Hardening Windows Networks

Overview:

A hands-on security course that teaches students how to harden, monitor and protect Microsoft Windows-based networks. This hardening course is based on more than 10 years of security assessment and penetration testing experience. This course goes beyond theory and best practices and delivers proven, field-tested solutions for hardening, and monitoring and protecting Microsoft Windows-based networks. Students will learn in a hands-on environment that resembles a real world network consisting of Windows 2003/2008 Servers, Windows XP and Windows 7 clients, Exchange, SQL Server, ISA Server, IIS Server and more. Students will learn effective countermeasures to defend against modern attack tools and techniques. Upon completion of the course, students will be able to develop hardened, chaos tolerant networks that are resistant to present and future threats. Students will install and configure a host and network intrusion detection system utilizing Syslog, Snort and Windows Events. Students can export the configuration files for easy deployment in their own networks.

Features:

Students will harden a network consisting of:

• Microsoft Exchange
• Outlook Web Access
• Microsoft ISA Server
• Microsoft IIS
• Microsoft Windows XP/Windows 7 Clients
• Microsoft Windows Server 2003/2008
• Microsoft SQL Server
• Microsoft Software Update Services
• Firewall

Course Outline:

• Review of Common Exploitation Techniques
• Information Gathering and Prevention
• Active Directory Group Policies
• User Account and Password Management
• Authentication Mechanisms
• Auditing
• Event Logs
• Vulnerability Scanning Tools and Procedures
• Log Monitoring and Alerting
• Host Intrusion Detection
• Network Intrusion Detection
• Securing Services and Service Accounts
• Host Firewall Configuration
• Network Traffic Analysis
• Proxy Server
• File System Security
• Patch Management Solutions
• Software Restriction Policy
• Software Deployment through Group Policy

Benefits:

• Over 30 total years of experience in Security, Consulting and Infrastructure
• Digital Boundary Group has performed security assessments/audits and penetration testing for over 250 North American clients since 2003.
• We have also developed and delivered Network Security Training programs to Municipal Government, Law Enforcement, Utilities, Financial Services, Insurance, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Professional Services and Education sectors.

Testing:

A final lab scenario consisting of two phases:

Phase one: Tests the Student's ability to implement a host and network intrusion detection system on a virtual Windows network. Students must identify intrusion attempts by running a set of automated attacks.

Phase two: Tests the Student's ability to harden a virtual Windows network using the various techniques learned during the class. A set of automated attacks will attempt to break into the network, indicating success or failure of successful hardening.