Mastering Windows Server® 2008 Networking Foundations

Chapter 3. Security Concepts in Windows

Wait! Before you skip this chapter on security because you think it's boring or beyond you, think about what your data means to you. Many users view security as some kind of mystical undertaking that only seasoned administrators can understand and appreciate. The reverse is actually true. Security, at least the basic concepts of it, is actually quite understandable.

Think about security this way — when you go home at night, you stick your key in the lock, turn it, open the door, and then lock the door behind you. Would it surprise you to know that security in Windows amounts to the same thing? Really! Just as you lock your house to make sure that no one steals your television, you lock Windows to ensure no one steals your data.

If you've ever heard computer security folks talk, then you may have come away with the impression that you've got to really live security in order to know how to secure your system. But in fact it's not all that hard, certainly not much harder than knowing where your door's lock is and to remember to lock it. So don't skip this chapter — it's an essential part of administering a Windows Server 2008 setup and isn't as hard as you might think. What I'm trying to accomplish in this chapter is to answer these questions:

• Why do you need to secure your Windows server?

• What do you need to secure on your Windows server?

• What is the difference between authentication and authorization?

• How does authentication work?

• How does authorization ...