Who is looking at your server?

Have you renamed the Administrator’s account?

Best Practice (Litmus Test)

Professionals rename the Administrator Account

Amateurs as usual, leave security as the default settings


Rename your Administrator Account

Renaming the Administrator account is the single best practiceyou can do to secure of your system.  It amazes me that companiesspend thousands on security reports but do not rename theAdministrator’s account.  Also remember to delete the description:  Built-in account for administering the computer/domain when you rename the account.

The two points are:-

1) Every hacker knows that Windows Server 2003 has an account calledAdministrator

2) By design, the Administrator account cannot be locked out.  So hackers can try as many times as they like to discover the password.

Create a Dummy Administrator Account

My mate ‘Barking’ Eddie renames the original Administrator =fredb, then creates a new dummy Administrator account with onlyguest rights. This drives hackers mad because they cannotunderstand why the Administrators account does not do what theywant!   He even adds the description:  Built-in account for administering the computer/domain to the dummy account.

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Notes on Best Practices for the Administrator account

In Server Windows 2003 you CAN disable the Administrator account.  Best practice would only disable the original administrator if you had created another account with at least account operator privileges.

SG wrote to me pointing more security measures for the Administrator account:-

Deny Access to this computer from the network.  SG reminds me that this account has a SID ending in 500 which cannot be changed.  As a result, hackers using RedButton will always know which account is the original administrator and attack it.

You could also set a Security Policy which adds additional restrictions for anonymous connections to Do not allow enumeration of SAM accounts and shares.

For much more on Server 2003 security – check this section.


Security Warning

Warning about Microsoft: – Microsoft is configured for ease ofuse. However with knowledge and skill I believe you can makeWindows Server 2003 and Windows 2000 as secure as Novell or Unix.

Guy’s warning: – The more security you have, the more workthere will be for the administrators.

Firstly, decide on an appropriate level of security for yourorganisation. Take passwords as an example: – ordinary companiesdo not need complex passwords, which users have to change everymonth. Whilst it would be inappropriate for banks to allow blank passwords which never expired.  See more on computer security.

Litmus Test: Professionals use account lock out

Account lockout – if an organisation has thought about account policies then they are probably professionals. However, this is a classic case of there is no ‘right answer’.

Several Universities admit problems with account lockout.Immature undergraduates deliberately lockout their friendsaccounts by typing in the wrong password.  If they can lock out alectures account they think it’s hilarious.  (Sad people, but wehave to deal with them.)

Guy’s first suggestion was to adddonotdisplaylastusername setting to the Winlogon part of the registry. This prevents users seeing the account that previously used the machine. Secondly I showed theadministrators how to set up auditing; then we could see whichworkstations the rogue passwords were coming from.

Litmus test: Amateurs security audit log is empty

Amateurs will almost certainly have a blank Audit log.Professionals will have data on unsuccessful logon’s and auditsof sensitive files.

Tip: For the Boss. If I was the boss I would have a meetingwith my network manager and ask to see the security log options.Just asking for this information will jog the network manger’smemory. The hidden message is that even the techie’s actions areaccountable. If the network manager is honourable then they willhave nothing to fear. If they are a rogue, then okay they canget around it by deleting the log, but that in itself would besuspicious.

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Download my Jumbo Litmus Test eBook $5.95

Litmus TestsOver 40 of Guy’s litmus tests.  Have fun while you learn about aspects of computing.  Stacks of ideas to check your servers, networks and security.

Your eBook has printer friendly pages and lots more screen shots.

 

 

Litmus Tests

Guy’s Litmus test is a concept that you can apply anywhere.  Each test gives you an instant answer to the simple question:-  ‘Are you dealing with a professional, or are they an amateur?   Is this the real deal, or is it a turkey?’   The Litmus Test concept is rather like Best Practice, but it reduces a 27 page report to one sentence. 

Try another of my Litmus tests »


Learn about Windows 8

Windows 8   • Litmus Test Circular Logging   •Dynamic Disc    •ReadMe Litmus

Review or Mobile IT App  • Disk Quotas  •Recover Litmus Test  •Security Litmus Test

Review of Trivial File Transfer Server  •Windows Server 2012   •Exchange 2010 Circular Logging