I improve security for enterprises around the world working for TrustedSec & I am @PyroTek3 on Twitter. Read the About page (top left) for information about me. :) https://adsecurity.org/?page_id=8
Sean Metcalf
Author's posts
May 15 2014
Group Policy Preferences Password Vulnerability Now Patched
Looks like Microsoft finally removed the ability to set admin account passwords through GPP due to the Group Policy Preferences password exposure vulnerability. More information on how Group Policy Preferences are attacked is in the post “Finding Passwords in SYSVOL & Exploiting Group Policy Preferences“. Because of the security concerns with storing passwords in Group …
May 15 2014
Active Directory Changes in Windows Server 2012
Active Directory, aka Directory Services, has been updated quite a bit in Windows Server 2012. Here are some of the major updates: Virtualization: Rapid deployment with cloning & safeguarding Dynamic Access Control DirectAccess Offline Domain Join Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS) Active Directory Administrative Center Improvements PowerShell version 3 commandlets including Active Directory Replication …
May 13 2014
How to Clean up the WinSxS Directory and Free Up Disk Space on Windows Server 2008 R2 with New Update
It’s finally here! After pages and pages of comments from you requesting the ability to clean up the WinSxS directory and component store on Windows Server 2008 R2, an update is available. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2852386 As a refresher, the Windows Server 2008 R2 update is directly related to my previous blog post announcing a similar fix for …
May 08 2014
Active Directory FSMO Placement Guidance
FSMO Placement Guidance Summary: Make sure the PDC is highly available and connected. Place the PDC on your best hardware in a reliable hub site that contains replica domain controllers in the same Active Directory site and domain. Place the Forest FSMOs on the forest root PDC (schema master & domain naming master). Place the …
May 06 2014
Windows Server 2012 MCSM Reading List
Here’s a link to download the MCM/MCSM Directory Services Reading List document that I developed for the MCSM Directory Services (Windows Server 2012) program and was created after the MCSM Directory Services (Windows Server 2012) test questions were written. It is based on the original one created for the MCM DS program provided to candidates. …
May 04 2014
Enabling and Managing the Active Directory Recycle Bin
So, you have upgraded all your DCs in the forest to Windows Server 2008 R2 and raised the domain and forest functional levels to Windows Server 2008 R2. Congratulations! Now what? Yes, you have to enable the AD Recycle Bin manually by running the following PowerShell commands: Import-Module ActiveDirectory Enable-ADOptionalFeature –Identity ‘CN=Recycle Bin Feature,CN=Optional Features,CN=Directory …
May 02 2014
Facebook increases privacy on all new posts by default
Looks like Facebook might be coming to its senses… http://www.theverge.com/2014/5/22/5739744/facebook-changes-default-privacy-of-posts-from-public-to-friends
Apr 29 2014
AD Reading: How Key Active Directory Components Work
The following links provide in-depth information on how key Active Directory components work. AD Data Store Windows Server 2003 Active Directory Branch Office Guide Bridgehead Server Selection (Windows 2008 R2) AD Replication Model Certificate Revocation & Status Checking Core Group Policy DNS How DNS Support for AD works Windows 2000 DNS DFS Fine-Grained Password Policy …
Apr 29 2014
AD Reading: Windows Server 2012 Active Directory Features
The following are extremely useful resources for Windows Server 2012 Active Directory Features. Windows 2012 Features TechED: What’s New in Active Directory in Windows Server 2012 (Dean Wells’ presentation at TechEd) How many Windows Server 2012 domain controllers do I need initially and where should I put them? PowerShell version 3 commandlets including Active …
Apr 29 2014
AD Reading: Active Directory Group Policy
The following are extremely useful resources for understanding the Active Directory Group Policy. Group Policy Core Group Policy Technical Reference How Core Group Policy Works o Core Group Policy Architecture o Core Group Policy Physical Structure o Core Group Policy Processes and Interactions o Network Ports Used by Group Policy o Related Information What is …
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