Secure your Active Directory to improve overall cyber hygiene of your organisation
Harman Singh
No-Nonsense Security Advisory | Security Audits | CREST Penetration Testing | Cyber Essentials Plus Certification | Risk Assessments & Remediation
Imagine your Active Directory (AD) as the grand castle that holds the keys to your entire digital kingdom. That is what it is to your entire organisation; it handles authentication, authorisation, policy enforcement, and all the configuration changes related to servers and workstations.
It stores user accounts, passwords, and access permissions to all your precious data and applications. I'd leave it to your imagination what bad can happen here. Yikes!
This is why Active Directory security is crucial. Here's a breakdown:
??Central to Everything: AD is like the control centre for your network. Once compromised, attackers access everything – emails, applications, user accounts, the whole shebang.
??Open Sesame! Compromised AD grants attackers complete freedom to roam your network.
??Low-Hanging Fruit: Even the most robust defences become easily breached without proper AD security. No security solution is perfect, but a secure AD makes attackers work harder.
Active Directory is the spine of your corporate environment (or even production). Ensure it protects your crown jewels and provides a solid base for business operations. Secure your spot for an annual health check.
Common Active Directory Security Weaknesses
Even the sturdiest castles have vulnerabilities. Here are some chinks in your AD armour to watch out for:
??Misconfigured Group Policies: Think of group policies as the castle rules. If they're messed up, anyone can waltz in.
??Weak Authentication Protocols: Kerberos, NTLM, and LDAP can be exploited by attackers if not properly secured.
??Password & Permission Problems: Weak password policies, password strings and reuse issues and excessive user privileges are handing out skeleton keys to everyone.
??Blind Spots: Insecure auditing and logging leave you clueless about suspicious activity within your castle walls.
??Unpatched Systems: Outdated software is like having gaping holes in your castle walls – easy for attackers to exploit.
Benefits of an Active Directory Security Assessment (ADSA) ?
Think of an ADSA as a team of security experts who come in, assess your castle's defences, and identify any weaknesses. Here's what they can do for you:
??Uncover Insider Threats: Identify potential weaknesses that an insider could exploit.
??Gauge Your Overall Security Posture: Get a clear picture of how secure your entire network is.
??Test Your Group Policies: Ensure your security rules work as intended.
??Find & Fix Vulnerabilities: Identify the cracks in your defences and learn how to patch them.
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??Align Security with Business Needs: Ensure your security measures don't hinder your business operations.
??Get an Action Plan: Receive a clear roadmap to address all security issues identified.
Secure Your Castle with Cyphere ?
Don't let your Active Directory become an easy target. At Cyphere, we have over a decade of experience securing castles (well, AD environments) for businesses of all sizes. We offer comprehensive ADSAs to identify and address vulnerabilities before attackers exploit them.
You can browse the detailed Active Directory Assessment page here:
Cyphere
Cyphere Ltd goes beyond "check-the-box" security. We're a trusted partner for mid-market businesses, helping you reduce your cyber risk with a practical approach.
Our services include security strategy and consultations, cyber security compliance and certifications (Cyber Essentials Plus, ISO 27001, commission audits), CREST penetration testing and managed security services.
Cyphere offers a refreshingly straightforward approach to security consulting across mid-market organisations:
?Unlimited retests within 12 months
?Stakeholder Debriefs
?Risk remediation support
? Strategic and tactical recommendations in every deliverable
Are you looking beyond checkbox culture in cyber? We help customers make informed cybersecurity decisions.
We advise, you decide.