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New Networking Features in Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista

Microsoft® Windows Server® 2008 and Windows Vista™ include many changes and enhancements to networking technologies. This article describes the changes to protocols and core networking components, wireless and 802.1X-authenticated wired technologies, and network infrastructure components and services in Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista.

This article covers all the new networking features, including security improvements in the network protocol stack.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb726965.aspx

HTH,

Tom

Thomas W Shinder, M.D., MCSE
Sr. Consultant / Technical Writer

image
Prowess Consulting www.prowessconsulting.com

PROWESS CONSULTING documentation | integration | virtualization
Email: tshinder@isaserver.org
MVP — Forefront Edge Security (ISA/TMG/IAG)

"How Microsoft does IT: Managing Network Access Protection" TechNet WebCast now available

Network Access Protection (NAP) is a powerful new Windows Server 2008 feature that can help protect networks from malicious software (malware) and other threats. This webcast explains how organizations can use NAP to institute requirements for accessing a network, create policies that check for compliance with those requirements, and update and manage devices that are not in compliance. Join us to learn how Microsoft IT manages NAP within Microsoft and how organizations can leverage this feature to report on health policy compliance, and to take action to address identified risks.

Register to view or download the Webcast at:

http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/WebCastEventDeta...ode=US

HTH,

Tom

Thomas W Shinder, M.D., MCSE
Sr. Consultant / Technical Writer
Prowess Consulting www.prowessconsulting.com

PROWESS CONSULTING documentation | integration | virtualization
Email: tshinder@isaserver.org
MVP — Forefront Edge Security (ISA/TMG/IAG)

Securing the server running RRAS role after doing upgrade or fresh install of Windows server 2008

As you know in Windows server 2008 (WS08) they have removed “Basic Firewall” functionality in RRAS which exist in Windows Server 2003 (WS03). This leads to security implications which you should be carefully consider when configuring RRAS on WS08. this blog post entry on the RRAS team blog tells you what you need to do to secure your RRAS server.

http://blogs.technet.com/rrasblog/archive/2008/03/...8.aspx

HTH,

Tom

Thomas W Shinder, M.D., MCSE
Sr. Consultant / Technical Writer
Prowess Consulting www.prowessconsulting.com

PROWESS CONSULTING documentation | integration | virtualization
Email: tshinder@isaserver.org
MVP — Forefront Edge Security (ISA/TMG/IAG)

Visual Round Trip Analyzer

The Visual Round Trip Analyzer tool helps web developers and testers visualize the download of their page, identify best practices and changes that improve web performance. The network Round-Trip between the client and server(s) is the single biggest impact to web page performance – much greater than server response time. VRTA examines the communications protocol, identifying the causes of excessive round-trips, and recommending solutions. Performance engineers, testers, developers, operations personnel should use VRTA to conduct their web performance analysis.

Download the Visual Round Trip Analyzer at:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?fa...ang=en

HTH,

Tom

Thomas W Shinder, M.D., MCSE
Sr. Consultant / Technical Writer
Prowess Consulting www.prowessconsulting.com

PROWESS CONSULTING documentation | integration | virtualization
Email: tshinder@isaserver.org
MVP — Forefront Edge Security (ISA/TMG/IAG)

NetMon 3.2 - Customize the User Interface

If you used the old Network Monitor 2.0 and haven’t seen the new NetMon 3.2, then you’re in for a treat! NetMon 3.2 is a full rewrite and the new app is a formidable tool. In fact, I’ve moved from Wireshark to NetMon 3.2 because of its ease of use and its power.

In this article, the NetMon 3.2 team shows you how to customize the user interface so that you can see more of the information that you’re interested in.

Check out this article at:

http://blogs.technet.com/netmon/archive/2008/11/13...e.aspx

HTH,

Tom

Thomas W Shinder, M.D., MCSE
Sr. Consultant / Technical Writer
Prowess Consulting www.prowessconsulting.com

PROWESS CONSULTING documentation | integration | virtualization
Email: tshinder@isaserver.org
MVP — Forefront Edge Security (ISA/TMG/IAG)

Certificates

Digital certificates are used in a great variety of networking client and server applications. You can’t have a secure network solution without digital certificates. For many network admins, certificates and PKI are a bit magic, a bit trial and error, and a bit “I’ll keep pushing buttons until it works and then I stop and lock it down”.

The fact is that once you have the facts, certificates and certificate authentication and security actually begin to make sense. The problem is that much of the writing on certificates assumes that you already understand how they work and they just restate information to people who also know the material.

Jan De Clercq did a good job in putting together an introduction to certificates. In this article you’ll get a nice overview of digital certificates and how that work. You’ll also receive a good grounding in certificate vocabulary.

Check out the article at:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc700805.aspx

HTH,

Tom

Thomas W Shinder, M.D., MCSE
Sr. Consultant / Technical Writer
Prowess Consulting www.prowessconsulting.com

PROWESS CONSULTING documentation | integration | virtualization
Email: tshinder@isaserver.org
MVP — Forefront Edge Security (ISA/TMG/IAG)

Intelligence Gathering Techniques

“Chapter 8 from Network Intrusion Detection: An Analyst’s Handbook, published by New Riders Publishing.

In Chapter 3,”Architectural Issues,” we raised the issue that CIRTs have to focus primarily on compromised systems. And they do! How would you feel if you were on the phone with your CIRT trying to get information you need to deal with the latest nasty Trojan horse code, and they said, “Sorry, we are devoting all our resources to a new intelligence gathering technique”?

The wise intrusion analyst will devote a lot of attention to the prevention, detection, and reporting of mapping techniques. They know that recon is just part of the game. As attackers amass high-quality information about the layout of networks and distribution of operating systems, they allow themselves to specifically target their attacks. You do not want to allow your organization to get in a one exploit, one kill situation!

The line between exploit/denial of service and recon probe couldn’t be thinner. Any exploit that fails (or succeeds) also provides intelligence about the target.

This chapter contains many traces showing information gathering techniques. We will consider some of the ways an attacker might map the network and its hosts. We will take a short look at NetBIOS-specific issues since there are so many deployed Windows systems, and finally examine some of the so-called “stealth” mapping techniques.”

This is chapter from a 9 year book, but there are many methods in here that have stood the test of time. I highly recommend you carve out an afternoon next weekend to review this information. I suspect you’ll learn a thing or two.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc700819.aspx

HTH,

Tom

Thomas W Shinder, M.D., MCSE
Sr. Consultant / Technical Writer
Prowess Consulting www.prowessconsulting.com

PROWESS CONSULTING documentation | integration | virtualization
Email: tshinder@isaserver.org
MVP — Forefront Edge Security (ISA/TMG/IAG)

Firewall Overview

If you’re new to the network security business, one of the areas that you need to get a good understanding of is network firewalls. While there are many in the industry who claim that firewalls are on the way out, don’t you believe it. It might be true that many of the services that are hosted on the corpnet will be moved into the “cloud” in the future, one thing that cannot be moved into the “cloud” is network security. That means firewalls will always be part of your network environment.

Given that firewalls are not gone and aren’t going away, you need to have a good handle on them. Tony Northrup did a nice job on this article that give you an overview of firewalls and how firewalls work.

Check it out at:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc700820.aspx

HTH,

Tom

Thomas W Shinder, M.D., MCSE
Sr. Consultant / Technical Writer
Prowess Consulting www.prowessconsulting.com

PROWESS CONSULTING documentation | integration | virtualization
Email: tshinder@isaserver.org
MVP — Forefront Edge Security (ISA/TMG/IAG)

WinMerge

Sometimes you need to compare files for auditing and change analysis. This is where WinMerge comes in. WinMerge is an open source tool that allows you to see differences in files and then merge them if you like.

Check it out at:

http://winmerge.org/

HTH,

Tom

Thomas W Shinder, M.D., MCSE
Sr. Consultant / Technical Writer
Prowess Consulting www.prowessconsulting.com

PROWESS CONSULTING documentation | integration | virtualization
Email: tshinder@isaserver.org
MVP — Forefront Edge Security (ISA/TMG/IAG)

Support Webcast: Introduction to Network Access Protection

This Support WebCast summarizes the content in the “Introduction to Network Access Protection” white paper that can be downloaded at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/network/nap/napov...w.mspx

The WebCast provides an overview of the Network Access Protection platform in Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Microsoft Windows Vista, and Windows XP with Service Pack 3, the components of Network Access Protection, and how Network Access Protection works for various enforcement methods.

Download this great intro to NAP Webcast by Joseph Davies at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/921070/en

HTH,

Tom

Thomas W Shinder, M.D., MCSE
Sr. Consultant / Technical Writer
Prowess Consulting www.prowessconsulting.com

PROWESS CONSULTING documentation | integration | virtualization
Email: tshinder@isaserver.org
MVP — Forefront Edge Security (ISA/TMG/IAG)


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