Securing Windows Server 2003

Chapter 1. Introduction to Windows Server 2003 Security

Security is one of the primary functions of any server-based operating system. Without security, any user or program could do anything to your servers—and wreak havoc on your ability to effectively manage the environment. As a security administrator, you want to provide functionality and security to your users without burdening them or restricting them in a way that hinders their work. This is the mark of a great security administrator: the ability to successfully balance the security of proprietary and personal data and the usability of your systems in a way that maximizes the productivity of your organization. This book will show you how to do exactly that.

What Is Security?

To have a meaningful discussion of security in Windows Server 2003, we should first establish what security is. A dictionary definition might refer to security as “measures adopted to provide safety.” For the purposes of this book, that definition will work very well.

Computer security is not normally defined as a state of safety. Rather, it is defined as the collection of protective measures (including technology-based and non-technology-based measures) that provide a defined level of safety. When security is mentioned throughout the book, you should keep this definition in mind. Security is neither a single protective measure nor a complete protection against all attacks. It is a set of measures that provide the desired level of protection.

Many readers ...