Windows 2000 Information and Resources on the Internet


Windows 2000 Resources


www.labmice.net 

Microsoft Articles, Whitepapers, and Events on Windows 2000 Don't run yourself ragged trying to navigate Microsoft's huge site trying to find decent resources. We've cataloged the best links from their site here.

3rd Party Articles on Windows 2000 A collection of the best online magazine articles and research papers on Windows 2000 from around the web.

Windows 2000 Web Sites The search engines haven't caught up with all of the new Windows 2000 Web Sites popping up, but we look for them all the time. Here's our picks for the Best of the Web.

Windows 2000 Feature Summary Get past the hype and propaganda. Here's a quick LabMice primer on what's new in Windows 2000 and how it will affect you.

The Windows 2000 FAQ From NTFAQ.com

Windows 2000 Orientation Confused about Windows2000? Check out Graeme Bennett's excellent Orientation Guide.

Active Directory Windows 2000 new directory services make some jobs easier, but setting it up is not for amateurs. We've collected all the best articles, whitepapers, and tutorials from around the web.


Microsoft's Windows 2000 Pages


Windows 2000 Features Descriptions Microsoft's overview of the major services provided by WIndows 2000 Server.

Windows 2000 Technical Resources Microsoft's Resource Center for all of the technical whitepapers related to Windows 2000

Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional Home Page This is the next version of NT Workstation. Lots of cool new features.

Windows 2000 Professional Documentation An updated, online version of the documentation that comes with the Win2000 Professional Beta CD's

Microsoft Windows 2000 Server Home Page The new NT Server will be a lot different than NT 4.0. Active Directory, Kerberos Security, transitive trusts, IntelliMirror. Get prepared for the next release by reading the MS Whitepapers now.

Windows 2000 Server Documentation An updated online version of the documentation that comes with the Win2000 Server Beta CD's

Windows 2000 Advanced Server Help An officially unpublished work by Microsoft that includes a Best Practices Database, Checklists. New Features, etc.,

Microsoft's Beta Site

Overview of Windows 2000 Server Products General information, from Microsoft.

Corporate Preview Program Order your copy of Windows 2000 Release candidate 2, from Microsoft. Find out what's new in RC2

Best Practices Index for Windows 2000 A list of tips and recommendations for specific Windows 2000 components from Microsoft.

Best Practices for Windows 2000 Installation The official recommendations from Microsoft.

Configuring Enterprise Security Policies - Walkthrough Microsoft downloadable tutorial on using the new Security Configuration Toolset and Group Policy Editor

Distributed File System: A Logical View of Storage  Microsoft Whitepaper on Dfs from the TechNet CD Online.

Deployment Guide: Automating the Windows 2000 Upgrade From Microsoft TechNet, tips for unattended installations of Windows 2000 Server and Professional.  

Distributed File System Overview of Windows 2000 Dfs from Microsoft.

How Applications Certified for Windows 2000 Simplify Desktop Management Microsoft whitepaper.

Introduction to Windows 2000 Group Policy From Microsoft TechNet, a Whitepaper on Windows 2000 Group Policies - one of the key components of Change and Configuration Management of IntelliMirror.

Microsoft Official Curriculum for Windows 2000 The new recommended training curriculum from Microsoft.

MS Distributed File System version 4.1 for Windows NT Server for Administrators Guide Can't wait for Windows 2000, and gotta play with Dfs now? Get the documentation here.

Optimizing Your Files with Microsoft Disrtibuted File System Version 4.1 A reprint of a TechRepublic article, from the Microsoft TechNet CD Online.

TCP/IP Implementation Details for Windows 2000 A walk-through from Microsoft on setting up TCP/IP on W2K.

What's new or different from DOS? A table that explains Windows 2000 System Commands not found in MS-DOS


Intrusion Detection Resources


An Introduction to Intrusion Detection and Assessment 
By Becky Bace in PDF format.

An Introduction to Intrusion Detection  
An article written by Aurobind Sundaram in the Association for Computing Machinery's newsletter Crossroads.

COAST Intrusion Detection Pages  
An excellent primer on Intrusion Detection.

FAQ: Network Intrusion Systems 
A well done FAQ that covers the core concepts of Intrusion Detection on several operating systems.

Getting the drop on Network Intruders
An overview of Network Intrusion Detection Software by Ellen Messmer Source: Network World, 10/04/99

Managing Intrusions  
A brief Whitepaper by Peter Stephenson that covers the basics.

50 ways to defeat your Intrusion Detection System 
By Fred Cohen & Associates

Anatomy of an Intrusion  
A great eye-opening article on Intrusions by Greg Shipley, Source: Network Computing's Security Workshop, (Oct 1999) 

Can Intrusion Detection Keep an Eye on Your Network's Security?
Catching network and host attacks as they happen sn?t always possible with firewalls and other security tools. Intrusion detection can be your eyes and ears throughout the enterprise. Source: Network Magazine (April 1999)

Cracker Tracking: Tighter Security with Intrusion Detection  
An Article in BYTE Magazine by Michael Hurwicz. Discusses the differences between host and network based detection systems and does a brief comparison of some of the major products on the market.

Computer Security Incident Handling: Step-by-Step
Advice on how to respond to break-ins and hacker attacks. Source: SANS.org

Data Mining Approaches for Intrusion Detection
An interesting whitepaper from Columbia University's Computer Science Department

Detecting Signs of Intrusion  
From CERT at Carnegie Mellon University

Effective Security Monitoring  
A sample chapter from MS Press Security, Audit, and Control Book. 

Hacker Alert - Intrusion Detection Software is hot , but can it really stop Hacker's cold?
A hard look at what options are out there, and how they actually function in the real world, by Ellen Messmer in Network World, Sept 27, 1999 

How to Audit Windows NT Security
Article by Stuart Henderson, Sept 1997

How to Build a Honeypot  
An excellent and unique article by Lance Spitzner on how to create a lab environment to teach and learn how hackers test system vulnerabilities.

Incident Handling
A little planning goes a long way when handling computer break-ins. Source: Network Magazine (Jan 2000)

Intrusion Detection Tools to stop hackers cold
A review of host based monitoring and network based scanners by Ellen Messmer. Source:   Network World, 2/15/99

Intrusion Today  
A small news archive from the NetworkICE corporation

Intrusion Detection and Response  
A whitepaper on the viability of Intrusion Detection Systems from National Info-Sec at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories

Intrusion Detection provides a pound of prevention.
Article by Mark Abene in Network Computing's Security Workshop, August 1997

Intrusion Detection Take 2
A second look at intrusion-detection systems shows that a combination of network-based and host-based technologies is a promising strategy. But is it ready to safeguard your network?
Source: Network Computing (Nov 1999)

Responding to Intrusions  
From CERT at Carnegie Mellon University

Security Reality Check
Intrusion detection spots bad things happening in your network?..sometimes. Source: Network Magazine (July 1999)

Sniffing out Network Intruders  
A Product comparison and introduction to Network Sniffer programs Source: InfoWorld's Test Center. (Feb 1999)

Spotting Intruders  
A great article by Brian Robinson. Source: Federal Computer Week, March 1999

To Catch an Internet Thief
Tracking intruders back to their lairs may require an Internet posse. Source: Network Magazine (Feb 1999)

Working with the NT Security Log
By Paul E. Proctor, Windows NT Systems Magazine, Sept 1997



Online Events, Tutorials, and Walk-Throughs


Free Microsoft Official Curriculum Course for Windows 2000 Get a jump on the next version of NT! Microsoft has just released a free self-paced Microsoft Official Curriculum (MOC) course to help you prepare for a migration to Microsoft Windows 2000. This course provides you the strategy and skills necessary to prepare a Windows NT 4.0-based network for migration to the Windows 2000 operating system. The course will leverage your existing administration and support skills to present a strategy of best practices that, when deployed, will prepare computers and networks for Windows 2000 in the best way possible.

How to Analyze and Optimize Windows 2000 Server Network Traffic TechNet Event #TNQ200-12 NEW

How to Deploy Windows 2000 Security in Corporate Networks TechNet Event #TNQ200-13 NEW

How to Prepare for Windows 2000 Professional Microsoft TechNet event - available in PowerPoint slides

How to Deploy Windows 2000 Server Microsoft TechNet event - available in PowerPoint slides.

How to design a Windows 2000 Networking Infrastructure TechNet Event viewable via Windows Media Player and PowerPoint.NEW

Linking Networks, Branch Offices and Partners An overview of the improved Routing and Remote Access features of Windows 2000  

Step by Step Guides Downloadable Windows 2000 tutorials from Microsoft 

Top Three Actions to Prepare Your Current Network for Win2K Microsoft Online Seminar, 7 Minutes, 02/26/99.

Windows 2000 Daily Cycle Video Windows NT build cycle video from Microsoft.

Windows 2000 Initiatives at Microsoft In-depth discussion of the development and deployment of the new OS, from Microsoft.

Windows 2000 Live Deploying Beta 3, Microsoft Event, June 1999.

Windows 2000 Server Architectural Overview and Update TechNet event via Windows Media Player.
Technical Articles
Active Directory Glossary A whole new list of terms you'll need to know when deploying Windows 2000.

Active Directory Display Specifiers An introductory article from Microsoft in Word format

Active Directory Logical Structure An excerpt from the Windows 2000 Resource Kit

Active Directory Service Interfaces An overview of integrating multiple directory services through ADSI. In Word format.

Active Directory Services Interfaces Overview. An introduction to ADSI from Microsoft

Active Directory Technical Summary Overview of AD from Microsoft, including migrating from NT 4.0

Distributed File System Overview of Windows 2000 Dfs from Microsoft.

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol for Windows 2000 Server. Microsoft paper describing the improvements to DHCP in Windows 2000

Managing the Active Directory Whitepaper from TechNet

Upgrading and Deploying File, Print, and Web Services Scenario based Deployment Article from Microsoft TechNet CD Online NEW.

Windows 2000 Hardware Compatibility List

Windows 2000 Alphabetical List of new Features From the Microsoft Windows 2000 Online documentation

Windows 2000 Commands For all of you Command Line junkies, a list of the new and updated Commands for Windows 2000.

Windows 2000 Deployment Tutorials A long list of walk-throughs and tutorials on setting up Win2000 Server and it's components.

Windows 2000 Installation Checklist Make sure you give this a once over before you start your install.


Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity 


Surviving an NT Disaster
An overview of Disaster planning for IT Administrators. Source: Windows NT Systems Magazine (Dec 1998)

The Data Recovery Decision
A paper by Ontrack Data Recovery, Inc. that discusses data loss dangers, critical data risks, how to find the optimal solution, and when data recovery is necessary. Source: Summit Online

The many phases of Strategic Recovery
Article from Weyerhaeuser Disaster Recovery Services

Thunderstorms and Lightning: A Preparedness Guide.
A quick primer by Chris Floyd, the Disaster Services Director of the American Red Cross. Source: Disaster-Resource.com

Turning your Disaster Recovery Expense into a corporate asset
Using your DR plan to re-examine your business processes. Source: Weyerhaeuser Disaster Recovery Services

When Disaster Strikes...  
Come hell or high water, today's business environment demands that your data networks keep running. What's the best solution for disaster recovery. Source: Network Magazine (Jan 2000)

Windows 2000 Server Disaster Recovery Guidelines
Network administrators must develop disaster prevention and recovery procedures for their software and files. This paper details a strategy for that, and lists new or enhanced Windows 2000 file system, data storage, and System State features. As well, this paper introduces the improved Windows 2000 Backup utility and provides guidelines for recovery of machines running Microsoft Windows 2000 Server. Source: Microsoft.com (March 10, 2000)

UPS Buyers Guide  
By Ramon Loyola, Windows NT Systems, July 1999

A Practical Guide to Electricity for Network Administrators  
By Candy Prince, Windows NT Systems Magazine, July 1999

Backup Against Disaster
Article by Steve Rigney spells out why a network backup should be an essential element of any solid disaster recovery plan. Covers backup basics, tips, replication, and software review.
Source: PC Magazine (March 24, 1998)

Backups and Disaster Recovery
Great primer that stresses the value of backups, risks, backup methods, devices and media, scheduling, media rotation, what and how to back up your data, and on how to make boot disks. Source: PCGuide.com

Computer Security Incident Handling: Step-by-Step
Weather isn't the only type of Disasters. Hackers can destroy your network as well. Learn how to implement an effective response. Source: SANS.org

Disaster Recovery: A Key component in any Quality Program
Getting management to see DR as not just another "insurance" program. Source: Weyerhaeuser Disaster Recovery Services 

Disaster Recovery for Frame Relay Networks
Whitepaper that covers risks, common Frame Relay failures, steps for successful DR planning, recovery options, etc. Source: ADTRAN.com

Efficient Use of Workplace Telephones after Disaster Strikes
A must read article by Judy Bell, a retired Division Operations Manager at Pacific Bell, and President of Disaster Survival Planning. Source: Disaster-Resource.com

Facing Reality
Successful Disaster Recovery is all about managing Unexpected Situations. Source: Weyerhaeuser Disaster Recovery Services

Hurricanes 101
A quick primer on Hurricanes by Chris Floyd, the Disaster Services Director of the American Red Cross. Source: Disaster-Resource.com

Recovering from a Network Disaster  
Source: Windows NT Magazine,

SANS Network Security Roadmap
Hacker-proofing, advance planning before they hit you - A Computer Security Roadmap 
Written for UNIX Admins, but plenty of useful information for everyone. 

Smooth Moves
Relocating a data center can be enough of a challenge; doing so with minimal business disruption demands good luck and great planning. Some of the most successful moves have been little more than activations of customized versions of the operations' disaster recovery plan. Source: Rothstein.com

Storage Management Technology  
By Curtis Preston, Windows NT Systems, July 1999

Contingency Planning Outline
A brief outline of a DR plan as an example to convey the typical content of a detailed contingency plan. The format will likely vary for each organization. Components may be combined in lists, matrices or charts. Not all components will apply to all organizations. Source: Kansas Department of Administration

Disaster Recovery Planning
A sample Disaster project plan outline from the University of Toronto.
Source: University of Toronto

Disaster Recovery Planning - Have You FORGOTTEN...??
All the little things that many people forget to put in their DR plans. Source: DisasterRecoveryPlan.com

Download an Outline
Ready to get started? The disaster recovery plan outline provides a hands-on framework for building your own plan. Source: DLT.com

DRJ Sample Recovery Plan
A free outline, with access to the full plan for subscribers to Disaster Recovery Journal (The subscription is free.) Source: DRJ.com

MIT Business Continuity Plan
This is an external release of the MIT Business Continuity Plan. 
For information on the plan or Business Continuity Planning at MIT, call Jerry Isaacson MIT Information Security Office at (617) 253-1440 or send e-mail to gii@mit.edu

Nestle USA: Creativity as a Key to Disaster Recovery Planning
A Whitepaper describing the challenges a unique solutions that went into Nestlé's DR plan. Source: Disaster-Resource.com

Plan Writing Tutorial
Have you been charged with creating or re-working your company's disaster recover plan? This informative article will walk you through all the steps necessary to ensure your plan is strong and successful. Source: DLT.com

UW Madison and UW Wisconsin Sample Library Disaster Recovery Plan
This document outlines recovery plans for the UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee Library systems managed by the Library and Information Retrieval Applications (LIRA) staff. The purpose of this plan is to ensure that critical operations can resume or continue normal processing after a hardware or software failure.

Washington State's DIS Disaster Recovery Plan
An excellent example of a well done DR plan, in PDF Format. Source: wa.gov

7-Step Planning Methodology
Seven steps that most experts agree should be included in any disaster recovery business continuity planning process. 

Auditing Your Disaster Recovery Plan
A closer look at High Tech Crime, and the possibility of it becoming the most likely disaster in the 21st Century. Source: Disaster-Resource.com

Components of a Successful LAN Disaster Recovery Plan
A must read article by Leo A. Wrobel. Source: Disaster-Resource.com

Data-Security Best-Practices Primer - Part 1: Backup
If your system crashes, do you have a backup and recovery process? Source: DLTtape.com

Data-Security Best-Practices Primer - Part 2: Archive
Will you be able to access important data when you need to? Source: DLTtape.com

Disaster Recovery Planning  
A sample recovery outline from the Computer Security Administration at the University of Toronto. A great reference if you need assistance in creating one for your organization.

Getting Started: Disaster Recovery Planning
A great primer on how to formulate a DR plan without destroying your budget. Source: disasterplan.com

Implementing a Disaster Recovery Plan - Before Disaster Strikes
Brief overview and recommendations by Nathan Rector.

Preparing the Disaster-Recovery/Business- Continuation Plan
Tips on how to start on your plan. Source: Disasterplan.com

Surviving a Computer Systems Disaster: A Business Continuity Planning Primer
For professional who are serious about disaster recovery, this white paper is rich and deep in information. As a single offering, it is the most comprehensive resource on the site. 


Win 2000 Network Security Articles and Whitepapers


Communications and Network Services  An overview of the services in Windows 2000

Enterprise Class Storage in the Next Generation of Windows NT Microsoft White paper, December 11, 1998.

Increased Reliability, Availability, and Scalability Microsoft article, April 19, 1999.

Planning a Migration from Windows NT to Windows 2000 Downloadable Whitepaper from Microsoft.

Support and Management Improvements Microsoft Whitepaper in Word format, Posted June 1999

What Others Are Saying [About Win2K] Collection of articles and news stories, by Microsoft.

Windows 2000 Compatibility Guide From the Microsoft Support Center

Windows 2000 Professional in a Windows NT Server 4.0 Environment. A whitepaper in Word format. Posted June 15, 1999

A Blue Book for Network Security
How to calculate the cost of computer crime. Source: Network Magazine (June 1998) 

Anatomy of a Hack
A Hacker challenge reveals that success is in the details. Source: Network Magazine (Dec 1999)  

Can You Survive a Computer Attack?
How to craft an incident response strategy and team. Source: Network Magazine (Aug 1998) 

CERT's Security Improvement Modules  
An excellent series of articles and checklist to help lock down your network

Centralizing Security Control
By John Gardner, Windows NT Systems Magazine, (Sept 1997)

Close the door on hackers--secure your network
An overview of simple procedures you can use to keep your data from falling into the wrong hands. Source: Windows NT Professional Magazine (July 1999)

Common Criteria for Information System Security Evaluation v. 2.0  
Soon to be the new ISO standard

Da Bomb
Feeling safe and secure behind your firewalls? There's one threat they can't protect you from: a ping of death that comes from the software on your system. And the Uniform Computer Information Transactions Act (UCITA) could make it legal. Will the ping of death strike your software? Source: InfoWorld (Dec 1999)

Distributed Security  
Sample chapter from Distributed Operating Systems Source: Microsoft TechNet CD Online

Distributed Denial of Service Defense Tactics
This paper details some practical strategies that can be used by system administrators to help protect themselves from distributed denial of service attacks as well as protect themselves from becoming unwitting attack nodes against other companies. Source: SimpleNomad

Effective Security Monitoring
A sample chapter from MS Press Security, Audit, and Control Book. Source: Microsoft TechNet CD Online

Hack your Network and Management will come  
A great article by Stuart McClure on how to talk upper management into seeing the wisdom of security audits. Source: InfoWorld.

Hacking Techniques  
An excellent primer on common techniques from SecurityWatch.com

Hardening Windows NT against Attack  
By Paul E. Proctor, Windows NT Systems, January 1999

Internet Information Server 4.0 Security Checklist
A simple checklist in a downloadable self extracting Zip file to help you lock down your IIS Servers. Source: Microsoft Security Advisor.

Is Someone Scanning Your Network?
An inside look at how hackers stalk their prey. Source: Network Magazine (Sept 1998)

IT Baseline Protection Manual  
Excellent Web-Site that recommends measures to meet Medium-Level Protection Requirements for Windows NT, Unix, Novell, Firewalls, PBX, Databases, Email, etc.) They even offer a free CD! Don't worry about the German intro, the site is in English (although they could use a better translator).

IT Security Cookbook  
A great online "book" designed as a self help guide for managers, programmers, and network administrators.

Know your enemy
Great article by Lance Spitzer on the tools and methodology of the most common black-hat threat on the Internet, the Script Kiddie.  By understanding how they attack and what they are looking for, you can better protect your systems and network.

Know your enemy Part II
How to determine what the enemy is doing by analyzing your system log files.  Includes examples based on two of the most commonly used scanning tools on the Internet, sscan and nmap.

Know your enemy Part III
What happens after the script kiddie gains root.  Specifically, how they cover their tracks while they monitor your system.  The paper goes through step by step on a system that was recently compromised, with system logs and keystrokes to verify each step.

Maintaining Registry Security
MSDN Online library article. 

Murphy's Law and Computer Security  
A classic paper by Wietse Venema at the Eindhoven University of Technology

Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA CS4601 COMPUTER SECURITY Notes Self Explanatory, and a great general resource.

Notes from the Underground: Hackers scoff at NT and certified firewalls  
Reprinted from the January 1997 issue of Computer Security Institute's monthly newsletter, Computer Security Alert.

NT Security FAQ 
An exceptional (and fairly large) guide to NT Security in the familiar FAQ format. One of the nice things about this FAQ is that it includes footnotes for most of it's references. A must read!

NT Vulnerabilities  
By Paul E. Proctor Windows NT Systems Magazine. November 1998

Passwords 101: Ten tips to help you tighten Windows NT's security
Common sense advice on making sure your password policies are tough enough to discourage would be hackers. Source: Windows NT Professional Magazine (March 1998)

Plug those known holes
Malicious hackers are most likely to breach a corporate network through known security problems, but many administrators still lag in applying patches and upgrades, a security expert says. Source: Computer World. (Dec 1999)

Qwest for Network Security
A growing communications carrier went looking to improve its network security. It found the right man, and the right tool, for the job. Source: Network Magazine (April 1999)

Raptor Systems' Security Library 
Hundreds of must read articles in PDF and Postscript format.

SANS Network Security Roadmap
Hacker-proofing, advance planning before they hit you - A Computer Security Roadmap 
Written for UNIX Admins, but plenty of useful information for everyone. 

Securing NT Server
The Chicago branch of Network Computing's labs has long been known for its harsh criticism of Microsoft Corp. when it comes to Windows NT security. However, even though lacing into NT is one of our favorite pastimes, securing it is far less humorous. With NT's massive array of services and subsystems, it's difficult--at best--to identify all the problems, much less protect against them. Source: Network Computing (April 2000)

Steps for Evaluating the Security of a Windows NT Installation

Securing Windows 2000 Network Resources 
Administration of a Microsoft Windows 2000 operating system-based network is a important task that has become much simpler. The administration tools and the directory service infrastructure (for user accounts and authentication) provide and control access to network and application resources. This guide focuses on setting up user accounts and using groups to control access to resources such as file share, printers and Web servers. Source: Microsoft.com (March 7, 2000)

Security Hot Spots to Watch for
Great advice from InfoWorld's Test Center

Security Threats: Motives and Methods 
Part 2 of a Virus tutorial that provides an overview of general network threats by Diane Levine. Source: Planet IT (Oct 1999) 

Securing Windows NT Server
Security requires more than just firewalls and proxy servers. Your operating systems must be bulletproof as well. Here's how to secure your Windows NT systems. Source: Network Magazine (Feb 1999)

Securing a Windows NT 4.0 installation
Microsoft Whitepaper downloadable in Word document format.

Security Services for Windows NT  
An overview of NT security services, from Microsoft TechNet.

Software Security Considerations
Do you know what holes your third party products are putting in your OS? Article from MSDN Online.

Strategies for Defeating Distributed Attacks
With the advent of distributed Denial of Service (DoS) attacks such as Trinoo, TFN, TFN2K and stacheldraht, there is an extreme interest in finding solutions that thwart or defeat such attacks. This paper tries to look not just at distributed DoS attacks but distributed attacks in general.

Take security to the next level with system policies 
How to create and implement effective system policies to simplify network administration and increase security. Source: Windows NT Professional Magazine (April 1999)

The End of Privacy  
Think you have a secret or two that no one, but no one, can find out? Think again. Computers started to strip you naked, and now the Web is finishing off the job. By Adam L. Penenberg Source: Forbes (Nov 1999)

The Castle Defense.  
A primer for Enterprise system and Network Protection by Fredrick M. Avolio. Performance Computing. Although primarily a UNIX Journal, this article was too good to pass up.

The Ins and Outs of a Network Security Audit 
From Info World's Test Center, a great summary of how to conduct a security audit.

To Build a Honeypot
One method of building your own honeypot to learn more about the black-hat community.  The tools and methods discussed are how Lance Spitzer did his research for the "Know Your Enemy" series.

To Catch an Internet Thief 
Tracking intruders back to their lairs may require an Internet posse. Source: Network Magazine (Feb 1999)

Towards a Taxonomy of Network Security Assessment Techniques
Vulnerability assessment tools are coming into widespread use, but the methods that they use are not well understood. We present a taxonomy of methods for testing if a target is vulnerable to a particular attack.

Trusted Systems NSA Guide  
In April 1998, Trusted Systems completed a 1-year project for the National Security Agency (NSA) Research Organization to produce guidelines for securely configuring the Windows NT operating system. These guidelines target best commercial and military practice, and are based on extensive research into previous and concurrent efforts. The completed 110-page guidelines are available free from the Trusted Systems web site.

Unofficial NT Hack FAQ  
An FAQ for Hackers on how to break NT security. A useful primer for SysAdmins. From Simple Nomad.

USENET Computer Security FAQ's  
Ohio State University's Usenet FAQ's on Computer Security.

US Navy Guide to Secure Windows NT 4.0 Installation and Configurations

Windows NT Made Secure,  
By Tim Parker, Windows NT Systems Magazine, (May 1997)


Microsoft Updates for Windows 2000 product lines


Critical Updates, Service Packs

Windows 2000 Evaluation Upgrade Utility
Download this utility if you have installed the Windows 2000 Evaluation Edition and want to upgrade it to full code using the Windows 2000 Upgrade CD. To successfully complete the upgrade, you will need to have a valid qualifying Windows CD such as Windows 98 or Windows NT 4.0.

Iomega Parallel Port Drivers Support

IntelliPoint 3.1a software (Windows 2000 drivers)


Microsoft TroubleShooters


Windows 2000 Professional

Windows 2000 Server

Windows 2000 Advanced Server


Windows 2000 System Tools / Utilities


RegRepair 2000
RegRepair 2000 will fix IOS errors without having to reformat your hard drive. It will find and remove or replace corrupted fonts. It will find and repair DRV's, DLL's, and VXD's that are missing, corrupted or causing FailToLoad or Initiate. It will find these problems and repair them before you to get locked out of Windows and are forced you to reformat. RegRepair 2000 fixes what reinstalling Windows without reformating cannot. RegRepair 2000 will work in Windows or Safe Mode, but does not work from the DOS prompt. V

Windows 2000 Readiness Analyzer
Analyzes your system and reports potentially incompatible hardware devices and software applications. The tool compares the devices and applications on your system against a list of known issues. The tool can be run online, downloaded and run against offline computers or run against corporate networked computers.

netOctopus Windows 2000 Readiness Kit
you will be able to scan the network and view machines in concise reports by whether or not they adhere to the basic requirements of Windows 2000.

Windows 2000 System Preparation Tool
enables administrators to prepare Windows 2000 System Images as part of an automated deployment. Sysprep 1.1 is an update to Sysprep 1.0 and adds the ability to reduce the number of images required in a deployment by supporting multiple mass storage controllers.

Windows 2000 Active Directory Migration Tool
can use this tool to diagnose any possible problems before starting migration operations to Windows 2000 Server Active Directory. You can then use the task-based wizard to migrate users, groups, and computers; set correct file permissions; and migrate Microsoft Exchange Server mailboxes. The tool's reporting feature allows you to assess the impact of the migration, both before and after move operations.

Enterprise Configuration Manager
automates and centralizes tedious and repetitive tasks, and efficiently monitors Windows NT Workstation and Server configuration settings--allowing administrators to implement enterprise-wide standards

Windows 2000 Customer Support Diagnostics Tools
contains debuggers (KD, Windbg, CDB), debugger extensions (retail and debug versions for both Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 2000), and other related debugging tools.


Windows 2000 Upgrade Links


Windows 2000 Professional

Windows 2000 Server

Windows 2000 Compatibility

 

 


Windows 2000 Security


Microsoft Windows 2000 Security Services

Windows 2000 Security Tools
Windows 2000 Internet Server Security Configuration Tool : tool lets you configure an IIS 5.0 server without needing to configure individual registry settings, security policies, and other details. The tool interviews you to determine what functionality you need, and then generates and deploys the policy on the server.

windows2000security.com

securityportal.com

Windows 2000 Kerberos Authentication

Windows 2000 Kerberos Interoperability

Step-by-Step Guide to Kerberos 5 (krb5 1.0) Interoperability

Kerberos Papers and Documentation


Windows 2000 FAQs / Tutorials / Educational/ Informational Sites


Microsoft's How It Works
architectural overviews, functional specifications, general usage information, and technical detail arranged by major service category.

How to Set Up and Troubleshoot Multiple Monitors in Windows 2000

Windows 2000 Best Practices

Windows 2000 Upgrade Guides

Windows 2000 Deployment Guides

Microsoft Windows 2000 Technical Library
White papers, deployment guides, active directory in depth, clustering, networking, security, and online help. Definitely spend time HERE.

Free Online courses

Windows 2000 Training Online

Step-by-Step Guide : Installing a Windows 2000 Server as a Domain Controller

Step-by-Step Guide : Installing and Connecting a Windows 2000 Professional Workstation

Windows 2000 Professional in a NetWare Environment

Services for NetWare v.5
The resource for Microsoft Windows 2000 Interoperability with NetWare.

Automating Deployment of Windows 2000 Professional and Office 2000

Windows 2000 Server management services

IBM Redbook Download: Migrate from NT4 to Windows 2000 Servers

Introduction to Windows 2000 Group Policy

Using the remote access services of Windows 2000 Server

Encrypting File System for Windows 2000

Soundblaster Windows 2000 FAQ

Windows 2000 Uninstall FAQ

Acer & Windows2000

HP & Windows2000

Windows 2000 Performance Optimization

Windows 2000 Readiness Site

Windows 2000 Time Synchronization Service

How to Install Distributed File System (DFS) on Windows 2000

Rio500 under Windows 2000 HOWTO

USB Guide


Anti Virus Articles and Whitepapers


Outlook Tips and Techniques
What does the Outlook E-mail Security Update do and should you roll it out in your company? Sue Mosher gives the pros and cons and suggests other Outlook features that can help you improve email security.
Exchange Administrator Newsletter / Feature / August 2000


The Evolution of 32-Bit Windows Viruses
In the battle to secure your systems against viruses, arm yourself by knowing where viruses originate, what forms they can take, and how they can damage your systems.
Windows 2000 Magazine / Features / July 1, 2000


No Free Lunch at the Dog Food Diner
The outbreak of a new LoveLetter-type virus points out that Microsoft is not eating its own dog food. And other large companies are not taking security seriously enough either.
Windows IT Security / In Focus / July 2000


Microsoft Criticized for Outlook Love Bug Patch; Changes Tune
Microsoft announced late Wednesday, May 24, that it will delay the Outlook patch until the week ending June 2. Microsoft now plans to include the ability to modify the list of restricted files.
Windows 2000 Magazine / NT News / May 26, 2000


Outlook Patched After Recent Viruses
Microsoft plans to release an Outlook security patch in the wake of the devastation wrought by the Loveletter (aka Love Bug) virus, a Visual Basic (VB) Script bug that propagated by exploiting Outlook's address book feature to pass itself along.
Windows 2000 Magazine / NT News / May 24, 2000


Most Dangerous Variant of VBS/Loveletter Yet
A new variant of the VBS/Loveletter virus is loose today. Officially dubbed VBS.NewLove.A or VBS.Loveletter.FW.A, this virus disables Windows systems by replacing all files not in use.
Windows 2000 Magazine / NT News / May 19, 2000


New Love Packs a Wallop
As expected, several variations of the Love Letter worm are making their way around the Internet. However, the latest rendition, named New Love, is far meaner and trickier than the rest.
Windows 2000 Magazine / NT News / May 19, 2000


Backpedaling Toward Security
After the recent Love Letter virus, Microsoft scrambles to make Outlook more secure.
Windows IT Security / In Focus / July 2000


Content Scanning and User Education Help Reduce Virus Risks
If last week's ILOVEYOU virus caused your company major problems, read Jerry Cochran's advice on how you can prepare your systems for future similar attacks.
Windows 2000 Magazine / Exchange Server Administration / May 12, 2000


Is the Windows Platform Overpowered?
Some users believe that the powerful scripting technology installed as part of the integrated desktop and Microsoft Office applications creates a security risk.
Windows IT Security / In Focus / July 2000


Global Virus Insurance 24h-365d
Deploy virus updates automatically.
Windows 2000 Magazine / Lab Reviews / June 2000


Love Letter Virus – An Update
Variations of the newly discovered Love Letter virus, a Visual Basic (VB)-based script that arrives with a message subject of "ILOVEYOU," are already spreading.
Windows 2000 Magazine / NT News / May 5, 2000


New Virus Loves You
A new virus is spreading rapidly through email as a file attachment targeted at Outlook and Internet Explorer users. The newly discovered virus comes in the form of a Visual Basic script that contains a message with a subject line that reads "ILOVEYOU."
Windows 2000 Magazine / NT News / May 4, 2000


An IEAK Compatibility Problem; An MSCS 1.0 Bug Fix
Columnist Paula Sharick discusses an IEAK problem that affects Windows 2000, an MSCS bug fix, a RasDial API memory leak, a Norton AntiVirus problem, and more.
Windows 2000 Magazine / Keeping Up with NT / March 21, 2000


InoculateIT 4.5
Vaccinating your network.
Windows 2000 Magazine / Lab Reviews / April 2000


First Windows 2000 Virus and Security Patch
John Ruley reports on the first-reported Win2K virus and also Microsoft's first security patch for Win2K.
Windows 2000 Magazine / Windows 2000 Pro / February 4, 2000


Reader to Reader
Share your NT discoveries, comments, problems, solutions, and experiences with products and reach out to other Windows NT Magazine readers (including Microsoft).
Windows 2000 Magazine / Reader to Reader / March 2000


Worms and Viruses Pose Real Threat for Y2K
Mark Edwards offers up some strategies for protecting your systems from Y2K-based viruses and worms.
Windows IT Security / In Focus / July 2000

Bubbleboy Poses New Security Threat
The Bubbleboy worm has returned with new implications for Outlook users.
Windows 2000 Magazine / Exchange Server Administration / November 19, 1999


Exterminator Tools
Networks of any size need an antivirus program. This review narrows the field so that you can make an informed purchase.
Windows 2000 Magazine / Lab Comparative / December 1999


VBS/Bubbleboy Email Worm Appears
A new threat dubbed VBS/Bubbleboy has appeared as the first in the next generation of email worms. This new worm is significantly different from earlier email worms, such as Melissa, that appeared as executable files attached to email messages.
Windows 2000 Magazine / NT News / November 10, 1999


Microsoft Offers Free Y2K Virus Protection
Microsoft has partnered with several software vendors to offer free antivirus software to help ameliorate expected Y2K virus problems.
Windows 2000 Magazine / NT News / November 5, 1999


Daughters of Melissa Virus Trot the Globe
Learn about the new variants of the Melissa virus that began popping up earlier this month.
Windows 2000 Magazine / NT News / October 25, 1999


New NT-Specific Infis Virus
Learn about WinNT.Infis, a unique Windows NT-specific virus, and see just how much of a threat it is to your systems.
Windows 2000 Magazine / NT News / October 11, 1999


More Viruses and Trojans Circling the Internet
Security expert Mark Edwards offers advice on how to protect your networks from these email-transmitted viruses.
Windows IT Security / In Focus / July 2000


eDoctor Is in the House
Trend Micro announced its new 24x7 eDoctor Global Network Internet virus detection and suppression program--virus monitoring for ISPs and active antivirus intervention.
Windows 2000 Magazine / NT News / September 15, 1999


Another Active Scripting Bug in Internet Explorer 5.0
A user has uncovered another Active Scripting bug in IE 5.0. Learn how to protect yourself from these types of security risks.
Windows IT Security / In Focus / July 2000


Antigen 5.5
The Melissa and Worm.ExploreZip viruses have taught us some valuable lessons. Here's a way to protect your Exchange Server system.
Windows 2000 Magazine / Lab Feature / October 1999


Disclosing Security Risk Exploit Information
Some people argue that full disclosure of security risk exploit information leads to a larger number of compromised systems. But what's the other side of that coin?
Windows IT Security / In Focus / July 2000


Who's Watching Over Your System's Security?
Mark Edwards offers his opinions about antivirus firms that hire known ex-hackers.
Windows IT Security / In Focus / July 2000


Bug Fixes and a Back Orifice 2000 Update
New bug fixes available from Microsoft Support and a method to check whether Back Orifice 2000 is installed on your system.
Windows 2000 Magazine / Keeping Up with NT / July 29, 1999


Back Orifice 2000: Admin Utility or Hacking Tool?
Cult of the Dead Cow releases new version of Back Orifice.
Windows 2000 Magazine / NT News / July 14, 1999


New Back Orifice Virus May Threaten NT
An update to an old threat is slated for release on July 10, 1999, and may be coming to a Windows NT computer near you.
Windows 2000 Magazine / NT News / July 8, 1999


Attention: Lotus Notes Users
It appears the worm virus has invaded Lotus Notes shops, and that the virus is not Exchange/Outlook dependent.
Windows 2000 Magazine / NT News / June 17, 1999


FastLane Technologies Releases Windows NT WormKiller Virus Application
Yesterday, FastLane Technologies released an application to detect and disable the Worm.ExploreZip virus.
Windows 2000 Magazine / NT News / June 11, 1999


ExploreZip Virus Worming its Way onto Networks Worldwide
For the past 2 days, an ugly virus named ExploreZip has been destroying the contents of hard drives all over the world.
Windows 2000 Magazine / NT News / June 11, 1999


Reader to Reader
Share your NT discoveries, comments, problems, solutions, and experiences with products and reach out to other Windows NT Magazine readers (including Microsoft).
Windows 2000 Magazine / Reader to Reader / February 1999


Norton Antivirus 4.0 for Windows NT Servers
Norton AntiVirus (NAV) 4.0 for NT Servers includes a flexible, centralized alert system that keeps administrators up-to-date through alerts from other workstations and servers running NAV products.
Windows 2000 Magazine / Lab Reviews / November 1998

ServerProtect
ServerProtect, from Trend Micro, is a comprehensive virus detection and eradication tool for NT systems that uses a domain concept to manage servers.
Windows 2000 Magazine / Lab Reviews / August 1998


Ask Dr. Bob Your NT Questions
Find out about using ERD Commander, creating a batch file to back up open files, defragmenting NT's pagefile.sys file, and controlling viruses with ease and efficiency.
Windows 2000 Magazine / Tricks & Traps / July 1998


The Administrator's Toolkit
Discover essential resources and equip yourself to handle any system challenge.
Windows 2000 Magazine / Getting Started with NT / March 1998


Ask Dr. Bob Your NT Questions
Successfully use Cleansweep and Norton Uninstall Deluxe with NT, and safeguard boot sectors with resource kit apps.
Windows 2000 Magazine / Tricks & Traps / March 1998


Workstation Virus Scanning Software-Antivirus
Protect yourself at all times with today's batch of antivirus software.
Windows 2000 Magazine / Lab Feature / November 1997


Tech Stories from the Trenches
A recent experience of installing and configuring three products provided a hard dose of trench reality.
Windows 2000 Magazine / Lab Feature / October 1997


Inside On-Access Virus Scanners
Find out how on-access virus scanners work with file system drivers and with NT's I/O Manager to check files for viruses.
Windows 2000 Magazine / NT Internals / September 1997


Ask Dr. Bob Your NT Questions
Find out whether to enable PPTP filtering within a domain, the advantages and disadvantages of using a printer pool vs. a network printer, and what to consider when you upgrade SQL Server 4.21 to 6.5.
Windows 2000 Magazine / Tricks & Traps / June 1997


InterScan E-Mail VirusWall
Trand Micro's InterScan E-Mail VirusWall 1.72 is a service that acts as a gateway between your computer and a SMTP mail server.
Windows 2000 Magazine / Lab Reviews / April 1997


Service Pack 2 Caveat Emptor
Surprise! Service Pack 2 for NT 4.0 offers bugs with the fixes.
Windows 2000 Magazine / Features / March 1997


Ask Dr. Bob Your NT Questions
Learn how you can fix an inaccessible hard disk and boot process errors, choose the best file system in NT for your needs, run NT on an AST portable, and much, much more.
Windows 2000 Magazine / Tricks & Traps / March 1997


Virus Scanners for NT

Windows 2000 Magazine / Lab Feature / October 1996


Reader to Reader
Share your NT discoveries, comments, problems, solutions, and experiences with products and reach out to other Windows NT Magazine readers (including Microsoft).
Windows 2000 Magazine / Reader to Reader / September 1996


Norton NT Tools by Symantec
New tools for old problems.
Windows 2000 Magazine / Lab Reviews / July 1996


Norton AntiVirus for NT
If speed is of the essence, Norton AntiVirus is a good choice.
Windows 2000 Magazine / Lab Feature / April 1996


McAfee’s ViruScan
ViruScan from McAfee is truly a cross-platform product, with versions for DOS, Windows 3.1, Windows 95, OS/2, and Windows NT.
Windows 2000 Magazine / Lab Feature / April 1996


ThunderByte Anti-Virus for Networks
ThunderByte Anti-Virus for Networks is primarily a network-scanning utility.
Windows 2000 Magazine / Lab Feature / April 1996


Firewall Articles and Whitepapers


 

Outbound Traffic Is a Serious Security Risk
Mark Edwards discusses why protecting your networks from inbound traffic is not enough.
Windows IT Security / In Focus / July 2000


Firewall Hardware
Find out which firewalls offer as much automatic configuration and ease of use as possible.
Windows 2000 Magazine / Buyer's Guide / March 2000


Published ICA Applications
This server-based computing solution opens many doors, particularly on your network. Here's how to configure your firewall to guard against intrusion.
Windows 2000 Magazine / Features / February 2000


Windows 2000 Offers Greater Security for Your Network
Windows 2000 will significantly increase the potential for a more secure network through technologies such as Kerberos, public key infrastructure (PKI), and System File Protection (SFP), to name a few.
Windows IT Security / In Focus / July 2000


More Viruses and Trojans Circling the Internet
Security expert Mark Edwards offers advice on how to protect your networks from these email-transmitted viruses.
Windows IT Security / In Focus / July 2000


Add Fuel to Your Firewall
Discover several security tools that help you spot potential problems before attackers exploit them.
Windows 2000 Magazine / Focus / October 1999


SonicWALL Plus DMZ
Not long ago, installing a firewall was a long, painful process requiring an abundance of arcane technical knowledge. Much of the pain is gone when you install SonicWALL Plus DMZ.
Windows 2000 Magazine / Lab Reviews / May 1, 1999


The Lab Guys Install a Firewall
When they needed to provide basic protection for systems on an independent network, the Lab Guys installed a firewall - and discovered the process isn't as painful as it used to be.
Windows 2000 Magazine / Lab Guys / May 1999


SessonWall-3
Software to help you take control of your network.
Windows 2000 Magazine / Lab Reviews / April 1, 1999


SecurIT FIREWALL 4.11 for NT
Milkywy Networks' SecurIT FIREWALL 4.11 for NT can help you protect your internal network, provide secure access for telecommuters, and manage your firewall remotely.
Windows 2000 Magazine / Lab Reviews / February 1999


Proxy Server 2.0
Microsoft significantly improved this product, making Proxy Server 2.0 a viable solution to enhance both the security and the performance of your LAN.
Windows 2000 Magazine / Focus / October 1998


Deciphering PPTP
Dig into the Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol. This relatively new Internet protocol acts as a poor person's firewall, not a connectivity tool.
Windows 2000 Magazine / Inside Out / December 1996


Firewalls: Securing NT Networks from Internet Intruders
Tyring to juggle the importance of Internet access with your network's security? Improve your business security with firewalls and a few rules for Internet users.
Windows 2000 Magazine / Features / November 1996


Who Needs a Firewall?
How to determine whether your organization needs a firewall for Internet security.
Windows 2000 Magazine / Features / November 1996


Can Your Firewall Take the Heat?
Vendors and products passed the NCSA certification program.
Windows 2000 Magazine / Features / November 1996


Up Against the Wall
Once you decide to place firewalls between your Internet connection and your local systems there are three rules to follow.
Windows 2000 Magazine / Focus / September 1995