Configuring, Managing, and Troubleshooting Security
The exam may touch on two things about Encrypting File Service (EFS): The file system must be set to NTFS if you want to use EFS. In addition, no file can be both encrypted and compressed at the same time.NTFS is required for EFS.A user must have a file encryption certificate before another user can grant him the right to open a shared encrypted file.Data recovery agents are users with file encryption certificates who have been designated the right to decrypt users' encrypted files in case the user's file encryption certificate is damaged or lost.Public keys are stored in the My Certificates folder of a user's profile in plain text.Private keys are encrypted in the RSA folder in a user's profile.Cipher.exe is the command used to manage EFS encrypted files. Cipher /e encrypts, and cipher /d decrypts.A security template is created as an .inf file. This file is imported into a database with an extension of .sdb. If you use Secedit.exe, secedit /configure /db path\database.sdb is the command used to apply the security settings to overwrite existing security settings.Account policies set in an Active Directory Group Policy object (GPO) for passwords and account lockouts are applicable to only a domain.Table 24 describes password policies and their default values.
Table 24. Password Policies
PolicyMeaningDefault ValueEnforce Password historyNumber of unique passwords that the computer can rememberMaximum Password ageNumber of days after first being set until the user is forced to change the password42 daysMinimum Password ageNumber of days after first being set until the user is allowed to change the password0 daysMinimum Password lengthNumber of characters required for any passwordPassword Must Meet Complexity RequirementsRequires that the password not contain the user name or real name, is at least six characters long, must be a combination of letters, numbers, and symbolsDisabledStore password using Reversible EncryptionAllows user's passwords to be stored in reversible encryption, which is not much more secure than plain textDisabledTable 25 describes account lockout policies and their suggested values.
Table 25. Account Lockout Policies
PolicyMeaningAccount Lockout DurationNumber of minutes after being locked out before account is allowed to log on. Suggested value 30 minutes.Account Lockout ThresholdNumber of bad passwords that are accepted before the user account is locked out. Suggested value 3 attempts.Reset Account Lockout Counter AfterNumber of minutes after submitting a bad password that the computer "forgets" that there was a failed logon attempt. Suggested value 30 minutes.The sequence of application of GPO settings isWindows NT 4 system policies found in NTConfig.polLocal policiesSite group policiesDomain group policiesOU group policiesChild OU group policies (applied after the group policies of the top-level OUs and flow down the hierarchy of the Active Directory)To configure the security settings for an Internet zone, click the zone to select it and then click the Custom Level button. The zones are Internet, Local Intranet, Trusted Sites, and Restricted.