Windows Server® 2008 Security Resource Kit

Securing Services

Microsoft understands the security risk with each running service. To that end, the development team has analyzed and improved the security of all included Windows services beyond the levels in previous Windows operating systems. Still, you as the administrator should do some things that can improve the situation even further. Administrators should take the following steps to minimize the risk of malicious exploitation. These steps should be implemented in security policies and guidelines.

Inventory Services

To begin to secure services, an administrator must understand and document what services should be running on each of their computers or types of computers. Without a service list and an explanation of what that service does, ...