Netwrix Blog | Insights for Cybersecurity and IT Pros

This post first appeared on blog.netwrix.com and was written by Jonathan Blackwell.
Introduction to Microsoft Active Directory Overview of AD Microsoft Active Directory is a directory service for Windows domain networks. Active Directory serves as a centralized database which stores information about network resources, including users, computers, and services. It plays a significant role in network management and security, providing a framework for user authentication, authorization, resource … Continued

This post first appeared on blog.netwrix.com and was written by Dirk Schrader.
Imagine leaving your car key at a public place, only to drop your keys when exiting the vehicle. Someone picks them up and drives away. They speed through a school zone and are caught on camera. Later, the car is used in a robbery. Now, you’re not only missing your car but also wrongly implicated … Continued

This post first appeared on blog.netwrix.com and was written by Jonathan Blackwell.
Introduction In Windows system administration, one of the more advanced yet important tasks that can be accomplished using PowerShell is deleting registry keys and values. This operation requires careful handling to avoid unintended consequences. Registry keys and values in Windows are critical components that store configuration settings for the operating system and installed applications. Modifying … Continued

This post first appeared on blog.netwrix.com and was written by Jonathan Blackwell.
Introduction to Access Provisioning The primary purpose of a network is to enable sharing of resources among a group of users. Whether those resources are computing devices, applications or file data, the goal is to provide access to exactly those who need it. However, achieving this goal can be challenging because modern organizations are highly … Continued

This post first appeared on blog.netwrix.com and was written by Dirk Schrader.
Importance of User Account Management for Windows Computers Your network is comprised of devices and users, and both require proper management. For a user to access a device and its hosted assets, that user requires a user account that has access to the computer. The allocation and management of these accounts are important for multiple … Continued

This post first appeared on blog.netwrix.com and was written by Dirk Schrader.
Just like human users, computer programs also need access to resources on a network to function properly. There’s a difference in how these two groups—individuals and programs—access these resources, though. While humans utilize user accounts, computer programs use Active Directory service accounts. Active Directory service accounts allow computer services and programs to run without the need for human … Continued

This post first appeared on blog.netwrix.com and was written by Kent Tuominen.
SAML (Security Assertion Markup Language) and OAuth (Open Authorization) are two of the most common user authentication and authorization protocols. Both of them help manage identity and access using tokens, but they serve different purposes and operate in different contexts. This blog explains the key similarities and differences between SAML and OAuth and the specific … Continued

This post first appeared on blog.netwrix.com and was written by Jonathan Blackwell.
You may want to know the PowerShell version installed on your machine. While novice users may go to Programs in the Control Panel to check the PowerShell version, it’s often quite the disappointment when they don’t find PowerShell listed as a program there. Instead, you’ll need to resort to other methods to find the PowerShell … Continued

This post first appeared on blog.netwrix.com and was written by Jonathan Blackwell.
As a routine task, users move items, such as files and folders from one place to another on our computer, so that data is sorted and makes sense. While this can be accomplished with simple copy and paste options from within the File Explorer, advanced users may prefer PowerShell for efficiency and precision. Definition: Move-Item … Continued

This post first appeared on blog.netwrix.com and was written by Martin Cannard.
The privileged accounts in your IT environment require special attention because they have elevated access to vital systems and sensitive data. The organization can suffer severe damage if they are misused by their owners or compromised in attacks. In addition, many compliance standards require organizations to maintain tight control over privileged access. Most organizations have … Continued

This post first appeared on blog.netwrix.com and was written by Mark Techa.
Introduction to Network Ports What is a network port? Think of a port as a virtual gateway that a specific service, process, or application on your computer uses for network communication. Each port is assigned a unique number, allowing different types of traffic to be directed to the appropriate software. For example, your email might … Continued

This post first appeared on blog.netwrix.com and was written by Jonathan Blackwell.
Tools like ADUC and ADAC enable Sysadmins to create a new user in an Active Directory quite easily, but they has certain limitations when it comes to bulk user creation. PowerShell is a powerful and flexible tool for creating Active Directory accounts, and much more at scale. This blog reviews the process to create a … Continued

This post first appeared on blog.netwrix.com and was written by Kevin Horvatin.
What is the Rename-Item cmdlet? The Rename-Item cmdlet in PowerShell can be used to change the name of an item. This item can be a file, directory, or any object in a path. The cmdlet can also be used to rename items both locally and in a network environment. Users can also perform batch renaming … Continued

This post first appeared on blog.netwrix.com and was written by Dirk Schrader.
Introduction to Cyber Attack Prevention In today’s digitally connected world, any organization with digital assets and internet access is vulnerable to cyberattacks. That reality has become all too pervasive in recent years. While it may not be part of your business plan, protection against cyber attacks must be a high priority. Embedding cyber security in … Continued

This post first appeared on blog.netwrix.com and was written by Kevin Horvatin.
Brief overview of Remove-Item cmdlet Managing files and directories is a common task in computing, especially in the Windows PowerShell environment. The Remove-Item in PowerShell is a key cmdlet for deleting files and directories, as well as other types of items in PowerShell. Remove-Item can be used for local file systems as well as other … Continued

This post first appeared on blog.netwrix.com and was written by Jonathan Blackwell.
ADUC is a Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in that enables administrators to manage Active Directory objects and their attributes. For example, they can: You can find more information about Active Directory in our AD tutorial for beginners. Majorly, Active Directory domain controllers will have ADUC installed by default in Windows. However,in some instances it may … Continued

This post first appeared on blog.netwrix.com and was written by Mark Techa.
Organizations are increasing their use of various solutions to address communication needs across their infrastructure. As file systems are an integral part of collaboration, this article will dive into one of the most widely used protocols necessary for many systems. We will learn more about the SMB protocol, Port 139, Port 445, how it works, … Continued

This post first appeared on blog.netwrix.com and was written by Dirk Schrader.
What is DNS? DNS (Domain Name System) is a key component of the Internet infrastructure. DNS functions as a distributed directory service that translates human-readable domain names into machine-readable IP addresses. When you type a website address into your browser, the DNS system helps your browser find the right server on the internet. When people … Continued

This post first appeared on blog.netwrix.com and was written by Dirk Schrader.
Introduction to Windows Server Monitoring Today’s organizations are deeply dependent on their IT infrastructure, so system downtime translates directly to costly business disruptions. Accordingly, it’s critical to have server monitoring tools that provide the insight into your on-premises and cloud systems you need to prevent and detect operational and security issues. Due to the heavy … Continued

This post first appeared on blog.netwrix.com and was written by Kevin Horvatin.
What is a Get-Mailbox Cmdlet? The Get-Mailbox cmdlet is a key command in the Exchange Management Shell (for Exchange Server) and in the Exchange Online PowerShell module (for Office 365). It is used to retrieve information about mailboxes in an Exchange environment. Whether you are dealing with user mailboxes, linked mailboxes, shared mailboxes, or resource … Continued