70-290: MCSE Guide to Managing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment

Chapter 14: Windows Server 2003 Security Features

Objectives

• • • Identify the various elements and techniques that can be used to secure a Windows Server 2003 system Use Security Configuration and Analysis tools to configure and review security settings Audit access to resources and review Security log settings 70-290: MCSE Guide to Managing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment 2

Securing Your Windows 2003 System

• Five broad categories of security-related features: • • • • • Authentication Access control Encryption Security policies Service packs and hot fixes 70-290: MCSE Guide to Managing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment 3

Authentication

• • • • Most basic level is requiring a user id and password to log on to some system In a domain environment, authentication is centralized on the network while in a workgroup environment, authentication is local In a domain environment, a single authentication can provide access to multiple domains and forests Additional authentication methods can apply to other services (e.g., IIS) 70-290: MCSE Guide to Managing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment 4

Access Control

• • • Access control is used to secure resources such as files, folders, and printers Common types of access control are NTSF and shared folder permissions, printer permissions, Active Directory object permissions The “principle of least privilege” implies that users should only have the access that they really need 70-290: MCSE Guide to Managing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment 5

Encryption

• • • • • Confidential files can be encrypted using the Encrypting File System (EFS) for local files stored on NTFS volumes EFS uses a combination of public and private keys The IPSec protocol can encrypt the contents of packets sent across a TCP/IP network There are two IPSec modes: transport and tunnel IPSec is used to make it difficult for hackers to intercept sensitive network data 70-290: MCSE Guide to Managing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment 6

Security Policies

• • • Security policy settings can be configured from the Local Security Policy and Group Policy Object Editor MMC snap-ins Security policies control a range of security settings Windows Server 2003 includes tools that analyze policy settings compared to pre-configured security templates • • Security Configuration and Analysis MMC snap-in Command-line SECEDIT utility 70-290: MCSE Guide to Managing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment 7

Service Packs and Hot Fixes

• • • • • Many critical updates and patches are related to security issues Hot fixes address a specific identified issue A service pack is a cumulative collection of hot fixes and updates Service packs and hot fixes can be downloaded and installed from Microsoft Software Update Services can assist in automating and managing the distribution of updates 70-290: MCSE Guide to Managing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment 8

Using Security Configuration Manager Tools

• • Windows Server 2003 provides tools specifically designed to help configure and manage security settings (Security Configuration Manager tools) These tools plus Group Policies can be used to set up a Security Policy template which is administered centrally 70-290: MCSE Guide to Managing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment 9

Using Security Configuration Manager Tools (continued)

• • The Security Configuration and Analysis tool will compare a security template to existing settings The Security Configuration Manager tools include these components: • Security templates • • • Security settings in Group Policy objects Security Configuration and Analysis tool SECEDIT command-line tool 70-290: MCSE Guide to Managing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment 10

Security Templates

• • • Templates help ensure consistency and ease maintenance across multiple machines Templates are text-based files • Should not be edited or changed using a text-based editor There are a number of pre-defined templates for various settings 70-290: MCSE Guide to Managing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment 11

Security Templates (continued)

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Activity 14-1: Browsing Security Templates

• • • • Objective: To become familiar with built-in security templates Start  Run  type mmc  Add/Remove Snap-in  Add OK  File  Locate and view the available templates as directed Browse through the available templates and the specific policies associated with them 70-290: MCSE Guide to Managing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment 13

Analyzing the Pre-configured Security Templates

• • • Network computers can be categorized as: • • • Workstations Servers Domain controllers Pre-configured templates are applicable to a specific category of computer Only Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000 can use security templates 70-290: MCSE Guide to Managing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment 14

The Default Template

• • • • The

Setup Security.inf

template contains default security settings applied when Windows Server 2003 is installed Contents depend upon the original configuration of computer (fresh install, upgrade, etc.) Allows an administrator to return to original settings easily Should not be applied using Group Policy 70-290: MCSE Guide to Managing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment 15

Incremental Templates

• • • • Modify security configurations incrementally Can only be applied on top of default security settings because they do not specify baseline configurations Templates include: compatws.inf, securews.inf, securedc.inf, hisecws.inf, hisecdc.inf, iesacls.inf, dc security.inf, rootsec.inf

Custom templates can also be created 70-290: MCSE Guide to Managing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment 16

Applying Security Templates

• • • • Security templates can be applied to local machine or a domain For local machine • Open Local Security Setting MMC snap-in and import a policy For domain • Use Group Policy Objects Security settings from GPOs override local settings 70-290: MCSE Guide to Managing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment 17

Applying Security Templates (continued)

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Activity 14-2: Creating a Security Template

• • • • • Objective: to explore the creation of a custom security template Open a New Template from the MMC Security Templates snap-in as directed Configure settings for the new template as specified Save the template View the template file 70-290: MCSE Guide to Managing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment 19

Activity 14-3: Applying Security Template Settings to Group Policy Objects

• • • • • Objective: to use Group Policy to deploy security template settings Start  Administrative Tools  Users and Computers Active Directory Open the Default Domain Policy from the Properties of the domain Import the previously created template as directed Verify settings 70-290: MCSE Guide to Managing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment 20

Security Configuration and Analysis

• • • • • The Security Configuration and Analysis snap-in permits the comparison of current system settings to those configured in templates The comparison identifies changes and potential weaknesses Multiple templates can be compared at once Multiple templates can be combined and saved Changes can be made directly within the snap-in by selecting the desired configuration 70-290: MCSE Guide to Managing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment 21

Security Configuration and Analysis (continued)

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Activity 14-2: Creating a Security Template (continued)

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Activity 14-4: Analyzing Security Settings Using Security Configuration and Analysis

• • • • • Objective: To use the Security Configuration and Analysis snap-in to compare current configuration with security template settings Open the Security Configuration and Analysis snap-in as directed and open a new database Import the hisecdc.inf template for comparison Perform the analysis Review and compare the settings as directed 70-290: MCSE Guide to Managing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment 24

Activity 14-4 (continued)

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SECEDIT Command-Line Tool

• • • SECEDIT is a command-line tool used to create and apply security templates and analyze settings Can be used where Group Policy cannot be applied Six main switches • Analyze • • • • • Configure Export Import Validate GenerateRollback 70-290: MCSE Guide to Managing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment 26

Auditing Access to Resources and Analyzing Security Logs

• • • Auditing is used to track events on a network An audit policy defines which events should be recorded • and whether successes and/or failures should be recorded Audited events are written into a security log which can be viewed with Event Viewer 70-290: MCSE Guide to Managing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment 27

Activity 14-5: Exploring Default Auditing Settings

• • • • Objective: to explore the auditing settings of the default domain controller GPO Open the Properties of the Domain Controllers OU in Active Directory Users and Computers Edit the Default Domain Controllers Policy on the Group Policy tab as directed Open the Audit Policy node and browse through the various policy settings 70-290: MCSE Guide to Managing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment 28

Activity 14-5 (continued)

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Activity 14-5 (continued)

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Configuring Auditing

• • • • The role of a computer on the network influences how an audit policy is configured For member servers or workstations • Audit policies are implemented using GPOs assigned to the domain or OUs For domain controllers • Audit policies are implemented via the Default Domain Controllers Policy applied to Domain Controllers OU For standalone workstations and servers • Audit policies defined using Local Security Policy tool 70-290: MCSE Guide to Managing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment 31

• •

Requirements and Configuring an Audit Policy

Requirements • You must have proper permissions (Administrators Group or Manage auditing and security log user right) • Auditing files and folders can only be done on NTFS volumes Configuring an audit policy • Configure auditing on events to be monitored and if logging occurs on success and/or failure • Configure auditing on specific resource objects such as files, folders, printers, and Active Directory objects 70-290: MCSE Guide to Managing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment 32

Configuring an Audit Policy (continued)

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• • • • •

Activity 14-6: Configuring and Testing New Audit Policy Settings

Objective: to become familiar with changing and testing the configuration of audit policy settings Open the Default Domain Controllers Policy GPO auditing settings Reconfigure the settings as directed Manually refresh the Group Policy settings Test the new settings and view results using Event Viewer 70-290: MCSE Guide to Managing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment 34

Auditing Object Access

• • • • When files and folders reside on an NTFS volume, you can monitor attempted and successful accesses of these objects Caution -- this can result in a large number of events being logged Object auditing is configured through the Advanced Security Settings on the resource Auditing is also possible for Active Directory objects 70-290: MCSE Guide to Managing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment 35

Auditing Object Access (continued)

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Activity 14-7: Configuring Auditing on an NTFS Folder

• • • • • Objective: to log failed and successful accesses to an NTFS folder Create and configure NTFS permissions for a new folder Configure auditing settings for the folder Test the auditing settings and permissions by attempting to access and delete the folder Use Event Viewer to verify correct auditing 70-290: MCSE Guide to Managing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment 37

Activity 14-7 (continued)

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Best Practices

• • Plan carefully before implementing an audit policy General guidelines: • • • • Only audit events that provide truly useful information Review entries in the security log regularly Audit sensitive and confidential information Audit the Everyone group – it includes unauthenticated users • • Audit the assignment of user rights Audit the Administrators group 70-290: MCSE Guide to Managing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment 39

Analyzing Security Logs

• • • • • For each event defined in an audit policy, an entry is written in the Security log if that event occurs Use Event Viewer to examine the Security log The log provides a summary of the date and time of each event, and the user performing the action More details by double-clicking the entry Event Viewer provides find and filter options to assist in managing the Security log 70-290: MCSE Guide to Managing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment 40

Analyzing Security Logs (continued)

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Analyzing Security Logs (continued)

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Activity 14-8: Configuring Event Viewer Log Properties

• • • • • Objective: to use the find and filter features in Event Viewer to manage log files Open Event Viewer and view local Security log Use the Find feature to locate specific types of events as directed Next, use the Filter feature to manage the log, displaying only events meeting specified criteria Redisplay all records in the log as directed 70-290: MCSE Guide to Managing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment 43

Configuring Event Viewer

• • • There are a number of configurable settings that determine the size, number of entries, and overwrite policy in a security log Default initial security log size is 16 MB in Windows Server 2003 (up from 512 KB in 2000) Settings are configured from the Properties of the Security log in Event Viewer 70-290: MCSE Guide to Managing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment 44

Configuring Event Viewer (continued)

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Activity 14-9: Editing Security Log Settings and Saving Events

• • • • • Objective: to configure properties of the Security log and save event entries for archiving purposes Open the Properties of the Security log through Event Viewer Reconfigure the Security log size and overwrite properties as directed Save and clear the Security log as noted Open the saved log to verify 70-290: MCSE Guide to Managing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment 46

Summary

• • Windows Server 2003 offers security-related features in five categories: authentication, access control, encryption, security policies, and service packs and hot fixes Windows Server 2003 offers a package of Security Configuration Manager tools: • Security templates, security settings in GPOs, Security Configuration and Analysis tool, SECEDIT command line tool 70-290: MCSE Guide to Managing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment 47

Summary (continued)

• • • • • Auditing is used to log specific events within a Windows Server 2003 configuration An audit policy defines the events to be monitored Specific resources and objects can be configured for auditing access attempts A Security log contains record of audited events Event Viewer is used to display and manage Security logs 70-290: MCSE Guide to Managing a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Environment 48