Netwrix Security Best Practices for Active Directory
Last updated July 29, 2024
Active Directory (AD) is a cornerstone of many organizations' IT infrastructure, managing user accounts, group memberships, permissions, and more. Securing Active Directory effectively is essential to protect sensitive data and systems. This article provides a comprehensive guide to implementing Netwrix-recommended security best practices for your Active Directory environment.
Netwrix Security Best Practices for Active Directory
- Implement the Principle of Least Privilege:
- Grant users only the minimum permissions they need to perform their tasks.
- Regularly review and minimize user permissions to reduce the potential impact of a compromised account.
- Utilize group policies to enforce least privilege and streamline permission management for multiple users.
- Secure Privileged Accounts:
- Use Netwrix Privilege Manager to centralize and secure privileged accounts, including domain administrators, service accounts, and other high-privilege accounts.
- Enforce strong password policies and multi-factor authentication for privileged accounts.
- Implement just-in-time (JIT) access for privileged accounts, providing temporary access only when needed.
- Regularly audit privileged account activity and use Netwrix capabilities to track session recordings for accountability.
- Regularly Audit Active Directory:
- Use Netwrix Auditor to monitor and track changes to Active Directory objects, user activity, and group memberships.
- Set up alerts to notify you of suspicious activities, such as user account creations, deletions, password changes, and group modifications.
- Password Management and Policies:
- Enforce strong password complexity requirements, including minimum length, character variety, and forced regular password resets.
- Use Netwrix tools to enforce password rotation policies to reduce the risk of compromised passwords.
- Consider implementing password vaulting for sensitive credentials to maintain separation of duties and reduce the risk of unauthorized access.
- Limit Access to Sensitive Resources:
- Use Access Control Lists (ACLs) to restrict access to critical Active Directory objects, such as the schema or domain controllers.
- Ensure that only authorized administrators have access to modify sensitive configuration settings.
- Monitor for Suspicious Activity:
- Create custom security alerts and proactive monitoring rules in Netwrix Auditor to alert you of unusual activities, such as:
- User account creations or deletions in bulk
- Unusual login attempts from unfamiliar locations
- Unusual changes to group memberships or permissions
- Permission changes to highly sensitive objects
- Promptly investigate and address any suspicious activity identified through monitoring.
- Regularly Patch and Update Active Directory:
- Apply security patches promptly to address vulnerabilities and close security gaps.
- Keep Active Directory components, including domain controllers, up-to-date with the latest security updates.
- Leverage Netwrix's patching capabilities within the auditing and privilege management solutions to ensure consistent patching across your environment.
- Implement Security Controls for Active Directory Users:
- Group Policy Restrictions: Use group policy to enforce security configurations, such as password complexity requirements, account lockout, and access restrictions.
- Account Lockout Policies: Configure account lockout policies to prevent brute force attacks. This can limit the number of failed login attempts before an account is locked.
- Secure Desktop Configurations: Implement group policy settings to enforce secure desktop configurations, such as password complexity requirements, disabling unnecessary services, and limiting user privileges.
- Regularly Review and Update Security Policies:
- Review and update your security policies and controls periodically to address evolving threats and industry best practices.
- Use Netwrix's reporting capabilities to generate reports on Active Directory health, user activity, and compliance, allowing you to identify areas for improvement.
- Use Netwrix Tools to Enhance Security:
- Leverage Netwrix Auditor and Netwrix Privilege Manager to proactively monitor your Active Directory environment, secure privileged accounts, and implement robust security controls.
- Consider using Netwrix's other security solutions, such as Netwrix Cloud Security Suite, to extend protection to your cloud environments and ensure consistent security across your entire infrastructure.
Was this article helpful?