Technical Overview of Security for Windows Server

Microsoft Corporation
Published: July 2002

Abstract

Businesses have extended the traditional local area network (LAN) by combining intranets,
extranets and Internet sites; as a result, increased system security is now more critical than ever
before. Microsoft® Windows® Server 2003 provides many new and improved features that
combine to create a more secure platform for doing business.

This article discusses the tools and processes that deliver important security benefits to
organizations deploying Windows Server. These include: authentication, access control, security
policy, auditing, Active Directory®, data protection, network data protection, public key
infrastructure (PKI), and trusts.
Microsoft® Windows® Server 2003 Technical Article

This is a preliminary document and may be changed substantially prior to

final commercial release of the software described herein.
The information contained in this document represents the current view of
Microsoft Corporation on the issues discussed as of the date of
publication. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market
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© 2002 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
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logo and Windows NT are either registered trademarks or trademarks of
Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be
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 Microsoft® Windows® Server 2003 Technical Article

Contents

Contents................................................................................................................. .......................3

Introduction..................................................................................................................... ..............1

Benefits.................................................................................................................................... ......3

Authentication...................................................................................................................... .........4

Authentication Types................................................................................................ ...................4

Internet Information Services Security................................................................................... ......4

Interactive Logon............................................................................................................... ..........5

Network Authentication.......................................................................................................... ......5

Single Sign-on............................................................................................................... ..............5

Two-factor Authentication.......................................................................................... ..................5

Smart Cards.......................................................................................................................... ...5

Logging On to a Domain With a Smart Card......................................................................... ...6

Object-based Access Control.................................................................................... ..................7

Access Control Concepts.......................................................................................... ..................7

Permissions......................................................................................................... ....................7

Ownership of Objects ............................................................................................................. .8

Inheritance of Permissions ................................................................................................... ...8

Effective Permissions............................................................................................... ...................8

User rights................................................................................................................... ..............10

Object auditing................................................................................................ ..........................10

Security Policy.................................................................................................. ..........................11

Security Configuration Manager.......................................................................... ......................11

Security Configuration Manager Tool................................................................ .....................11

Security Configuration and Analysis ................................................................. ........................11

Security Analysis........................................................................................................................ 11

Security Configuration...................................................................................... .........................11

Auditing............................................................................................................... ........................13

Establish a Strategy................................................................................................................... 13

Common Events to be Audited................................................................................... ...............13

 Microsoft® Windows® Server 2003 Technical Article

Implementing Auditing Policy.................................................................................................. ...13

Active Directory and Security..................................................................................... ...............15

Data Protection................................................................................................. ..........................16

Encrypting File System....................................................................................................... .......16

Encryption and Decryption............................................................................................ .........16

EFS Features.................................................................................................................... .....16

Encrypting Data Transported Over a TCP/IP Network.......................................... .................17

Encrypting and Decrypting Data Using EFS...................................................... ....................17

Backing Up and Recovering Encrypted Data................................................................ .........18

Digital Signatures................................................................................................ ......................18

CAPICOM............................................................................................................................... ...19

Network Data Protection.................................................................................... ........................20

Internet Protocol Security ...................................................................................... ...................20

Routing and Remote Access................................................................................. ....................20

Internet Authentication Service......................................................................................... .........21

Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)................................................................................... ...............22

Opportunities for Unauthorized Access.............................................................. .......................22

Critical Questions............................................................................................................. ......22

What is a PKI?....................................................................................................................... ....22

Why Deploy a PKI............................................................................................... ......................22

Implementing a PKI.................................................................................................. .................23

Certificates.................................................................................................................... .........23

Certificate Services.................................................................................................... ............24

Certificate Templates .................................................................................. ..........................25

Certificate Autoenrollment.............................................................................................. ........25

Web Enrollment Pages..................................................................................... .....................26

Smart Card Support................................................................................................... ............26

Public Key Policies................................................................................................................ .26

Trusts.......................................................................................................................... .................27

Trust Direction........................................................................................................ ...................27

Trust Types....................................................................................................................... .........27

One-Way Trust.............................................................................................................. .........27

 Microsoft® Windows® Server 2003 Technical Article

Two-Way Trust........................................................................................................ ...............28

Trust Relationships........................................................................................................... .........28

Forest Trusts................................................................................................... ..........................28

Benefits of Forest Trusts.......................................................................................... ..............28

Forest Trust Relationships................................................................................. ....................29

Summary.................................................................................................................................... ..30

Related Links............................................................................................................................ ...31

Introduction
Businesses have extended the traditional local area network (LAN) by combining intranets, extranets
and Internet sites; as a result, increased system security is now more critical than ever before. To
provide a secure computing environment, the Microsoft® Windows® Server 2003 operating system
includes many important new security features and improves on the security features originally included
in Microsoft Windows 2000 Server.

This article discusses the tools and processes that deliver important security benefits to organizations
deploying Windows Server. These include: authentication, access control, security policy, auditing,
Active Directory®, data protection, network data protection, public key infrastructure (PKI), and trusts.
Trustworthy Computing
Viruses exist and software security is an ongoing challenge. To address these facts Microsoft has made
Trustworthy Computing a key initiative for all its products. Trustworthy Computing is a framework for
developing devices powered by computers and software that are as secure and trustworthy as the
everyday devices and appliances you use at home. While no Trustworthy Computing platform exists
today, the basic redesign of Windows Server is a solid step towards making this vision a reality.
The Common Language Runtime
The Common Language Runtime (CLR) software engine is a key element of Windows Server that
improves reliability and helps ensure a safe computing environment. It reduces the number of bugs and
security holes caused by common programming mistakes—as a result, there are fewer vulnerabilities
for attackers to exploit.

CLR verifies that applications can run without error and checks for appropriate security permissions;
making sure that code only performs appropriate operations. It does this by checking for things such as:
where the code was downloaded or installed from; whether it has a digital signature from a trusted
developer; and whether the code has been altered since it was digitally signed.
Secure Code
As part of its commitment to reliable, secure and dependable computing, Microsoft has reviewed every
line of code underlying its Windows Server family as part of an enhanced effort to identify possible fail
points and exploitable weaknesses.
What’s in This Article
Topics covered in this article include:
• Security Benefits

• Authentication

• Access Control

• Security Policy

• Auditing

• Active Directory and Security

• Data Protection

Technical Overview of Security for Windows Server 1

• Network Data Protection

• Public Key Infrastructure

• Trusts

Technical Overview of Security for Windows Server 2

Benefits
Windows Server will provide a more secure and economical platform for doing business.

Benefit Description

Lower Costs Lower costs result from simplified security management processes such as
access control lists, Credential Manager, and public key infrastructure.

Implementation of The IEEE 802.1X protocol makes it easy to secure wireless LANs from the threat
Open Standards of eavesdropping within your business environment.

For more information on other supported standards see: RFCs 2459, 3280, 2797,
2527, and public key cryptography standards (PKCS) 1, 5, 8, 10, 12.

Protection for Security features such as Encrypting File System (EFS), certificate services, and
Mobile Computers automatic smart card enrollment make it easier to secure a full range of devices.
and other New
Devices
EFS is the core technology for encrypting and decrypting files stored on NTFS
volumes. Only the user who encrypts a protected file can open the file and work
with it. Certificate Services is the part of the core operating system that allows a
business to act as its own certification authority (CA) and issue and manage digital
certificates.

Automatic certificate enrollment and self-registration authority features provide

enhanced security for enterprise users by adding another layer of authentication;
this is in addition to simplified security processes for security conscious
organizations.

Security benefits derived from deploying the Windows Server family stem from the features discussed
in the following sections.

Technical Overview of Security for Windows Server 3

Authentication
Authentication is the process for verifying that an entity or object is who or what it claims to be.
Examples include confirming the source and integrity of information, such as verifying a digital signature
or verifying the identity of a user or computer.

Authentication is a fundamental aspect of system security. It confirms the identity of any user trying to
log on to a domain or access network resources. Windows Server family authentication enables single
sign-on to all network resources. With single sign-on, a user can log on to the domain once, using a
single password or smart card, and authenticate to any computer in the domain.

Authentication Types
When attempting to authenticate a user, several industry-standard types of authentication may be used,
depending on a variety of factors. The types of authentication that Windows Server family supports are:

Authentication Protocols Description

A protocol that is used with either a password or a smart card for
Kerberos V5 authentication interactive logon. It is also the default method of network
authentication for services.

Secure Sockets Layer/Transport A protocol that is used when a user attempts to access a secure
Layer Security (SSL/TLS)
Web server.
authentication
A protocol that is used when either the client or server uses a
NTLM authentication
previous version of Windows.

Digest authentication transmits credentials across the network as

Digest authentication
an MD5 hash or message digest.

Passport authentication is a user-authentication service which

Passport authentication
offers single sign-in service.

Internet Information Services Security

When using Internet Information Services (IIS), authentication is critical to security.

IIS 6.0 is a full-featured Web server that provides the foundation for the Microsoft .NET Framework and
existing Web applications and Web services. IIS 6.0 has been optimized to run Web applications and
Web services in a hosting environment. Many new features have been included in IIS to enhance
security, reliability, manageability, and performance.

Using IIS, you can isolate an individual Web application or multiple sites into a self-contained Web
service process that communicates directly with the kernel. These self-contained Web service
processes prevent one application or site from disrupting the Web services or other Web applications
on the server. IIS also provides health monitoring capabilities to discover, recover, and prevent Web
application failures.

Technical Overview of Security for Windows Server 4

Because security is an important consideration for a Web server, you can use IIS to protect your Web
server from real-world attacks. IIS is a robust platform that provides the tools and features necessary to
easily manage a secure server.

Interactive Logon
Interactive logon confirms the user's identification to the user's local computer or Active Directory
account.

Network Authentication
Network authentication confirms the user's identification to any network service that the user is
attempting to access. To provide this type of authentication, the security system includes these
authentication mechanisms:
• Kerberos V5

• Public key certificates

• Secure Sockets Layer/Transport Layer Security (SSL/TLS) Digest

• NTLM (for compatibility with Windows NT® 4.0-based systems).

Single Sign-on
Single sign-on makes it possible for users to access resources over the network without having to
repeatedly supply their credentials. For the Windows Server family, users need to only authenticate
once to access network resources; subsequent authentication is transparent to the user.

Two-factor Authentication
Authentication in the Windows Server family also includes two-factor authentication, such as smart
cards.

Smart Cards

Smart cards are a tamper-resistant and portable way to provide security solutions for tasks such as
client authentication, logging on to a Windows Server family domain, code signing and securing e-mail.

Support for cryptographic smart cards is a key feature of the public key infrastructure (PKI) that
Microsoft has integrated into Windows XP and the Windows Server family.

Smart cards provide:

• Tamper-resistant storage for protecting private keys and other forms of personal information.

• Isolation of security-critical computations involving authentication, digital signatures, and key exchange
from other parts of the computer that do not have a "need to know." These operations are all performed
on the smart card.

• Portability of credentials and other private information between computers at work, home, or on the
road.

Logging on to a network with a smart card provides a strong form of authentication because it uses
cryptography-based identification and proof of possession when authenticating a user to a domain.

Technical Overview of Security for Windows Server 5

For example, if a malicious person obtains a user's password, that person can assume the user's
identity on the network simply through use of the password. Many people choose passwords they can
remember easily, which makes passwords inherently weak and open to attack.

In the case of smart cards, that same malicious person would have to obtain both the user's smart card
and the personal identification number (PIN) to impersonate the user. This combination is obviously
more difficult to attack because an additional layer of information is needed to impersonate a user.

An additional benefit is that, after a small number of unsuccessful PIN inputs occur consecutively, a
smart card is locked, making a dictionary attack against a smart card extremely difficult. (Note that a
PIN does not have to be a series of numbers, it can also use other alphanumeric characters.)

Smart cards are also resistant to undetected attacks because the card needs to be obtained by the
malicious person, which is relatively easy for a user to know about.

Logging On to a Domain With a Smart Card

To log on to a domain with a smart card, users do not need to type CTRL+ALT+DEL. They simply insert
the smart card into the smart card reader, and the computer prompts them for their personal
identification number (PIN) instead of their user name and password.

Technical Overview of Security for Windows Server 6

Object-based Access Control
Along with user authentication, administrators are allowed to control access to resources or objects on
the network. To do this, administrators assign security descriptors to objects that are stored in Active
Directory. A security descriptor lists the users and groups that are granted access to an object and the
specific permissions assigned to those users and groups. A security descriptor also specifies the
various access events to be audited for an object. Examples of objects include users, computers, and
organizational units (OUs). By managing properties on objects, administrators can set permissions,
assign ownership, and monitor user access.

Not only can administrators control access to a specific object, they can also control access to a
specific attribute of that object. For example, through proper configuration of an object's security
descriptor, a user could be allowed to access a subset of information, such as employees' names and
phone numbers, but not their home addresses.

In order to secure a computer and its resources you must take into consideration what rights users will
have.
• You can secure a computer or multiple computers by granting users or groups specific user rights.

• You can secure an object, such as a file or folder, through assigning permissions to allow users or
groups to perform specific actions on that object.

Access Control Concepts

Key concepts that make up access control are:

Permissions

Permissions define the type of access granted to a user or group for an object or object property. For
example, the Finance group can be granted Read and Write permissions for a file named Payroll.dat.

Permissions are applied to any secured objects such as files, Active Directory objects, or registry
objects. Permissions can be granted to any user, group, or computer. It is a good practice to assign
permissions to groups.

You can assign permissions for objects to:

• Groups, users, and special identities in the domain.

• Groups and users in that domain and any trusted domains.

• Local groups and users on the computer where the object resides.

The permissions attached to an object depend on the type of object. For example, the permissions that
can be attached to a file are different from those that can be attached to a registry key.

Common permissions. Some permissions, however, are common to most types of objects. These
common permissions are:
• Read permissions

• Modify permissions

Technical Overview of Security for Windows Server 7

• Change owner

• Delete

Setting up permissions. When you set up permissions, you specify the level of access for groups and
users. For example, you can let one user read the contents of a file, let another user make changes to
the file, and prevent all other users from accessing the file. You can set similar permissions on printers
so that certain users can configure the printer and other users can only print from it.

Changing permissions. If you need to change the permissions on an individual object, you can start
the appropriate tool and change the properties for that object. For example, to change the permissions
on a file, you can run Windows Explorer, right-click the file name, and click Properties. In the Security
tab, you can change permissions on the file.

Ownership of Objects

An owner is assigned to an object when that object is created. By default, the owner is the creator of the
object. No matter what permissions are set on an object, the owner of the object can always change the
permissions on an object.

Inheritance of Permissions

Inheritance allows administrators to easily assign and manage permissions. This feature automatically
causes objects within a container to inherit all the inheritable permissions of that container. For
example, the files within a folder, when created, inherit the permissions of the folder. Only permissions
marked to be inherited will be inherited.

Effective Permissions
The Effective Permissions tab is a new advanced option in Windows Server. It lets you see all of the
permissions that apply to a security principal for a given object, including the permissions derived from
memberships in security groups. The Effective Permissions tab is shown below in Figure 1.

Technical Overview of Security for Windows Server 8

Figure 1. Setting effective permissions

To view the effective permissions for a user or group

1. Onthe Effective Permissions tab, click the Select button to open the Select User or Group dialog
box.

2. Inthe Name box, type the name of the built-in security principal, group, or user for which you would
like to view Effective Permissions.

3. Optionally, click the Object Types button, and then select Built-in security principals, Groups, or
Users.

4. Click OK.

Note If the security principal is network based, you can click Locations and select a target, or you can type
in the domain name together with the group name, such as reskit\users.

It is important to specify the correct object types and the locations for your search. Failure to do so will
result in an error message and the suggestion that you refine your search before searching again.

Technical Overview of Security for Windows Server 9

User rights
User rights grant specific privileges and logon rights to users and groups in your computing
environment.

Object auditing
You can audit users' access to objects. You can then view these security-related events in the security
log with the Event Viewer.

Technical Overview of Security for Windows Server 10

Security Policy
You can control security on your local computer, or on multiple computers, by controlling the following:
password policies, account lockout policies, Kerberos policies, auditing policies, user rights, and other
policies.

To create a systemwide policy, you can: use security templates; apply templates using Security
Configuration and Analysis; or edit policies on the local computer, organizational unit, or domain.

Security Configuration Manager

The Security Configuration Manager toolset allows you to create, apply and edit security variables for
your local computer, organizational unit, or domain.

Security Configuration Manager Tool

Components Description
Defines a security policy in a template. These templates can be
Security Templates
applied to Group Policy or to your local computer.

Security Settings Extension to Edits individual security settings on a domain, site, or organizational
Group Policy unit.

Local Security Policy Edits individual security settings on your local computer.

Secedit Commands Automates security configuration tasks at a command prompt.

Security Configuration and Analysis

Security Configuration and Analysis is a tool for analyzing and configuring local system security.

Security Analysis
The state of the operating system and applications on a computer is dynamic. For example, you may
need to temporarily change security levels so that you can immediately resolve an administration or
network issue. However, this change can often go unreversed. This means that a computer may no
longer meet the requirements for enterprise security.

Regular analysis enables an administrator to track and ensure an adequate level of security on each
computer as part of an enterprise risk management program. An administrator can tune the security
levels and, most importantly, detect any security flaws that may occur in the system over time.

Security Configuration and Analysis enables you to quickly review security analysis results. It presents
recommendations alongside of current system settings and uses visual flags or remarks to highlight any
areas where the current settings do not match the proposed level of security. Security Configuration and
Analysis also offers the ability to resolve any discrepancies that analysis reveals.

Security Configuration
Security Configuration and Analysis can also be used to directly configure local system security.
Through its use of personal databases, you can import security templates that have been created with

Technical Overview of Security for Windows Server 11

Security Templates and apply these templates to the local computer. This immediately configures the
system security with the levels specified in the template.

Technical Overview of Security for Windows Server 12

Auditing
Auditing gives you a way to track potential security problems, helps to ensure user accountability, and
provides evidence in the event of a security breach.

To audit effectively you need to establish an audit policy. This requires you to determine which
categories of events, and which objects and accesses that you want to audit.

Establish a Strategy
Your policy should be based on a strategy. For instance, you might decide that you are interested in a
record of who accessed the system or specific data on the system, or that you are interested in
detecting unauthorized attempts to tamper with the OS.

Common Events to be Audited

The most common types of events to be audited are:
• Users logging on to and logging off from the system.

• Management of user accounts and groups.

• Accesses to objects, such as files and folders.

Implementing Auditing Policy

When you implement auditing policy:
• Develop your audit strategy. Decide which behaviors that you want to audit.

• Select the audit categories that correspond to your auditing strategy, and no more.

• Select an appropriate size and retention policy for the security log. You can view the security log and set
the log size and retention policy with Event Viewer as shown in Figure 2 below.

• If you have decided to audit directory service access or object access, determine which objects must be
monitored as part of your strategy. Also determine the minimum number of accesses that you need to
audit to fulfill the goals of your strategy. It is very important that you do not audit any more objects or
accesses than necessary, since that could cause audit logs to fill very rapidly on a busy machine.

• Deploy your policy. You can do this with the Local Security Policy tool on a standalone machine, or with
Group Policy on a domain.

• Review your security logs regularly. There’s no point in auditing if you’re never going to look at your
logs. An event log collection system can help make this a manageable task.

• Fine-tune your policy as necessary. This may include adding or removing objects or accesses to your
audit policy, or enabling or disabling audit categories. After reviewing your logs you may find that you
have collected more or less information than you want.

Technical Overview of Security for Windows Server 13

Figure 2. Setting the security log size and retention policy

Technical Overview of Security for Windows Server 14

Active Directory and Security
The Active Directory service ensures that administrators can manage user authentication and access
control easily and efficiently.

Active Directory provides protected storage of user account and group information by using access
control on objects and user credentials. Because Active Directory stores not only user credentials but
also access control information, users who log on to the network obtain both authentication and
authorization to access system resources. For example, when a user logs on to the network, the
security system authenticates the user with information stored in Active Directory. Then, when the user
attempts to access a service on the network, the system checks the properties defined in the
discretionary access control list (DACL) for that service.

Because Active Directory allows administrators to create group accounts, administrators can manage
system security more efficiently. For example, by adjusting a file's properties, an administrator can
permit all users in a group to read that file. In this way, access to objects in Active Directory is based on
group membership.

Technical Overview of Security for Windows Server 15

Data Protection
Stored data (online or offline) can be protected using Encrypting File System (EFS) and digital
signatures. Stored data security refers to the ability to store data on disk in an encrypted form.

Encrypting File System

Using EFS, data can be encrypted as it is stored on disk. EFS uses public key encryption to encrypt
local NTFS data.

Encryption and Decryption

• Encryption is the process of converting data into a format that cannot be read by another user. Once a
user has encrypted a file, the file automatically remains encrypted whenever the file is stored on disk.

• Decryption is the process of converting data from encrypted format back to its original format. Once a
user has decrypted a file, the file remains decrypted whenever the file is stored on disk.

EFS Features

EFS provides the following features:

• Users can encrypt their files when storing them on disk. Encryption is as easy as selecting a check box
in the file's Properties dialog box as shown in Figure 3 below.

Figure 3. Encrypting contents to secure data

• Accessing encrypted files is fast and easy. Users see their data in plain text when accessing the data
from disk.

• Encryption of data is accomplished automatically, and is completely transparent to the user.

Technical Overview of Security for Windows Server 16

• Users can actively decrypt a file by clearing the Encryption check box on the file's Properties dialog
box.

• Administrators can recover data that was encrypted by another user. This ensures that data is
accessible if the user that encrypted the data is no longer available or has lost their private key.

Encrypting Data Transported Over a TCP/IP Network

EFS only encrypts data when it is stored on disk. To encrypt data as it is transported over a TCP/IP
network, two optional features are available—Internet Protocol security (IPSec) and PPTP encryption.

Encrypting and Decrypting Data Using EFS

You can use EFS to do the following:

• Encrypt data

• Access encrypted data

• Copy, move or rename encrypted data

• Decrypt data

Encrypting data. The default configuration of EFS requires no administrative effort—users can begin
encrypting files immediately. EFS automatically generates an encryption key pair for a user if one does
not exist.

EFS can use either the expanded Data Encryption Standard (DESX) or Triple-DES (3DES) as the
encryption algorithm.

Encryption services are available from Windows Explorer. Users can also encrypt a file or folder using
the command-line function cipher. For more information about the cipher command, type cipher /? at a
command-line prompt.

Users encrypt a file or folder by setting the encryption property for files and folders just as you set any
other attribute, such as read-only, compressed, or hidden. If a user encrypts a folder, all files and
subfolders created in or added to the encrypted folder are automatically encrypted. It is recommended
that users encrypt at the folder level.

Files or folders that are compressed cannot also be encrypted. If the user marks a compressed file or
folder for encryption, that file or folder will be uncompressed. Also, folders that are marked for
encryption are not actually encrypted. Only the files within the folder are encrypted, as well as any new
files created or moved into the folder.

Accessing encrypted data. Users access encrypted files just as they do unencrypted files. Thus,
when a user accesses an encrypted file that is stored on disk, the user is able to read the contents of
the file in the normal way. When the user stores the file on disk again, EFS transparently encrypts the
file again.

Copying, moving or renaming encrypted data. Copying or moving unencrypted files into an
encrypted folder will automatically encrypt those files in the new folder. However, the reverse operation
will not automatically decrypt files. Files retain their encrypted property until explicitly decrypted or
moved to a non-NTFS volume. Similarly, renaming an encrypted file does not alter its encrypted status.

Technical Overview of Security for Windows Server 17

Decrypting data. You can decrypt a file by clearing the Encryption check box in a the file's Properties
dialog box. Once decrypted, the file remains decrypted until you encrypt the file again. There is no
automatic re-encryption of a file, even if it exists in a directory marked as encrypted.

Users can decrypt a file by either clearing the Encryption check box on the file's Properties dialog box,
or using the cipher command.

Backing Up and Recovering Encrypted Data

The main administrative tasks associated with EFS are:

• Backing up and restoring encrypted files

• Recovering encrypted data

• Configuring a recovery policy

Backing up and restoring encrypted files. Backup copies of encrypted files will also be encrypted,
provided you use a backup program designed for Windows XP.

When restoring encrypted data, the data will remain encrypted after the restore operation.

Recovering Encrypted Data. Data recovery refers to the process of decrypting a file without having
the private key of the user who encrypted the file.

You might need to recover data with a recovery agent if:

• A user leaves the company.

• A user loses the private key.

• A law enforcement agency makes a request.

To recover a file, the recovery agent:

1. Backs up the encrypted files.

2. Moves the backup copies to a secure system.

3. Imports their recovery certificate and private key on that system.

4. Restores the backup files.

5. Decrypts the files, using Windows Explorer or the EFS cipher command.

Configuring a Recovery Policy. You can use the Group Policy snap-in to define a data recovery policy
for domain member servers, or for stand-alone or workgroup servers. You can either request a recovery
certificate, or export and import your recovery certificates.

You may want to delegate administration of the recovery policy to a designated administrator. Although
you should limit who is authorized to recover encrypted data, allowing multiple administrators to act as
recovery agents provides you with an alternate source if recovery is necessary.

Digital Signatures
A digital signature is a way to ensure the integrity and origin of data. A digital signature provides strong
evidence that the data has not been altered since it was signed and confirms the identity of the person

Technical Overview of Security for Windows Server 18

or entity who signed the data. This enables the important security features of integrity and
nonrepudiation, which are essential for secure electronic commerce transactions.

Digital signatures are typically used when data is distributed in clear text, or unencrypted form. In these
cases, while the sensitivity of the message itself may not warrant encryption, there could be a
compelling reason to ensure that the data is in its original form and has not been sent by an impostor
because, in a distributed computing environment, clear text can conceivably be read or altered by
anyone on the network with the proper access, whether authorized or not.

CAPICOM
Windows Server includes support for CAPICOM 2.0. This support enables application developers to
take advantage of the robust certificate and cryptography features available in CryptoAPI using an
easy-to-use COM interface. Using this functionality, application developers can easily incorporate digital
signing and encryption functionality into their applications. Because CAPICOM is based on COM,
application developers can access this functionality in a number of programming environments, such
as: the Visual C# ® development tool, Visual Basic® .NET development system, Visual Basic®, Visual
Basic Script, Jscript® development software and others.

What Can CAPICOM Do?

• Digitally sign and verify arbitrary data with a smart card or software key

• Digitally sign and verify executables with Authenticode® technology

• Hash arbitrary data

• Graphically display certificate selection and detailed information

• Manage and search CryptoAPI certificate stores

• Encrypt and decrypt data with a password, or public keys and certificates

Technical Overview of Security for Windows Server 19

Network Data Protection
Network data within your site (local network and subnets) is secured by the authentication protocol. For
an additional level of security, you can also choose to encrypt network data within a site. Using Internet
Protocol security, you can encrypt all network communication for specific clients, or for all clients in a
domain.

Network data passing in and out of your site (across intranets, extranets, or an Internet gateway) can be
secured using the following utilities:
• Internet Protocol Security (IPSec). A suite of cryptography-based protection services and security
protocols.

• Routing and Remote Access. Configures remote access protocols and routing.

• Internet Authentication Service (IAS). Provides security and authentication for dial-in users.

Internet Protocol Security

The long-term direction for secure networking, IPSec is a suite of cryptography-based protection
services and security protocols. Because it requires no changes to applications or protocols, you can
easily deploy IPSec for existing networks.

IPSec provides computer-level authentication, as well as data encryption, for virtual private network
(VPN) connections that use the layer 2 tunneling protocol (L2TP). IPSec is negotiated between your
computer and a L2TP-based VPN server before an L2TP connection is established. This negotiation
secures both passwords and data.

L2TP uses standard PPP-based authentication protocols, such as: Extensible Authentication Protocol
(EAP), Microsoft Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol (MS-CHAP), MS-CHAP version 2,
CHAP, Shiva Password Authentication Protocol (SPAP), and Password Authentication Protocol (PAP)
with IPSec.

Encryption is determined by the IPSec Security Association (SA). A security association is a

combination of a destination address, a security protocol, and a unique identification value, called a
Security Parameters Index (SPI). The available encryptions include:
• Data Encryption Standard (DES), which uses a 56-bit key.

• Triple DES (3DES), which uses three 56-bit keys and is designed for high-security environments.

Routing and Remote Access

The Routing and Remote Access service for the Windows Server family is a full-featured software
router, and an open platform for routing and internetworking. It offers routing services to businesses in
local area network (LAN) and wide area network (WAN) environments, or over the Internet, by using
secure VPN connections.

An advantage of the Routing and Remote Access service is integration with the Windows Server family.
The Routing and Remote Access service delivers many cost-saving features, and works with a wide
variety of hardware platforms and hundreds of network adapters. The Routing and Remote Access
service is extensible with application programming interfaces (APIs) that developers can use to create

Technical Overview of Security for Windows Server 20

custom networking solutions, and that new vendors can use to participate in the growing business of
open internetworking.

Internet Authentication Service

Internet Authentication Service (IAS) in Windows Standard Server, Windows Enterprise Server, and
Windows Datacenter Server is the Microsoft implementation of a Remote Authentication Dial-in User
Service (RADIUS) server and proxy.

As a RADIUS server, IAS performs centralized connection authentication, authorization, and

accounting for many types of network access, including: wireless, authenticating switch, remote access
dial-up, and VPN connections.

As a RADIUS proxy, IAS forwards authentication and accounting messages to other RADIUS servers.
RADIUS is an Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) standard.

Technical Overview of Security for Windows Server 21

Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)
Computer networks are no longer closed systems in which a user's mere presence on the network can
serve as proof of identity. In this age of information interconnection, an organization's network may
consist of intranets, Internet sites, and extranets—all of which are potentially susceptible to access by
unauthorized individuals who intend to maliciously view or alter an organization's digital information
assets.

Opportunities for Unauthorized Access

There are many potential opportunities for unauthorized access to information on networks. A person
can attempt to monitor or alter information streams such as e-mail, electronic commerce transactions,
and file transfers. Your organization may work with partners on projects of limited scope and duration,
with employees whom you know nothing about, but who, nonetheless, must be given access to some of
your information resources. If your users have a multitude of passwords to remember for accessing
different secure systems, they may choose weak or common passwords to more easily remember
them. This not only provides an intruder with a password that is easy to crack, but also one that will
provide access to multiple secure systems and stored data.

Critical Questions

How can a system administrator be sure of the identity of a person accessing information, and given
that identity, control which information that person has access to? Additionally, how can a system
administrator easily and securely distribute and manage identification credentials across an
organization? These are issues that can be addressed with a well-planned public key infrastructure.

What is a PKI?
A public key infrastructure (PKI) is a system of digital certificates, certification authorities (CAs) and
other registration authorities (RAs) that verify and authenticate the validity of each party that is involved
in an electronic transaction through the use of public key cryptography. Standards for PKIs are still
evolving, even as they are being widely implemented as a necessary element of electronic commerce.

Why Deploy a PKI

There are a number of reasons why an organization may choose to deploy a PKI using Windows:

Strong security. You can have strong authentication with smart cards. You can also maintain the
confidentiality and integrity of transmitted data on public networks by using IPSec, and protect the
confidentiality of your stored data using EFS.

Simplified administration. Your organization can issue certificates, and in conjunction with other
technologies, eliminate the use of passwords. You can revoke certificates as necessary and publish
certificate revocation lists (CRLs). There is the ability to use certificates to scale trust relationships
across an enterprise. You can also take advantage of Certificate Services integration with Active
Directory and policy. The capability to map certificates to user accounts is also available.

Additional opportunities. You can exchange files and data securely over public networks, such as the
Internet. You have the ability to implement secure e-mail using Secure Multipurpose Internet Mail

Technical Overview of Security for Windows Server 22

Extensions (S/MIME), and secure Web connections using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) or Transport
Layer Security (TLS). You can also implement security enhancements to wireless networking.

Implementing a PKI
The Windows Server family has features to help your organization implement a public key
infrastructure:

Certificates

A certificate is basically a digital statement issued by an authority that vouches for the identity of the
certificate holder. A certificate binds a public key to the identity of the person, computer, or service who
holds the corresponding private key. Certificates are used by a variety of public key security services
and applications that provide authentication, data integrity and secure communications across networks
such as the Internet.

X.509v3. The standard certificate format used by Windows certificate-based processes is X.509v3. An
X.509 certificate includes information about the person or entity to whom the certificate is issued,
information about the certificate, plus optional information about the certification authority issuing the
certificate. Subject information may include the entity's name, the public key, and the public-key
algorithm. The entity receiving the certificate is the subject of the certificate. The issuer and signer of
the certificate is a certification authority.

Managing certificates. Users can manage certificates using the Microsoft Management Console
(MMC) for certificates as shown in Figure 4 below. Users can also allow certificate autoenrollment to
manage their certificates automatically.

Figure 4. Managing certificates using the Certificates MMC console

Technical Overview of Security for Windows Server 23

Using certificates. Certificates can be issued for a variety of functions such as Web user
authentication, Web server authentication, secure e-mail (Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail
Extensions, or S/MIME), Internet Protocol security (IPSec), Transport Layer Security (TLS), and code
signing. Certificates are also issued from one certification authority (CA) to another in order to establish
a certification hierarchy.

Certificate components. Typically, certificates contain the following information:

• The subject's public key value

• The subject's identifier information, such as the name and e-mail address

• The validity period (the length of time that the certificate is considered valid)

• Issuer identifier information

• The digital signature of the issuer, which attests to the validity of the binding between the subject’s
public key and the subject’s identifier information

A certificate is valid only for the period of time specified within it; every certificate contains Valid From
and Valid To dates, which set the boundaries of the validity period. Once a certificate's validity period
has passed, a new certificate must be requested by the subject of the now-expired certificate.

Undoing the binding. In instances where it becomes necessary to undo the binding that is asserted in
a certificate, a certificate can be revoked by the issuer. Each issuer maintains a certificate revocation list
that can be used by programs when checking the validity of any given certificate.

Establishing trust. One of the main benefits of certificates is that hosts no longer have to maintain a
set of passwords for individual subjects who need to be authenticated as a prerequisite to access.
Instead, the host merely establishes trust in a certificate issuer.

When a host, such as a secure Web server, designates an issuer as a trusted root authority, the host
implicitly trusts the policies that the issuer has used to establish the bindings of certificates it issues. In
effect, the host trusts that the issuer has verified the identity of the certificate subject. A host designates
an issuer as a trusted root authority by placing the issuer's self-signed certificate, which contains the
issuer's public key, into the trusted root certification authority certificate store of the host computer.
Intermediate or subordinate certification authorities are trusted only if they have a valid certification path
from a trusted root certification authority.

Certificate Services

Certificate Services is the component in the Windows Server family that is used to create and manage
certification authorities (CAs). A CA is responsible for establishing and vouching for the identity of
certificate holders. A CA also revokes certificates if they should no longer be considered valid and
publishes certificate revocation lists (CRLs) to be used by certificate verifiers.

The simplest PKI design has only one root CA. In practice, however, the majority of organizations
deploying a PKI will use a number of CAs, organized into certification hierarchies.

Administrators can manage Certificate Services using the Certification Authority MMC console.

Technical Overview of Security for Windows Server 24

Certificate Templates

Certificates are issued by the CA based on information provided in the certificate request and settings
contained in a certificate template. A certificate template is the set of rules and settings that are applied
against incoming certificate requests. For each type of certificate that an enterprise CA can issue, a
certificate template must be configured.

Certificate templates are customizable in Windows Enterprise Server, and Windows Datacenter Server
enterprise CAs, and are stored in Active Directory for use by all CAs in the forest. This allows the
administrator to choose one or more of the default templates installed with Certificate Services, or to
create templates that are customized for specific tasks or roles.

Administrators can manage certificate templates using the Certificate Templates MMC console as
shown below in Figure 5.

Figure 5. Managing certificate templates using the Certificate Templates MMC console

Certificate Autoenrollment

Autoenrollment enables the administrator to configure subjects to do the following: automatically enroll
for certificates, retrieve issued certificates, and renew expiring certificates without requiring subject
interaction. This requires no knowledge by the subject of any certificate operations—unless the
certificate template is configured to interact with the subject, or the cryptographic service provider (CSP)
requires interaction (such as with a smart card CSP). This greatly simplifies the experience of the client
with certificates, and minimizes administrative tasks.

Administrators can configure autoenrollment through configuration of Certificate Templates and CA

settings.

Technical Overview of Security for Windows Server 25

Web Enrollment Pages

Web enrollment pages are a separate component of Certificate Services. These Web pages are
installed by default when you set up a CA and allow certificate requesters to submit certificate requests
using a Web browser.

Additionally, the CA Web pages can be installed on servers running Windows that do not have a
certification authority installed. In this case, the Web pages are used to direct certificate requests to a
CA that, for whatever reason, you do not want requesters to directly access.

If you choose to create custom Web pages for your organization to access a CA, the Web pages
provided in Windows Standard Server can be used as samples. Refer to the Microsoft Platform
Software Development Kit for information about customizing Certificate Services and CA Web pages.

Smart Card Support

Windows supports logon via certificates on smart cards, as well as the use of smart cards to store
certificates and private keys. Smart cards can be used for Web authentication, secure e-mail, wireless
networking and other public key cryptography-related activities.

Public Key Policies

You can use Group Policy in Windows to distribute certificates to subjects automatically, establish
common trusted certification authorities, and manage recovery policies for EFS.

Technical Overview of Security for Windows Server 26

Trusts
The Windows Server family supports domain trusts and forest trusts. Domain trust allows a user to
authenticate to resources in another domain. To establish and manage domain trust relationships you
must take into consideration trust direction.

Trust Direction
The trust type and its assigned direction will have a substantial impact on the trust path used for
authentication. A trust path is a series of trust relationships that authentication requests must follow
between domains.

Before a user can access a resource in another domain, the security system on domain controllers
running Windows Server must determine whether the trusting domain (the domain containing the
resource the user is trying to access) has a trust relationship with the trusted domain (the user's logon
domain). To determine this, the security system computes the trust path between a domain controller in
the trusting domain and a domain controller in the trusted domain. In Figure 6 below, trust paths are
indicated by arrows showing the direction of the trust:

Figure 6. Trust paths showing the direction of the trust

All domain trust relationships have only two domains in the relationship: the trusting domain and the
trusted domain.

Trust Types
Communication between domains occurs through trusts. Trusts are authentication pipelines that must
be present in order for users in one domain to access resources in another domain.

One-Way Trust

A one-way trust is a unidirectional authentication path created between two domains. This means that in
a one-way trust between domain A and domain B, users in domain A can access resources in
domain B. However, users in domain B cannot access resources in domain A.

Some one-way relationships can be nontransitive or transitive depending on the type of trust being
created.

Technical Overview of Security for Windows Server 27

Note A transitive trust flows throughout a set of domains, such as a domain tree, and forms a relationship
between a domain and all domains that trust that domain. For example, if domain A trusts domain B, and
domain B trusts domain C, then domain A trusts domain C. Transitive trusts can be one-way or two-way,
and they are required for Kerberos-based authentication and Active Directory replication.

A nontransitive trust is restricted to two domains in a trust relationship. For example, if domain A trusts
domain B, and domain B trusts domain C, then there is no trust relationship between domain A and domain
C. Nontransitive trusts can be one-way or two-way.

Two-Way Trust

All domain trusts in a Windows forest are two-way transitive trusts. When a new child domain is
created, a two-way transitive trust is automatically created between the new child domain and the
parent domain. In a two-way trust, domain A trusts domain B and domain B trusts domain A. This
means that authentication requests can be passed between the two domains in both directions.

Some two-way relationships can be nontransitive or transitive depending on the type of trust being
created.

Trust Relationships
A Windows domain can establish a one-way or two-way trust with:
• Windows domains in the same forest.

• Windows domains in a different forest

• Windows NT 4.0 domains

• Kerberos V5 realms

Forest Trusts
In a Windows Server forest, administrators can create a forest trust to extend two-way transitivity
beyond the scope of a single forest to a second Windows Server forest. In other words, with forest
trusts you can link two disjoined Windows Server forests together to form a two-way transitive trust
relationship between every domain in both forests.

Benefits of Forest Trusts

Forest trusts provide the following benefits:

• Simplified management of resources across two Windows Server forests by reducing the number of
external trusts necessary to share resources with a second forest.

• Complete two-way trust relationships with every domain in each forest

• User Principal Name authentication's can be used across two forests.

• Both the Kerberos and NTLM authentication protocols can be used to help improve the trustworthiness
of authorization data transferred between forests.

• Provides flexibility of administration. Administrators can choose to split collaborative delegation efforts
with other administrators into forest-wide administrative units.

Technical Overview of Security for Windows Server 28

• Isolates directory replication within each forest. Schema changes, configuration changes, and the
addition of new domains to a forest only have forest-wide impact within that forest, not on a trusting
forest.

Forest Trust Relationships

Forest trusts can only be created between two forests, and therefore will not be implicitly extended to a
third forest. This means that if a forest trust is created between Forest1 and Forest2, and a forest trust
is also created between Forest2 and Forest3, Forest1 will not have an implicit trust with Forest3.

Note In Windows 2000, if users in one forest needed access to resources in a second forest, an
administrator could create an external trust relationship between the two domains. External trusts are one-
way and nontransitive and therefore limit the ability for trust paths to extend to other domains only when
explicitly configured.

Technical Overview of Security for Windows Server 29

Summary
Efficient and secure networked computing is more important than ever for a business to remain
competitive. Windows Server will let you take advantage of your existing IT investments, and extend
those advantages to your partners, customers, and suppliers by deploying key features like cross-forest
trusts and Passport integration.

Windows Server provides services that create a more secure environment for doing business. It’s easy
to encrypt sensitive data, and software restriction policies can be used to prevent damage caused by
viruses and trojans. And Windows Server is the best choice for deploying a public key infrastructure; its
autoenrollment and autorenewal features make it easy to deploy smart cards and certificates across the
enterprise.

As part of its commitment to reliability security and dependable computing, Microsoft has reviewed
every line of code underlying its Windows Server family as part of its enhanced effort to identify possible
fail points and exploitable weaknesses. In addition, Windows Server includes Secure Windows Update,
so that companies can get the benefit of critical updates as they become available.
Getting Secure and Staying Secure
Microsoft is committed to doing what's necessary to help customers get secure and stay secure. The
single best thing you can do to maintain the health and security of the computers in your organization is
to stay current with the latest security updates as they're made available.

Subscribe to the Microsoft Security Notification Service

This is a free e-mail notification service that provides accurate information to keep you informed about,
and protected from, malicious attacks.

You can also read security bulletins and other information about Microsoft product security on
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security.

Technical Overview of Security for Windows Server 30

Related Links
See the following resources for further information:
• Windows Server Family Overview at
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/evaluation/overview/default.mspx

• Windows Server Features Guide at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/evaluation/features/

• Introducing the ".NET" in the Windows Server Family at

http://www.microsoft.com//windowsserver2003/evaluation/overview/dotnet/default.mspx

• What's New in Internet Information Services 6.0 at

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/evaluation/overview/technologies/iis.mspx

• Windows 2000 Security Services at http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/technologies/security

• What's New in Security for Windows XP at

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/techinfo/planning/security/whatsnew/default.asp

• PKI Enhancements in Windows XP Professional and Windows Server at

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/techinfo/planning/pkiwinxp/default.asp

• Data Protection and Recovery in Windows XP at

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/techinfo/administration/recovery/default.asp

• Securing Mobile Computers with Windows XP Professional at

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/techinfo/administration/mobile/default.asp

• Wireless 802.11 Security with Windows XP at

http://www.microsoft.com/WindowsXP/pro/techinfo/administration/wirelesssecurity/default.asp

• Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers at http://www.ieee.org/

• Windows Resource Kits at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/reskits/default.asp

For the latest information about Windows Server, see the Windows Server Web site at
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003.

Technical Overview of Security for Windows Server 31