This policy enables users on the network to establish connections with the computer, and it’s necessary for several network protocols such as Server Message Block (SMB), NetBIOS, Common Internet File System (CIFS), and Component Object Model Plus (COM+).

When I want to explain Windows Storage Spaces (formerly known as Windows Storage Pools), I always refer to RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks). Almost every IT Admin is familiar with the concept of RAID technology. Let’s take a moment to refresh our memory.

LAN Manager (LM) authentication level is a security setting that determines how Windows systems authenticate network connections. It is a legacy authentication protocol developed by Microsoft for use in older versions of Windows network operations. There are three main protocols involved in LAN Manager Authentication: The LAN Manager Authentication Level setting allows you to choose which protocols your system will use or accept for authentication.

Secure Boot constitutes a vital component within modern Windows servers and client devices, forming an integral aspect of the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) specification. Its primary function involves the validation of trusted software components during the boot process, thereby fortifying system security against diverse malware and unauthorized software infiltrations.

Anonymous logon refers to a type of network access where a user can log in to a system or network resource without providing any authentication credentials such as a username or password. This type of access is typically granted to allow basic, unauthenticated access to certain resources for public use or for specific purposes.

In the previous article, we covered some fundamental information you should know before installing WSUS in your infrastructure. Just to refresh your memory, WSUS stands for Windows Server Update Service, and it is used for the centralized update and reporting of Microsoft-based products. This includes Windows, Windows Servers, Exchange, SQL, SharePoint, and others.

SDDL, or Security Descriptor Definition Language, defines the string format that the ConvertSecurityDescriptorToStringSecurityDescriptor and ConvertStringSecurityDescriptorToSecurityDescriptor functions use to describe the security settings of an object in Windows as a text string. Think of it like a simple language for defining who can access an object (like a file, folder, or registry key) and what they can do with it.

Like most organizations, your company likely invested in various Microsoft products. The Microsoft ecosystem provides businesses with nearly every kind of technology necessary, from workstation operating systems to Azure to Windows 365 that includes cloud-native versions of their traditional Office tools and the communication platform Teams. However, attackers are just as invested in the Microsoft ecosystem.

The cybersecurity landscape is undergoing a significant shift, moving from security tools monitoring applications running within userspace to advanced, real-time approaches that monitor system activity directly and safely within the kernel by using eBPF. This evolution in kernel introspection is particularly evident in the adoption of projects like Falco, Tetragon, and Tracee in Linux environments.

Windows Task Scheduler, previously known as Scheduled Tasks, is a powerful job scheduler built into Microsoft Windows. Its primary function is to launch computer programs or scripts at specific times or intervals predetermined by the user. Introduced as System Agent in Microsoft Plus! for Windows 95, Task Scheduler Windows has evolved into a core component of the Windows operating system.