Hardening Windows, Second Edition (Hardening)

You have to do your best with the tools Microsoft gives you. And that's what this book covers.

— Joe Topjian, Adminspotting

Hardening is the process of protecting a system against unknown threats. System administrators harden against that which they think could be a threat. Administrators know the Internet is a hostile environment. Although they cant tell, for example, that a hacker will attempt to gain access to the SQL server next Tuesday, they can bet money therell be an attempt soon and should "batten down the hatches" in anticipation.

Hardening Windows, Second Edition is the definitive "counterintelligence" guide to performing preventative security measures for the Windows OS. This second edition covers the release of Windows XP Service Pack 2 and its new security features, including the Windows Firewall and the Security Center. It also covers Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1, Windows Server R2's new Security Configuration Wizard, Windows NT, Windows 2000, branch-office security features, and new setup options. A new chapter has been added on Windows software Update Services. All chapters have been updated to reflect reader feedback from the first edition. Topics covered include system and group policies, Network Access Quarantine Control, auditing and event logs, IIS, and Exchange.

About The Author
Jonathan Hassell is an author, consultant, and speaker on a variety of IT topics. His published works include RADIUS, Hardening Windows, Using Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003, and Learning Windows Server 2003. His work appears regularly in such periodicals as Windows IT Pro, PC Pro, and TechNet Magazine. Jonathan also speaks worldwide on topics ranging from networking and security to Windows administration. He is currently an editor for Apress, which specializes in books for programmers and IT professionals.

Reader Reviews
This review is from: Hardening Windows (Expert's Voice) (Paperback) If you're a Windows network administrator responsible for making sure your environment is secure, you'll be interested in reading the book Hardening Windows by Jonathan Hassell (Apress). The chapter breakdown: Hardening: Theory and General Practice; Windows NT Security; Windows 2000 Security; Windows XP Security; Defining Enterprise Security Policies with Windows 2000 and Later; Patch Management; Network Access Quarantine Control; Internet Information Services Security; Exchange 2000 Server Security; Security Auditing and Event Logs; Quick Reference Checklists; Index A couple things to keep in mind when you read this book. The target audience is definitely network administrators, as there is plenty of talk about group, system, and security policies. If you're looking for a book to help you secure your home laptop, this isn't it. The other thing to remember is that this isn't meant to be a comprehensive reference manual to explain every last security setting. It's meant to be a practical "quick reference" to help you focus on what it takes to make a Windows environment secure. Even with that caveat, there's a lot of information packed into less than 200 pages. The key word that typlifies this book is "practical". Hassell uses a lot of lists and charts to show recommended settings to ensure a secure environment. In addition to that, each chapter ends with a "Checkpoints" list that enables you to get a quick list of activities and rules to implement in order to maximize your time and efforts. An experienced administrator could use this to make sure nothing has been forgotten, and a new administrator would do well to use this as a roadmap.