Evaluate-STIG answer files

Evaluate-STIG is a scanning tool that automates many STIG checks. An answer file tells Evaluate-STIG how to treat a specific check on a specific system — for example, that a finding is Not Applicable because the affected role is not installed, along with the justification comment to record. STIGreviewer can open, create, and edit those answer files right alongside the checklist you are reviewing, so you do not have to hand-edit XML in a text editor.

Answer files are separate .xml files. They are never written into your CKL or CKLB — editing an answer file does not change the checklist, and editing a checklist does not change the answer file.

Where the Answer File panel appears

The same panel is available in three places, and always shows the answers for whichever check is currently selected:

In the Checklist view, as an “Answer File” expander in the detail pane (with a badge showing the number of answers for this check).
In the Grid view, as the “Answers” tab of the drawer.
In the Tree view, as an “Answer File” level inside each expanded row.

If you do not use Evaluate-STIG, you can hide the panel entirely: in the Checklist view, click the ⋮ button in the top bar and clear the “Answer File” checkbox (chapter 7).

Opening an existing answer file

When nothing is open, the panel shows “No answer file open” with Open and New buttons. Click Open and pick an Evaluate-STIG answer file (.xml). You can open more than one at a time — useful when answers for a system are split across several files.

Once files are open, the panel header shows a target-file drop-down (tooltip “New answers are saved to this file”), a ✕ button that closes the selected file, and the Open and New buttons. Whichever file is showing in the drop-down is where new answers get written.

The files you have open are remembered, so they reopen automatically the next time you start STIGreviewer.

Creating a new answer file

Click New. STIGreviewer asks which Evaluate-STIG product the file is for, because the product’s ShortName has to match what Evaluate-STIG expects:

In the “New answer file – pick the Evaluate-STIG product” window, use the “Search products...” box to find your product, then select it from the list. The list comes from the Evaluate-STIG product catalog built into STIGreviewer.
If your product is not listed — which happens with a newer Evaluate-STIG release than the catalog — click “Enter manually...” and type the ShortName yourself.
A Save dialog appears with a suggested filename in the form ProductShortName_AnswerFile.xml. Choose where to save it and click Save.

The new file opens immediately and becomes the target for new answers.

Reading the answer list

Answers for the selected check appear as cards. If there are none, the panel shows “No answers for this check yet.” Each card shows:

The key name and its Index number.
“Expected:” — the status Evaluate-STIG must have determined for this answer to apply.
A summary of any scope limits, whether validation code is attached, and what happens if validation passes or fails.
“from <file>” — which open answer file the answer came from.

Each card has Edit and Delete buttons. Delete asks for confirmation first.

Adding or editing an answer

Select a check, make sure the right file is chosen in the target-file drop-down, and fill in the editor:

Key — the answer key this entry belongs to.
Index — must be unique within that key. Leave it blank and STIGreviewer numbers it for you.
Expected — the status Evaluate-STIG determined. If the scan result does not match this, the answer is ignored.
Scope (optional) — expand this to limit the answer to a particular Hostname, Instance, Database, Site, or ResultHash. Leave the fields blank to apply the answer everywhere.
Validation code — optional PowerShell that decides whether the answer applies. It should return a boolean, or a hashtable with Valid and Results. Leave it blank and the answer always applies.
If valid → status — the status to record when validation returns true, plus the comment to attach.
If NOT valid → status — the status and comment to use when validation returns false.

Click Add Answer to save. When you are editing an existing answer the button reads Save Answer instead. Cancel discards your changes.

Messages you may see

“No check selected — Select a finding before adding an answer.” Click a row in the checklist first; answers attach to a specific check.
“No answer file — Open or create an answer file first.” Use the Open or New button at the top of the panel.
“Couldn’t save answer.” Usually the Index is already used by another answer under the same key. Change the Index, or clear it and let STIGreviewer assign one.
“Couldn’t open answer file.” The file may not be a valid Evaluate-STIG answer file, or it may be open in another program.