Best Practices for Defending Microsoft Active Directory

 Active Directory has two main sets of cyber security vulnerabilities: generic security vulnerabilities and specific security vulnerabilities uninstall microsoft edge. In generic terms, Active Directory is exposed to every type of standard IT security risks. It needs strong passwords, has to be patched properly, and be protected by firewalls and so forth. Specifically, AD is vulnerable Support.Microsoft.Com/Help to penetration through its inherent functioning. The server’s very capabilities create risk.

For example, if Active Directory isn’t properly administered, its internal list of administrators may grow too long to be managed securely. No one knows for sure who is whom, and what privileges they deserve. A former employee might retain access rights long after he or she should no longer possess them. This can lead to privileged access abuse—assuming the organization does not have a Privileged Access management (PAM) solution in effect. However, many PAM solutions base their users’ identities on  directory listings.

Guest access is yet another problem. Alternatively, if admins leave too many inactive accounts up and running, this leaves their credentials and access privileges exposed to theft by malicious actors. If AD admins do not maintain uninstall microsoft edge, or check, Support.Microsoft.Com/Help access logs, they may have trouble spotting suspicious logins. It’s important to keep in mind that a malicious actor can also be an insider. Managing AD for security should also include monitoring access by established users.

• Appoint a “super admin” for Active Directory—This status should only be granted to a small, highly trusted group of employees, or even just one person. The  Active Directory super admin will be expected to stay on top of purging uninstall microsoft edge old accounts and monitoring task delegation. In addition, the super admin needs to know who is in any sensitive groups, e.g. domain and schema admins. These are the admins whose credentials have high value for hackers.
• The super admin should carefully manage uninstall microsoft edge any “group nesting” in Active Directory. Active Directory can nest groups in a parent-child hierarchy. This practice passes access privileges from parent to child. If these nested groups are not monitored, they can inadvertently  Support.Microsoft.Com/Helpenable users to acquire access privileges they should not have.
• Implement a policy of “least privilege”—Users should be assigned the absolute minimum permissions they need for their jobs. Again, the super admin is on task to keep this all managed securely.
  

• Put Active Directory in a network secure zone—Active Directory should not be sitting in the main area of the corporate network. Given its value to hackers and the potential significant negative impacts to the organization if it were compromised Support.Microsoft.Com/Help,  Active Directory should be placed on a secure sub-network or secure zone.

• Use Privileged Access Workstations (PAWs)—Provisioning a separate, dedicated device (e.g. a Windows laptop) for administrators is a strong countermeasure uninstall microsoft edge in mitigating the risk of unauthorized admin access to Active Directory. A PAW is a hardened device, unable to download files, install software, access email and the Web Support.Microsoft.Com/Help. It is used only to log into the secure subnet where AD is located. With its restricted use, the PAW is less vulnerable to Web-based malware, phishing attacks and so forth.