Windows Server 2008 Security Guide Now Available!

Microsoft is pleased to announce theWindows Server 2008 Security Guide, which is now available to download.

Best Practices and Automation Tools to Help You Configure and Deploy Security Settings in Windows Server 2008

Windows Server® 2008 is built from the ground up with security in mind, and was designed to protect your organization from attacks on your network and servers—it’s the most secure Microsoft Windows Server operating system ever. With hundreds of security and privacy setting options, you can fine-tune your deployment of Windows Server 2008, balancing your organization’s needs for security and functionality.

To help you quickly configure, deploy, and manage security settings in Windows Server 2008 across your organization, Microsoft has developed the Windows Server 2008 Security Guide. This new Solution Accelerator provide s IT professionals like you with best practices and automated tools to help strengthen the security of servers running Windows Server 2008.

Based on extensive, real-world experience from customers, government agencies, and Microsoft security experts, the Windows Server 2008 Security Guidelets you choose from two preconfigured security baselines. Both configurations have been thoroughly tested in Microsoft labs, and validated by customers and partners under real-world conditions.

Deploy Your Security Baseline Quickly and Reliably

The Windows Server 2008 Security Guideincludes updates in the GPOAccelerator tool to help you quickly establish, test, and deploy your security configuration. The tool creates all the Group Policy objects (GPOs) you need to deploy the security configuration you choose. And because the tool eliminates many manual steps in the deployment process, you get faster and more reliable results.

Key Guide Components

The Windows Server 2008 Security Guide is includes the following components:

· Executive Overview – A summary for business and technical managers that briefly explains how you can use the guidance and the automated tool for this Solution Accelerator.

· Server Role Hardening Guidance – A series of chapters in the security guide that offer detailed guidance on how to harden servers running Windows Server 2008 that handle the following server roles: Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS), DHCP, DNS, Web Server (IIS), File, Print, Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS), Network and Access Services, and Terminal Services.

· Security Settings Recommendation Appendix - A comprehensive technical reference that explains what every prescribed security setting in the Windows Server 2008 Security Guide does, and provides recommended configurations.

· Attack Surface Reference Workbook – A resource that lists the changes introduced as server roles are installed on a computer running Windows Server 2008.

· Security Settings Workbook – A resource that lists all prescribed settings for the two preconfigured security baselines provided by the guide.

· GPOAccelerator tool – A tool that you can use to automatically create the GPOs recommended by the guide.

Learn About the Guide on TechNet

To learn more about the Windows Server 2008 Security Guide and to download the guide, click here.

To learn more about the GPOAccelerator and to download the tool, click here.

Visit the Security Guidance Page

Interested in other Solution Accelerators for Security and Compliance? Visit the Microsoft Security Guidance page.