Inside Windows® Server 2003

Windows Server 2003 Security Architecture

It pays to have a solid map in your mind of how the various components of the Windows Server 2003 security system work together. This helps you design a secure system and diagnose problems when they arise. Figure 11.1 shows the major components of the security system, called the Local Security Authority, or LSA.

Figure 11.1. Local Security Authority functional diagram.

Here are a few items of note in the figure:

• Authentication is achieved via password-based transactions involving Kerberos or classic NT LanMan (NTLM) Challenge-Response. The security system also directly supports third-party mechanisms that ...