Checklist Summary:

The Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (MDE) Security Technical Implementation Guide (STIG) is published as a tool to improve the security of Department of Defense (DOD) information systems. This document is meant for use in conjunction with other STIGs, such as the Microsoft Defender STIG, Microsoft Defender Firewall STIG, Microsoft Entra ID, Microsoft Intune, and appropriate operating system STIGs.

Checklist Role:

• Active Directory Server
• Antivirus Software
• Application Server
• Client / Server
• Desktop and Server Operating System
• Operating System
• Server

Known Issues:

Not provided.

Target Audience:

Parties within the DOD and federal government’s computing environments can obtain the applicable STIG from the DOD Cyber Exchange website at https://cyber.mil/. This site contains the latest copies of STIGs, SRGs, and other related security information. Those without a Common Access Card (CAC) that has DOD Certificates can obtain the STIG from https://public.cyber.mil/.

Target Operational Environment:

• Managed
• Standalone

Testing Information:

Not provided.

Regulatory Compliance:

Department of Defense Instruction (DODI) 8500.01 requires that “all IT [information technology] that receives, processes, stores, displays, or transmits DOD information will be […] configured […] consistent with applicable DOD cybersecurity policies, standards, and architectures.” The instruction tasks that DISA “develops and maintains control correlation identifiers (CCIs), security requirements guides (SRGs), security technical implementation guides (STIGs), and mobile code risk categories and usage guides that implement and are consistent with DOD cybersecurity policies, standards, architectures, security controls, and validation procedures, with the support of the NSA/CSS [National Security Agency/Central Security Service], using input from stakeholders, and using automation whenever possible.” This document is provided under the authority of DODI 8500.01. Although the use of the principles and guidelines in these SRGs/STIGs provides an environment that contributes to the security requirements of DOD systems, applicable NIST SP 800-53 cybersecurity controls must be applied to all systems and architectures based on the Committee on National Security Systems (CNSS) Instruction (CNSSI) 1253.

Comments/Warnings/Miscellaneous:

Not provided.

Disclaimer:

Not provided.

Product Support:

[email protected]

Point of Contact:

[email protected]

Sponsor:

Not provided.

Licensing:

Not provided.

Change History:

Created New Checklist - 08/29/2025
Changed Status to Final - 09/24/2025

Dependency/Requirements:

URL	Description

References:

Reference URL	Description

NIST checklist record last modified on 09/24/2025