Adobe FrameMaker

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:	Adobe FrameMaker is a document processor designed for writing and editing large or complex documents, including structured documents. This technology is designed for writing and editing large or complex documents and provides a flexible authoring environment that allows editing and creation of documents in a style-tagging word processing mode or in a fully structured environment optimized for editing and producing valid Extensible Markup Language (XML) and Standard Generalized Markup Language (SGML). The technology can run on-premises, in the cloud, or as a hybrid solution. The TRM decisions in this entry only apply to technologies and versions owned, operated, managed, patched, and version-controlled by VA. This includes technologies deployed as software installations on VMs within VA-controlled cloud environments (e.g. VA Enterprise Cloud (VAEC)). Cloud services provided by the VAEC, which are listed in the VAEC Service Catalog, and those controlled and managed by an external Cloud Service Provider (i.e. SaaS) are not in the purview of the TRM. For more information on the use of cloud services and cloud-based products within VA, including VA private clouds, please see the Enterprise Cloud Solutions Office (ECSO) Portal at: https://dvagov.sharepoint.com/sites/OITECSO This entry covers the Desktop Edition of this technology and not any mobile versions. Please note that the implementation of mobile technology applications that operate on Mobile Operating Systems must be reviewed and approved by the Mobile Technology and Endpoint Security Engineering Team: http://vaww.eie.va.gov/SysDesign/CS/MT/default.aspx
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 Security Officer (ISO), 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 v23.3
Decision Date:	03/07/2023 at 03:16:05 UTC
Introduced By:	TRM Request
Vendor Name:	Adobe

Vendor Release Information

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

Version	Release Date	Vendor End of Life Date	Vendor Desupport Date
12.x	04/01/2014
2015	06/02/2015
2017	01/31/2017
2019	08/22/2018
2020	07/13/2020
2022	09/01/2022

Current Decision Matrix (02/27/2023)

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 Security Officer (ISO), 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 VA IT 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. Any major.minor version that is not listed in the VA Decision Matrix is considered unapproved for use.

Legend:

White	Approved: The technology/standard has been approved for use.
Yellow	Approved 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	Unapproved: 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	Divest: 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 unapproved may be found on the Decision tab for the specific entry.
Black	Prohibited: The technology/standard is not (currently) permitted to be used under any circumstances.
Blue	Planning/Evaluation Constraint: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 approved 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 approved 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.

<Past

CY2016

CY2017

CY2018

Future>

Release

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

12.x

Approved w/Constraints
[1, 2, 3]

Approved w/Constraints
[3, 4, 5, 6]

Divest
[3, 4, 5, 6]

Divest
[5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11]

Divest
[5, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13]

Divest
[5, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15]

Unapproved

2015

Approved w/Constraints
[1, 2, 3]

Approved w/Constraints
[3, 4, 5, 6]

Approved w/Constraints
[5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11]

Approved w/Constraints
[5, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13]

Approved w/Constraints
[5, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15]

Divest
[5, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15]

2017

Unapproved

Approved w/Constraints
[5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11]

Approved w/Constraints
[5, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13]

Approved w/Constraints
[5, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15]

2019

Unapproved

2020

Unapproved

2022

Unapproved

Decision Constraints


[1]	Editing and publication of official materials and graphics utilizing this software should be restricted to those who have an official need to publish information on behalf of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Additionally, no synchronization or storage of VA data is permitted outside the Department via the Creative Cloud synchronization and storage options.

[2]	Technology must remain patched and operated in accordance with Federal and Department security policies and guidelines in order to mitigate known and future security vulnerabilities.

[3]	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 ISO (Information Security Officer) to ensure compliance with VA Handbook 6500.

[4]	Editing and publication of official materials and graphics utilizing this software should be restricted to those who have an official need to publish information on behalf of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Additionally, no synchronization or storage of VA data is permitted outside the Department via the Creative Cloud synchronization and storage options. If free trialware is utilized, the software must be purchased or removed at the end of the trial period.

[5]	Users should check with their supervisor, Information Security Office (ISO) 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 approved and the user should take the proper steps to decline those installations.

[6]	Due to potential information security risks, cloud based technologies may not be used without an Enterprise Security Change Control Board (ESCCB) approval. This body is in part responsible for ensuring organizational information, Personally Identifiable Information (PII), Protected Health Information (PHI), and VA sensitive data are not compromised. (Ref: VA Directive 6004, VA Directive 6517, VA Directive 6513 and VA Directive 6102).

[7]	Editing and publication of official materials and graphics utilizing this software must be restricted to those who have an official need to publish information on behalf of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Additionally, no synchronization or storage of VA data is permitted outside the Department via the Creative Cloud synchronization and storage options. If free trialware is utilized, the software must be purchased or removed at the end of the trial period.

[8]	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 ISO can provide assistance in reviewing the NIST vulnerabilities.

[9]	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 ISO (Information Security Officer) to ensure compliance with VA Handbook 6500.

[10]	In cases where the technology is used for external connections, a full Enterprise Security Change Control Board (ESCCB) review is required in accordance VA Directive 6004 , VA Directive 6517, and VA Directive 6513. The local ISO can advise on the ESCCB review process.

[11]	Due to potential information security risks, cloud based technologies may not be used without the approval of the VA Enterprise Cloud Services (ECS) Group. This body is in part responsible for ensuring organizational information, Personally Identifiable Information (PII), Protected Health Information (PHI), and VA sensitive data are not compromised. (Ref: VA Directive 6004, VA Directive 6517, VA Directive 6513 and VA Directive 6102).

[12]	In cases where the technology is used for external connections, a full Enterprise Security Change Control Board (ESCCB) review is required in accordance VA Directive 6004 , VA Directive 6517, and VA Directive 6513. The local ISO can advise on the ESCCB review process.

[13]	Due to potential information security risks, cloud based technologies may not be used without the approval of the Enterprise Cloud Solution Office (ECSO). This body is in part responsible for ensuring organizational information, Personally Identifiable Information (PII), Protected Health Information (PHI), and VA sensitive data are not compromised. (Ref: VA Directive 6004, VA Directive 6517, VA Directive 6513 and VA Directive 6102).

[14]	Editing and publication of official materials and graphics utilizing this software must be restricted to those who have an official need to publish information on behalf of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Additionally, no synchronization or storage of VA data is permitted outside the Department via the Creative Cloud synchronization and storage options. If free trialware is utilized, the software must be purchased or removed at the end of the trial period.

[15]	This technology should only be used when required by a Veterans Affairs (VA) business partner for an approved VA Project. Use of this technology must comply with ESCCB requirements which include: Signed Interconnection Agreements/Memorandum of Understanding agreements (MOU/ISA) with each external business partner, compliance with VA Handbook 6500, and must implement appropriate National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) requirements for all devices interacting with this technology. All instances of deployment using this technology should be reviewed by the local ISO (Information Security Officer) to ensure compliance with VA Handbook 6500 and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards. As of January 27th, 2017, Risk-based Decisions (RBD) will be handled per VAIQ # 7769667. In cases where the technology is used for external connections, a full Enterprise Security Change Control Board (ESCCB) review is required in accordance VA Directive 6004, VA Directive 6517 and VA Directive 6513. The local ISO can advise on the ESCCB review process and ensure privacy of information compliance protections are in place.

Note:

At the time of writing, version 2022 - Update 1 is the most current version, released 09/01/2022.

References

The following reference(s) are associated with this entry:
Type	Name	Description
Vendor Provided*	System Requirements	This page lists the system requirements for this technology.
Vendor Provided*	Download the latest version of FrameMaker	This link provides the current version of the technology.
*NOTE: Vendor provided information is subject to the accuracy of the manufacturer.

Technology Components

Note: This list may not be complete. No component, listed or unlisted, may be used outside of the technology in which it is released. The usage decision for a component is found in the Decision and Decision Constraints.
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
Collaboration and Electronic Workplace Collaboration Software	Content Management
Collaboration and Electronic Workplace Productivity Software	Desktop Publishing
Collaboration and Electronic Workplace Productivity Software	Multimedia Software

Operating Systems Supported by the Technology

Windows Client - Approved w/Constraints

Technologies/Standards Relationships

Runtime Dependencies:

Comparable Technologies:

Companion Technologies/Supported Standards:

General Analysis

Adoption Benefits

The vendor of this technology is an industry leader in the subject matter.
This is a well-documented technology.
This technology may improve productivity for specific staff whose responsibilities include multimedia writing and editing.
There is no licensing fee associated with this technology.

Adoption Risks

This technology relies on Java Runtime Environment (JRE) - Oracle, which has a rapid release and update schedule.
There are other approved solutions that provide similar functionality available on the TRM. The use of several similar solutions may increase organization requirements for support and maintenance.
There is no indication based on available vendor documentation that this technology is Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-2 compliant.
This technology has a free trial period, which carries the potential for the disruption of service delivery and inaccurate financial planning.
Microsoft Internet Explorer, a dependency of this technology, is in End-of-Life status and must no longer be used.
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.
The potential exists to store Personally Identifiable Information (PII), Protected Health Information (PHI) and/or VA Sensitive data and proper security standards must be followed in these cases.
This technology is available as freeware. If commercial support is not purchased, the product will be without clearly defined support options which may result in suboptimal enterprise level support.
There are known Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) associated with this technology. Please see https://nvd.NIST.gov/vuln/search for more details.

Architectural Risks

This technology includes cloud-based functionality which has potential information security risks.
This technology is not portable as it runs only on Windows platforms.

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VA Technical Reference Model v 24.7

General Information

Vendor Release Information

Current Decision Matrix (02/27/2023)

Decision Constraints

References

Technology Components

VA Categories View the VA Categorization Framework

Operating Systems Supported by the Technology

Technologies/Standards Relationships

Runtime Dependencies:

Comparable Technologies:

Companion Technologies/Supported Standards:

General Analysis

Adoption Benefits

Adoption Risks

Architectural Risks

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VA Technical Reference Model v 24.7

General Information

Vendor Release Information

Current Decision Matrix (02/27/2023)

Decision Constraints

References

Technology Components

VA Categories View the VA Categorization Framework

Operating Systems Supported by the Technology

Technologies/Standards Relationships

Runtime Dependencies:

Comparable Technologies:

Companion Technologies/Supported Standards:

General Analysis

Adoption Benefits

Adoption Risks

Architectural Risks

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