Bulletproof your Active Directory with These Best Practices

With a rise in cyber threats, every IT professional is focused on maintaining a secure Active Directory infrastructure, which is really important as the Active Directory holds all your organization's sensitive information - like employee accounts and who has access to what. As experienced cybersecurity experts, we understand how crucial it is to find and fix any vulnerabilities in your system to safeguard your AD.?

In this article, we will be suggesting 10 best practices for Active Directory Security??

??

Top 10 Active Directory Security Best Practices??

Regular Audits and Assessments of Your Active Directory??

Regular Audits of your Active Directory setup is important for keeping your data safe. These audits show you how secure your AD is. This way, you can find and fix any weaknesses.??

There are some advanced Active Directory tools, such as Fidelis Active Directory Intercept? that can help you with detailed insights into user activities and access rights. These types of tools provide you with historical records and let you track changes to spot any data breach effectively.??

??

Continuous Monitoring???

Continuously monitoring your Active Directory is like having someone guarding your digital front door 24/7. With this, you can detect suspicious activity in real-time before it converts into a full-scale breach that will cost you much more than money.??

Today, monitoring systems are equipped with machine learning which makes them capable of analyzing standard patterns of user behavior and any deviation from it. This advanced technology allows early identification of potential threats so they cannot escalate further.??

??

Implement role-based access control (RBAC)??

Principle of Least Privilege – the golden rule of cybersecurity.??

This means that users should only be able to access the information and systems they need to do their job - no more, no less. Regularly audit access and remove any data rights that are not necessary to do their job. This helps reduce unauthorized access and reduce your risk of cyber breach.??

Furthermore, organizations should keep a close eye on privileged accounts that have special access to sensitive information and if they notice anything suspicious – start the investigation right away.??

?

Active Directory Backup and Recovery?

Even the most secure systems are not immune to cyberattacks. Therefore, having a backup and recovery plan for AD is always recommended. Backup ensures that data can be quickly recovered in the event of any cyberattack.?

Cyber experts recommend automated backup solutions, as they eliminate the risk of human error and ensure your backups are always up to date. You should also consider storing your backups off-site or in the cloud. This can provide an extra layer of protection in case of any physical disasters.?

?

Disable SMBv1 and Restrict NTLM?

The SMBv1 is an outdated protocol and NTLM authentication, while still in use has many known vulnerabilities. Simply by turning off SMBv1 and limiting NTLM usage across your AD and domains, you can make it much harder for attackers to exploit these weaknesses.??

Even though you have disabled and restricted these protocols, regular audits are recommended to identify if any system in the network is still using these protocols.?

?

Enforcing Network Segmentation?

Network segmentation means dividing up your network into different sections and controlling who can access each part. This can really boost your AD security. By creating these separate security zones and strictly managing who can get into them, you are building walls that stop security problems from spreading across your whole network. This containment approach limits how far threats can move around internally and stops unauthorized people from reaching your sensitive information and resources.??

Leveraging Microsoft Entra ID?

Formerly known as Azure Active Directory, it allows centralized management which makes it easy to manage all your user accounts from one place. You can create, update, and delete users or user groups across all the apps and services, without having to manage each one individually.??

Regular Penetration Testing?

Penetration testing or Pen testing is when hired ethical hackers simulate attacks on your system to find any vulnerability. Penetration testing gives organizations a chance to improve their security and fortify their Active Directory.?

Organizations prefer to hire professional security firms that have expertise in cybersecurity. Other than performing Pen Testing they give an insider perspective on strengthening your defenses and help you identify and resolve any AD security gaps.?

Implement Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)?

Endpoint Detection and Response solutions or EDR work as your guard dogs in your network, constantly on the lookout for any threat. EDR gives a clear view of endpoint devices in real time and has automated response features which also means the system can take care of mitigating issues without anyone having to intervene every time.?

Comprehensive Incident Response Plan?

No system is hack proof, regardless of how strong your defenses are. Keeping that in mind, organizations should have a solid incident response plan. Develop a comprehensive plan with step-by-step procedures the cybersecurity team needs to follow if there is ever an AD security breach. That way, you can respond quickly and minimize any potential damage.?

?

Additional Best Practices for Active Directory Security?

While these practices have strengthened your AD, to further enhance the defenses explore additional strategies in our Active Directory Security Best Practices Guide.? As experienced cybersecurity experts, we understand that protecting AD is not possible without proactively identifying, addressing, and mitigating network vulnerabilities. By implementing these best practices, you can create a bulletproof Active Directory infrastructure capable of defending against even the most advanced cyber threats.?

Remember, the security of your Active Directory is the foundation for your entire IT ecosystem - take the time to get it right.?