security
444 TopicsAAD join Server 2025
Hi, Wondering if Server 2025 can be AAD joined. this would help some businesses that have their laptops joined as well as would also like to have the option to join their Server for their line of business apps etc. Seems really strange you can have win11 AAD joined but not server 2025. Or am i just missing something here. Having to use Azure Arc comes with extra headaches and costs.Solved9.4KViews2likes14CommentsWireless secure Windows server 2022
Hello everyone, I am trying to implement ‘wireless secure’ in my domain. I have followed various guides and everything seems to be configured correctly, but I keep getting this error: Reason: Explicit EAP error received Error: 0x40420016 EAP reason: 0x40420016 EAP root cause string: Network authentication failed\nThe authentication method required to connect to the network is not available in Windows. EAP error: 0x40420016 I have verified that communication via AP-WLC-NPS is working correctly, but it is unable to authenticate via eap-tls. Do you have any suggestions? I have collected several logs, but many of them may not be necessary. Thank you for your support.50Views0likes0CommentsThe TLS connection request has failed.
We are in the process of configuring a new SharePoint 2016 on-premises Farm using Azure VMs. The App and WFE run on Windows 2019 R2. The SQL DB is Windows 2022 running in CM 110. All DataCenter editions The farm is not completely configured and is not having traffic yet. I am seeing the following event (id 36874) in our Event Viewer An TLS 1.2 connection request was received from a remote client application, but none of the cipher suites supported by the client application are supported by the server. The TLS connection request has failed. The servers were setup by another team so I'm not sure on what all they did to prepare them and I am not a Sysadmin by training or experience, but I can try and answer questions you may have. Could there be something missing in the setup of these servers that will prepare them for TLS communication? Is this an issue with having different ciphers available to each server due to different OS and not being able to agree on one? I verified that there are ciphers available on the DB that are in common with the ones on our SP Servers, which are in the same order on each server and should be usable. This is why I'm wondering if TLS has to be eabled or tuned on in some way when newly installing these or perhaps I'm missing something? THese are normal messages? Thank you!57Views0likes0CommentsVirtualization-Based Security (VBS): Elevating Modern IT Protection
In the rapidly evolving world of cybersecurity, traditional approaches to protecting operating systems are being continuously challenged by increasingly sophisticated threats. Cyber attackers now target the very core of our computing environments, seeking privileged access that can bypass conventional defenses. In this context, Virtualization-Based Security (VBS) emerges as a transformative solution, leveraging hardware virtualization to create robust isolation for critical system processes. What Is Virtualization-Based Security? VBS is a security feature integrated into modern Windows operating systems. It utilizes hardware virtualization to establish a virtual secure mode—an isolated environment that runs sensitive security tasks, shielded from the main operating system. Even if malware compromises the OS, this isolated environment prevents unauthorized access to protected processes and data. At its foundation, VBS operates through a lightweight hypervisor, enforcing strict security boundaries. This architecture ensures that, even if an attacker gains administrative rights within the operating system, vital security assets remain inaccessible. Core Benefits of VBS Credential Protection With Credential Guard, VBS stores sensitive credentials—such as NTLM hashes and Kerberos tickets—in a secure container. This strategy effectively blocks tools like Mimikatz from extracting credentials, significantly reducing the risk of lateral movement attacks. Kernel-Level Code Integrity Hypervisor-Enforced Code Integrity (HVCI) ensures that only approved, digitally signed drivers and binaries can execute at the kernel level. This defends against rootkits and kernel-level malware. Zero-Day Exploit Mitigation By isolating mission-critical processes, VBS minimizes the attack surface and lessens the impact of previously unknown vulnerabilities. Secure Boot Synergy VBS complements Secure Boot, ensuring the device loads only trusted software at startup and preventing bootkits and early-stage malware. Enhanced Compliance and Assurance Organizations in regulated industries—such as finance and healthcare—benefit from VBS’s robust controls, which support regulatory compliance and increase stakeholder confidence in IT security measures. System Requirements for Deploying VBS To implement VBS, ensure the following prerequisites are met: Windows 10/11 Enterprise, Pro, or Education editions 64-bit architecture UEFI firmware with Secure Boot capability enabled Hardware virtualization support (Intel VT-x or AMD-V) TPM 2.0 (Trusted Platform Module) for Credential Guard functionality Adequate RAM (VBS may slightly increase memory consumption) Practical Applications: Challenges Addressed by VBS Enterprise Credential Protection: Prevents credential theft and lateral movement across networks. Driver Vulnerability Defense: Blocks unauthorized or malicious drivers from executing. Mitigating Insider Threats: Restricts access to sensitive processes, even for users with administrative rights. Combating Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs): Provides a hardened layer of defense that significantly complicates APT infiltration efforts. VBS: Transforming Security for IT Professionals and Organizations For IT Professionals: Stronger Security Posture: Defense-in-depth with minimal complexity Streamlined Compliance: Simplifies adherence to standards such as NIST, ISO 27001, and HIPAA Future-Ready Infrastructure: Lays the groundwork for secure hybrid and cloud environments For Businesses: Lowered Breach Risks: Reduces the likelihood and impact of data breaches or ransomware incidents Increased Trust: Demonstrates robust security practices to clients and business partners Business Continuity: Safeguards critical systems, ensuring operational resilience Conclusion Virtualization-Based Security represents more than just another operating system feature—it marks a paradigm shift in how organizations and IT professionals approach endpoint protection. By isolating and safeguarding the most sensitive components of the OS, VBS empowers businesses to stay ahead of evolving threats and secure their digital assets with confidence. Whether you are an IT administrator, a security architect, or a business leader, adopting VBS is a strategic decision that paves the way toward a safer, more resilient future in the Microsoft ecosystem.98Views1like0CommentsRDP black screen
Hello everyone, On several Windows server 2022 ,up to date, attached to a domain, when domain users initiate an RDP connection they end up with a black screen and mouse cursor only. I don't have this problem with local machine administrator accounts. The problem only occurs on Windows server 2022, not on 2019. On the server, the user who initiated the connection has only 4 processes, and they're always the same: In the server logs, we can see that several processes have been blocked by SRP: The problem is that I haven't defined anything like that... I don't encounter this problem with local administrators on the machine. What's more, it happens randomly. I can have the problem for several days and then nothing for several weeks. Does anyone have any idea what it could be? Have you encountered this problem before? Thank you in advance for your help. Matthieu217Views0likes4CommentsHTTP.sys request logging
Hi, several services like Remote Access (Windows Server Reverse Proxy) or KDC Proxy do use HTTP.sys as engine to deliver their sites to the user. I am aware that there is an error log in "C:\Windows\System32\LogFiles\HTTPERR" but how do I enable a normal "request logging" like IIS does? I want to track every connection, its source ip address and other information in a log file but how can I do this?48Views0likes0CommentsWindows Server 365 Edition
Windows Server 365 Edition (working title) This is a new product idea for Microsoft for a specialized version of Windows Server that is tightly integrated with MS365/Azure and geared towards small - medium sized businesses and MSP's. As an admin that works in the MSP space the need comes from supporting clients that are basically cloud managed but still have a need for on-premise servers to support local network applications (think QB SQL Server) locally. The central ideal behind this edition is ditching active directory for EntraID and reworking core services around this. Benefits No such thing as local accounts, you log in with your work account and can take advantage of MFA, Conditional Access etc. Rework Admin Center so you can manage MS365 and the local server seamlessly. Still provide services like DHCP, DNS, Group Policies Group Policy would be redesigned to abstract policies to Intune for deployment File Shares and Security permissions would be tightly integrated with EntraID users and security groups... Having this work with WinClient would be helpful too. For On-prem applications that integrate with AD for ACL (SQL Server) either provide a service that abstracts EntraID to a virtual DC. OR better yet provide API's for applications to integrate with EntraID or proxied via a service on the server. OneDrive Server edition to Sync SharePoint Document Library, Aure File Shares etc. that can be shared locally on the network and additional act as a cached proxy for OneDrive on WinClient machines to optimize WAN usage. Imagine your ISP has an extended outage, but you still have access to everything locally and very fast. PowerShell would come pre-packaged and logged into Azure to make our lives that much easier. Certificate Services would integrate with Intune's Premium addons and extend that use case.. think device authentication for AP's and Switches. Radius server would become that much more useful if it worked with EntraID. These are some of the ideas I can think of, but I'm sure there is a lot more that could enhance our use of a solution like this.43Views1like0CommentsAdd Passkey support to Active Directory
Everyone, Please go to the feedback hub and upvote my suggestion to add passkey support to Active Directory Domain Services: https://aka.ms/AAw8z54 The reason I am recommending this is because there needs to be a standard way to use passkeys in an AD environment.278Views2likes3CommentsWindows Server OSConfig and DSCv3
Introduction I wanted to formalize putting a post out here to get some discussion going on the attempts at modernization of Windows configuration, and importantly, infrastructure-as-code. Hopefully this is a healthy discussion that others can engage in. Much of what I'm going to try and post about is stuff we already are aware of, but I want to highlight how this is an ongoing concern with the Windows Server platform that makes it difficult to encourage people to even consider Windows in their environment other than for extremely legacy purposes. I want Windows Server to be the best it can be, and I encourage others to join in on the conversation! Problem Statement Windows Server needs a modernized configuration-as-code system. Must be capable of orchestrating without cloud tools (offline orchestration) Must provide for regular validation and attestation Ideally should be easily available to 3rd party configuration tools. Since Microsoft appears to have little interest in building their own modernized system that isn't Azure-based, this means that this MUST be orchestrated easily and securely by 3rd party tools. Should be as robust as GPO at maintaining and enforcing state. Security configurations in Windows are a right pain to manage with any 3rd party tooling, with the closest coming to it being the SecurityDSC module which wraps secedit.exe and security policy INFs. Why is OSConfig not the answer? OSConfig doesn't provide for me, as an engineer, to clearly define what the state of my machines are based on my company's business requirements. While the built-in Microsoft policy recommendations are great, there are reasons to deviate from these policies in a predictable and idempotent manner. Applying an OSConfig Baseline -> Then changing settings as-needed with special PowerShell commands This is not the answer. This is a bunch of imperative code that serves nobody. And it makes implementing this feature extremely challenging in today's modern world of Kubernetes, Docker, etc. I encourage the Windows Server team to engage with the PowerShell team on DSC 3.0. I think that team has it right, but they are a small group of people and do not have the resources to implement everything that would make DSC 3.0 a first-class configuration as code platform on Windows. And this is where the Windows team should come in. Steve Lee and crew have done a bangup job working on DSC 3.0, including taking feedback from folks to leverage Azure Bicep language for configuration. Security Policy Challenge The way to access security policies need to change. Even if I were to take DSC 3.0 I'd end up having to create a similar security policy INF file to import into Windows. It just seems so silly to me to have to write all of that out when Windows really should just provide an interface for doing this. In fact, security policy remains to be one of the largest problems to getting a good platform stood up. Windows Firewall Policy and GPO - The reason why host-based firewalling is painful to manage at scale in a Windows environment. GPO is definitely not the right place to be managing Windows firewall policy at scale. Particularly when you often have a core set of management rules you want to implement and application-specific needs. Making robust changes becomes a challenge since each policy is separate, preventing you from doing things like inheriting rules for higher level policies. While this is an inherent limitation of Group Policy, it highlights the need to get off of GPO as the core policy configuration tool for Windows. My recommendations I'd like for the Windows team to implement DSC 3.0-compatible resources for managing all core functionality of Windows. If you can do it in a GPO, you should be able to do it with Configuration as Code. Please stop relying on the community to make this work. All of this should be first party to the platform itself. Furthermore, I'd like to recommend that Microsoft either work with 3rd party configuration systems (Chef, Ansible, Puppet, Octopus, etc.) OR to also provide a way to hit the ground running. Perhaps something that integrates visually into Windows Admin Center would be nice. Conclusion This is a huge problem in the Windows world and continues to seem to fall on some deaf ears somewhere in the organization. While I no doubt am confident that the engineers on all of these teams very well know these issues and maybe even have discussed fixing them, clearly there's a breakdown somewhere.399Views5likes9Comments