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VA Technical Reference Model v 26.1

Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)

General Information

Technologies must be operated and maintained in accordance with Federal and Department security and privacy policies and guidelines. More information on the proper use of the TRM can be found on the TRM Proper Use Tab/Section.

Website:	Go to site
Description:	Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is a technology that can run GNU`s Not Unix (GNU)/Linux environment on a Windows platform without the overhead of a virtual machine. This technology includes command line utilities and applications that assist users to run bash shell scripts, use different programming languages and install additional software using Linux distribution package manager.
Technology/Standard Usage Requirements:	Users must ensure their use of this technology/standard is consistent with VA policies and standards, including, but not limited to, VA Handbooks 6102 and 6500; VA Directives 6004, 6513, and 6517; and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards, including Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS). Users must ensure sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. Prior to use of this technology, users should check with their supervisor, Information System Security Officer (ISSO), Facility Chief Information Officer (CIO), or local Office of Information and Technology (OI&T) representative to ensure that all actions are consistent with current VA policies and procedures prior to implementation.
Section 508 Information:	This technology has not been assessed by the Section 508 Office. The Implementer of this technology has the responsibility to ensure the version deployed is 508-compliant. Section 508 compliance may be reviewed by the Section 508 Office and appropriate remedial action required if necessary. For additional information or assistance regarding Section 508, please contact the Section 508 Office at Section508@va.gov.
Decision:	View Decisions

Decision Source:	TRM Mgmt Group
Decision Process:	One-VA TRM v25.12
Decision Date:	12/01/2025 at 16:27:38 UTC
Introduced By:	TRM Request
Vendor Name:	Microsoft
Cage Code:	N/A

Vendor Release Information

The Vendor Release table provides the known releases for the TRM Technology, obtained from the vendor (or from the release source).

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Major versions and minor versions of that Major released on or after 09/14/2022 are NOT EXEMPT. Major Versions released before 09/14/2022 are EXEMPT as well as minor versions of that Major regardless of release date.

Version	Release Date	Vendor End of Life Date	Vendor Desupport Date
1	08/02/2016
2.x	06/12/2019

Current Decision Matrix (11/21/2025)

Users must ensure their use of this technology/standard is consistent with VA policies and standards, including, but not limited to, VA Handbooks 6102 and 6500; VA Directives 6004, 6513, and 6517; and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards, including Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS). Users must ensure sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. Prior to use of this technology, users should check with their supervisor, Information System Security Officer (ISSO), Facility Chief Information Officer (CIO), or local Office of Information and Technology (OI&T) representative to ensure that all actions are consistent with current VA policies and procedures prior to implementation.

The VA Decision Matrix displays the current and future VAIT position regarding different releases of a TRM entry. These decisions are based upon the best information available as of the most current date. The consumer of this information has the responsibility to consult the organizations responsible for the desktop, testing, and/or production environments to ensure that the target version of the technology will be supported.

Legend:

White	Authorized: The technology/standard has been authorized for use.
Yellow	Authorized w/ Constraints: The technology/standard can be used within the specified constraints located below the decision matrix in the footnote[1] and on the General tab.
Gray	Unauthorized, Conditions Required^[a] : This technology or standard can be used only if a POA&M review is conducted and signed by the Authorizing Official Designated Representative (AODR) as designated by the Authorizing Official (AO) or designee and based upon a recommendation from the POA&M Compliance Enforcement, has been granted to the project team or organization that wishes to use the technology.
Orange	Unauthorized, Conditions Required^[b] : VA has decided to divest itself on the use of the technology/standard. As a result, all projects currently utilizing the technology/standard must plan to eliminate their use of the technology/standard. Additional information on when the entry is projected to become unauthorized may be found on the Decision tab for the specific entry.
Black	Unauthorized: The technology/standard is not (currently) permitted to be used under any circumstances.
Blue	Unauthorized, Conditions Required^[c] : The period of time this technology is currently being evaluated, reviewed, and tested in controlled environments. Use of this technology is strictly controlled and not available for use within the general population. If a customer would like to use this technology, please work with your local or Regional OI&T office and contact the appropriate evaluation office displayed in the notes below the decision matrix. The Local or Regional OI&T office should submit an inquiry to the TRM if they require further assistance or if the evaluating office is not listed in the notes below.

Release/Version Information:

VA decisions for specific versions may include a ‘.x’ wildcard, which denotes a decision that pertains to a range of multiple versions.

For example, a technology authorized with a decision for 7.x would cover any version of 7.(Anything) - 7.(Anything). However, a 7.4.x decision would cover any version of 7.4.(Anything), but would not cover any version of 7.5.x or 7.6.x on the TRM.

VA decisions for specific versions may include ‘+’ symbols; which denotes that the decision for the version specified also includes versions greater than what is specified but is not to exceed or affect previous decimal places.

For example, a technology authorized with a decision for 12.6.4+ would cover any version that is greater than 12.6.4, but would not exceed the .6 decimal ie: 12.6.401 is ok, 12.6.5 is ok, 12.6.9 is ok, however 12.7.0 or 13.0 is not.

Any major.minor version that is not listed in the VA Decision Matrix is considered Unauthorized, Conditions Required ^[a] .

<Past

CY2025

CY2026

CY2027

Future>

Release

Authorized w/ Constraints (POA&M)

Unauthorized, Conditions Required^[a]

2.x

Authorized w/ Constraints (POA&M)

Authorized w/ Constraints
[3, 4, 5, 6, 7]

Note:

At the time of writing, version 2.6.1 is the most current version, released 08/06/2025.

Decision Constraints


[3]	Per the Initial Product Review (IPR), users must abide by the following constraints: Windows Subsystem for Linux will require a 3rd party FIPS 140-2 certified solution for any data containing PHI/PII or VA sensitive information. Operating systems that are not TRM approved and baselined may be used only if a POA&M review is conducted and signed by the Authorizing Official Designated Representative (AODR) as designated by the Authorizing Official (AO) or designee and based upon a recommendation from the POA&M Compliance Enforcement, has been granted to the project team or organization that wishes to use the technology. Desktop and Device Engineering (DDE) and Endpoint Engineering must be engaged to ensure security controls are in place using enterprise tools (e.g., AppLocker, Defender for Endpoint, and Intune). System owners should use the latest version of this product and monitor both the CVE Details and NIST National Vulnerability Database websites for any new security vulnerabilities. Additionally, system owners must ensure that they follow all vendor advisories to remediate currently published vulnerabilities. As open-source software, this product may be left without clearly defined support options which may result in suboptimal enterprise level support. Close attention should be paid to any new file systems created on the Windows host system to ensure that the proper access controls are in place.

[4]	Veterans Affairs (VA) users must ensure VA sensitive data is properly protected in compliance with all VA regulations. All instances of deployment using this technology should be reviewed by the local ISSO (Information System Security Officer) to ensure compliance with both VA Handbook 6500 and VA Directive 6500.

[5]	Users should check with their supervisor, Information System Security Officer (ISSO) or local OIT representative for permission to download and use this software. Downloaded software must always be scanned for viruses prior to installation to prevent adware or malware. Freeware may only be downloaded directly from the primary site that the creator of the software has advertised for public download and user or development community engagement. Users should note, any attempt by the installation process to install any additional, unrelated software is not authorized and the user should take the proper steps to decline those installations.

[6]	Due to National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) identified security vulnerabilities, extra vigilance should be applied to ensure the versions remain properly patched to mitigate known and future vulnerabilities. The local ISSO (Information System Security Officer) can provide assistance in reviewing the NIST vulnerabilities.

[7]	The Federal Information Processing standards (FIPS) 140-2 certification status of this technology was not able to be verified. This technology will require a 3rd party FIPS 140-2 or 140-3 certified solution for any data containing PHI/PII or VA sensitive information, where applicable. More information regarding the Cryptographic Module Validation Program (CMVP) can be found on the NIST website.

Name	Description
No components have been identified for this entry.

VA Categories

View the VA Categorization Framework

Domain Area	Category	Customer Guidance	Category Locked By ELT Date
Platforms and Storage Operating Systems	OS - Desktop/Laptop

Open Source

This entry is available as an open source technology.

Operating Systems Supported by the Technology

Windows Client - Authorized w/ Constraints
Windows Server - Authorized w/ Constraints

Technologies/Standards Relationships

Runtime Dependencies:

PowerShell - Authorized w/ Constraints
Visual Studio (VS) Code - Authorized w/ Constraints

Optional Dependencies:

No optional dependencies have been identified.

Comparable Technologies:

CentOS Linux - Unauthorized, Conditions Required (POA&M Required)
Ubuntu Desktop - Unauthorized, Conditions Required (POA&M Required)

Companion Technologies/Supported Standards:

No companion technologies/standards have been identified.

General Analysis

Adoption Benefits

This technology is available at no cost through open-source licensing and supports VA's open-source initiative.
This application may improve productivity for specific staff who have development responsibilities.
This technology has a comprehensive set of documentation.

Adoption Risks

There are known Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) associated with this technology. Please see https://nvd.NIST.gov/vuln/search for more details.
This technology has the potential to store or transmit Personally Identifiable Information (PII)/Protected Health Information (PHI) or VA sensitive information.
This technology is not Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2 certified and product documentation does not indicate the software can be operated in FIPS mode using the underlying infrastructure.
As open-source software, this product may be left without clearly defined support options which may result in suboptimal enterprise level support.
Due to the rapid release schedule of this technology, the VA may be unable to update to the most recent patch and may require a deployment model requiring the use of specific versions.
IPR/SAR Adoption Risk - Windows Subsystem for Linux is not Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2 (or its successor) certified.
IPR/SAR Adoption Risk - Windows Subsystem for Linux can be used to install multiple Linux distributions such as Ubuntu, OpenSUSE, Kali, and Debian which are all listed as Authorized w/ Constraints (POA&M) on the VA TRM v25.9.
IPR/SAR Adoption Risk - WSL introduces a Linux user-space environment within Windows, which may bypass traditional Windows security controls if not properly configured.
IPR/SAR Adoption Risk - There are multiple published vulnerabilities for Windows Subsystem for Linux.
IPR/SAR Adoption Risk - Windows Subsystem for Linux is open-source software.
IPR/SAR Adoption Risk - WSL allows users to mount the full contents of the host system’s file system on the hosted subsystem. While Windows uniquely controls access to its file systems, WSL users could inadvertently access resources that are not configured properly

Architectural Risks

The technology is not portable as it runs only on Windows platforms.

- The information contained on this page is accurate as of the Decision Date (12/01/2025 at 16:27:38 UTC).

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VA Technical Reference Model v 26.1

General Information

Vendor Release Information

Current Decision Matrix (11/21/2025)

Decision Constraints

References

Technology Components

VA Categories

View the VA Categorization Framework

Open Source

Operating Systems Supported by the Technology

Technologies/Standards Relationships

Runtime Dependencies:

Optional Dependencies:

Comparable Technologies:

Companion Technologies/Supported Standards:

General Analysis

Adoption Benefits

Adoption Risks

Architectural Risks

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VA Technical Reference Model v 26.1

General Information

Vendor Release Information

Current Decision Matrix (11/21/2025)

Decision Constraints

References

Technology Components

VA Categories View the VA Categorization Framework

Open Source

Operating Systems Supported by the Technology

Technologies/Standards Relationships

Runtime Dependencies:

Optional Dependencies:

Comparable Technologies:

Companion Technologies/Supported Standards:

General Analysis

Adoption Benefits

Adoption Risks

Architectural Risks

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VA Categories

View the VA Categorization Framework