400

Product Description                                              Estimated    







Part Number                                                      Retail       







                                                                 Price        








STANDARD RETAIL PRODUCTS                                                      








Windows NT Workstation 3.5 C2 Release                            $319.00      







Includes Workstation software and documentation.  Both SKUs                   







include full installation media, hardcopy Installation Guide,                 







Systems Guide, Hardware Compatibility List, Administrator's                   







Security Guide, and Service Pack 3 for Windows NT Workstation                 







and Window NT Server version 3.5                                              







3.5" media.  236-874-350                                                      







CD-ROM media.  236-875-350                                                    








Windows NT Server 3.51 10-Client Network Value Pack C2 Release   $999.00      







Everything is included in one package and you save                            







approximately 30% on the Client Access Licenses, which is like                







getting 2 Client Access Licenses for free. Contains Server and                







10 Client Access Licenses. SKUs include full installation                     







media, hardcopy Installation Guide, Hardware Compatibility                    







List, Administrator's Security Guide, and Service Pack 3 for                  







Windows NT Workstation and Window NT Server version 3.5.                      







                                                                              







CD-ROM media.  227-875-350