Docassemble

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:	Docassemble is a free, open-source expert system for guided interviews and document assembly. This technology provides a web site that conducts interviews with users. Based on the information gathered, the interviews can present users with documents in Portable Document Format (PDF), Rich Text Format (RTF), or Microsoft Word Open Extensible Markup Language (XML) Format Document file (DOCX) format, which users can download or e-mail. 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
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 v24.3
Decision Date:	03/27/2024 at 02:56:28 UTC
Introduced By:	TRM Request
Vendor Name:	Docassemble

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
0.2.81	07/31/2018
0.5.52	11/29/2019
1.3.21	02/05/2022
1.4.x	03/15/2024

Current Decision Matrix (03/15/2024)

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

CY2018

CY2019

CY2020

Future>

Release

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

0.2.81

Unapproved

Approved w/Constraints
[1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Divest
[2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]

Divest
[2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9]

Unapproved

0.5.52

Unapproved

Approved w/Constraints
[2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]

Approved w/Constraints
[2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9]

1.3.21

Unapproved

1.4.x

Unapproved

Decision Constraints


[1]	The administrator or installer should ensure that Docassemble is obtained from the Docassemble website with verifiable web certificate. Downloaded software must always be scanned for viruses prior to installation to prevent adware or malware. Users must check with their supervisor, Information System Security Office (ISSO) or local OI&T representative for permission to download and use this software. The database administrator must refer to a VA Secure Configuration Baseline for guidance when implementing Docassemble within the VA environment. Further, it is emphasized that the following security measures will help ensure that the data is secured and protected:o Leverage two-factor authentication provided by the product or VA-approved 2FA solution.o Ensure connections between the web browser and web server are encrypted using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) or Transport Layer Security (TLS).o Deploy a VA-approved web application firewall (WAF) and database firewall to add layers of security to the database. Perform end-to-end security testing of Docassemble and all its components to ensure security holes are addressed prior to implementation. Continuous vulnerability scanning, monitoring, and auditing of the database system and associated components. Docassemble must not have external authentication methods or the phone login features enabled.

[2]	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.

[3]	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.

[4]	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.

[5]	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).

[6]	Ensure use of a FIPS 140-2 validated cryptographic module to secure VA sensitive data in applications and devices. Database Management Systems (DBMS) used in VA will be encrypted using FIPS 140-2 (or its successor) validated encryption as stated in VA Handbook 6500, section SC-28: Protection of Information at Rest. If FIPS 140-2 at the application level is not possible technically, FIPS 140-2 compliant full disk encryption (FDE) must be implemented on the hard drive where the DBMS resides as stated in the May 5, 2015 memo from the VA Deputy Assistant Secretary for Information Security titled `FIPS 140-2 Validated Full Disk Encryption (FOE) for Data at Rest in Database Management Systems (DBMS).” The administrator or installer must ensure that Docassemble is obtained from the Docassemble website with verifiable web certificate. Downloaded software must always be scanned for viruses prior to installation to prevent adware or malware. Users should check with their supervisor, Information System Security Office (ISSO) or local OI&T representative for permission to download and use this software. The database administrator must refer to a VA Secure Configuration Baseline for guidance when implementing Docassemble within the VA environment. Further, it is emphasized that the following security measures will help ensure that the data is secured and protected: Leverage two-factor authentication provided by the product or VA-approved 2FA solution. Ensure connections between the web browser and web server are encrypted using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) or Transport Layer Security (TLS). Deploy a VA-approved web application firewall (WAF) and database firewall to add layers of security to the database. Perform end-to-end security testing of Docassemble and all its components to ensure security holes are addressed prior to implementation. Continuous vulnerability scanning, monitoring, and auditing of the database system and associated components. Docassemble should not have external authentication methods or the phone login features enabled.

[7]	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.

[8]	Per the May 5th, 2015 memorandum from the VA Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) FIPS 140-2 Validate Full Disk Encryption (FOE) for Data at Rest in Database Management Systems (DBMS) and in accordance with Federal requirements and VA policy, database management must use Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2 compliant encryption to protect the confidentiality and integrity of VA information at rest at the application level. If FIPS 140-2 encryption at the application level is not technically possible, FIPS 140-2 compliant full disk encryption (FOE) must be implemented on the hard drive where the DBMS resides. Appropriate access enforcement and physical security control must also be implemented. All instances of deployment using this technology should be reviewed to ensure compliance with VA Handbook 6500 and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards. It is the responsibility of the system owner to work with the local CIO (or designee) and Information Security Officer (ISO) to ensure that a compliant DBMS technology is selected and that if needed, mitigating controls are in place and documented in a System Security Plan (SSP).

[9]	Due to potential information security risks for cloud-based technologies, users should coordinate closely with their facility ISSO for guidance and assistance on cloud products. If further guidance is needed contact the Enterprise Cloud Solution Office (ECSO), which is the body responsible for new software development in and migration of existing systems to the VA Enterprise Cloud (VAEC) and ensuring organizational information, Personally Identifiable Information (PII), Protected Health Information (PHI), and VA sensitive data are not compromised within the VAEC. For information about Software as a Service (SaaS) products or to submit a SaaS product request with the Project Special Forces (SPF) team, please use their online form. (Ref: VA Directive 6004, VA Directive 6517, VA Directive 6513 and VA Directive 6102).

Note:

At the time of writing, version 1.4.101 is the most current version, released 03/15/2024.

References

The following reference(s) are associated with this entry:
Type	Name	Source	Description
*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 Productivity Software	File Manager and Viewer

Open Source

This entry is available as an open source technology.

Operating Systems Supported by the Technology

macOS - Approved w/Constraints
Windows Client - Approved w/Constraints

Technologies/Standards Relationships

Runtime Dependencies:

Yarn

Comparable Technologies:

Companion Technologies/Supported Standards:

General Analysis

Adoption Benefits

This technology is available at no cost through open-source licensing and supports VA`s open source initiative.
At the time of writing, no National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) vulnerabilities had been reported and no VA Cyber Security Operations Center (CSOC) bulletins had been issued for the latest versions of this technology.
This technology supports several industry standard file formats.

Adoption Risks

Although this vendor utilizes Federal Information Processing (FIPS) 140-2 encryption, there is no indication based on the vendor documentation or the Cryptographic Module Validation Program (CMVP) that this technology is Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2 certified.
This technology can potentially use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), an unapproved protocol.
This technology relies on Yarn, an unapproved technology.
This technology can potentially use Portable Document Format Writer (PDF), an unapproved technology.
VA sensitive data collected and stored in a database must be secured in accordance with VA Handbook 6500.
If users log in with external authentication methods or the phone login feature, interview answers are not encrypted.
This technology is poorly documented and without clearly defined support options which may result in suboptimal enterprise level support.
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.
Due to the frequency of this technology’s updates, the VA may be unable to keep up with the rapid release schedule of this technology and may require a usage model that requires specific versions.
This technology may utilize external data connections.
This technology can integrate with and alter database technologies.
This technology can potentially use Microsoft Word Viewer, an unapproved technology.

Architectural Benefits

This technology is portable as it runs on multiple TRM-approved operating systems.

Architectural Risks

This technology includes cloud-based functionality which has potential information security risks.

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VA Technical Reference Model v 24.7

General Information

Vendor Release Information

Current Decision Matrix (03/15/2024)

Decision Constraints

References

Technology Components

VA Categories View the VA Categorization Framework

Open Source

Operating Systems Supported by the Technology

Technologies/Standards Relationships

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Comparable Technologies:

Companion Technologies/Supported Standards:

General Analysis

Adoption Benefits

Adoption Risks

Architectural Benefits

Architectural Risks

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VA Technical Reference Model v 24.7

General Information

Vendor Release Information

Current Decision Matrix (03/15/2024)

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:

Comparable Technologies:

Companion Technologies/Supported Standards:

General Analysis

Adoption Benefits

Adoption Risks

Architectural Benefits

Architectural Risks

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