Tips

Tips

• Tricks for optimizing WSUS performance

  Dealing with the monthly rollout of patches can grind an organization to a halt. Contributor Brien Posey shares some tricks for optimizing performance by carefully adjusting WSUS settings.  Continue Reading

• Cleaning up items in Startup menu can help PC run faster

  Cleaning up items listed in your Startup menu can help your PC run faster.  Continue Reading

• Office 2003 Setup copies installation files

  Microsoft Office 2003's ability to copy the installation files to a hidden folder on the hard drive can be a huge help to anyone who supports an Office deployment. Now an alternative version of Setup adds two features that make it even more useful.  Continue Reading

• SUS, WSUS, SMS and beyond

  Microsoft is discontinuing support for Software Update Services next year, and you have to come up with an alternative plan. This article compares patch management options like WSUS, SMS and other third-party contenders.  Continue Reading

• WinDump: The tcpdump tool for Windows

  WinDump, the Windows version of tcpdump, can help you analyze network traffic to look for signs of active malware. Contributor Serdar Yegulalp explains how to use WinDump and some of its applications.  Continue Reading

• How to automate desktop folder synchronization

  Keeping folders in sync is the job every administrator hates. No matter whether it's synchronizing files between a network file share and a desktop computer or a USB thumb drive and a laptop, the job is a major hassle. Rather than do it manually (...  Continue Reading

• How to automate Windows software updates

  When it comes to automating Windows software updates, administrators have a choice of several third-party tools.  Continue Reading

• Patching non-Microsoft products

  We all know we need to keep Windows and Microsoft applications patched, but don't forget to patch those non-MS products. Microsoft MVP Brien Posey provides some ways to get those third-party patches deployed.  Continue Reading

• Checklist: Measuring patch management metrics

  How effective is your patch management program? In this checklist, patch management expert Jason Chan recommends the most important patch management metrics to track.  Continue Reading

• Metasploit: A penetration testing tool you shouldn't be without

  Penetration testing is an invaluable way to make sure your systems are secure as well as prove to management that they aren't and you need to increase your security budget. In this article Kevin Beaver examines a useful penetration testing tool ...  Continue Reading

• How attackers install backdoors and what to do about it

  How did that backdoor get there? If you've ever had this thought, there are a couple things you should know, according to Tony Bradley. In this article, he looks at how backdoors are installed, how to keep them from being installed and how to track ...  Continue Reading

• Fast User Switching and privilege elevation in XP

  Fast User Switching in Windows XP can provide occasional elevated privileges, but it is not a cure-all, according to Serdar Yegulalp. His tip explains how to use Fast User Switching as well as some of its limitations.  Continue Reading

• Step-by-Step Guide: How to deploy a successful patch

  This step-by-step guide explains how to deploy a patch, and provides the tools you will need to mitigate the risk of a compromised computer.  Continue Reading

• How to Bypass BIOS Passwords

  BIOS passwords can be a liability if a user forgets his password. Here are a few tips and tricks that can help to bypass or reset the BIOS password on most systems.  Continue Reading

• Patching Windows compared to Linux

  When it comes to Windows versus Linux, patching vulnerabilities is an often overlooked arena of comparison. In many ways, though, ease of patching can determine overall security, says security guru Jonathan Hassell. In this article, Hassell compares...  Continue Reading

• Scripting resources to automate patching

  Although lacking the bells and whistles of commercial patching tools, scripts can offer a quick and simple way to automate Windows patch deployment. Contributor Tony Bradley identifies several handy patching scripts and resources in this tip.  Continue Reading

• Infected with malware? Stop it from spreading

  A worm, virus or other malicious software is spreading throughout your network. How can you stop the "bleeding" before too much damage is done? Windows security threats expert Kevin Beaver offers his tips for containing malware.  Continue Reading

• Windows patches: When to push or pull them

  To deploy Windows patches, you can push patches from a central server to Windows machines or have clients contact the central server directly to pull the patches down.  Continue Reading

• Configure Group Policy to prevent attacks

  This list of critical Group Policy settings will help you lock down Windows against security threats, whether you want to thwart automated password cracking attacks, enable audit logging or simply force attackers to jump through more hoops.  Continue Reading

• Practice effective security log analysis

  Collecting security log data is useless if your log isn't properly configured, monitored and analyzed. Get tips for effective data logging in part one of this two-part series.  Continue Reading

• Manual vs. automated patch tracking

  With new patches coming at you seemingly a mile a minute, you may wonder what the best way is to manage them. Get help comparing manual vs. automatic patch tracking.  Continue Reading

• Security Configuration Wizard quick setup checklist

  The Security Configuration Wizard (SCW) is considered a significant new security enhancement in a Windows service pack. Learn how to setup SCW with this checklist.  Continue Reading

• Disable Windows XP Remote Desktop

  Is Windows XP Remote Desktop causing havoc on your machine? Find out how you can disable or enable this feature with a simple registry tweak.  Continue Reading

• Block Internet Explorer Web surfing via Group Policy

  Learn how to block a user's ability to surf the Web using Microsoft Group Policy.  Continue Reading

• Empty the prefetch folder

  Empty the Prefetch folder  Continue Reading

• Choosing an intrusion detection system: Network, host or application-based IDS

  Different types of intrusion detection tools do different jobs. This tip offers help comparing three different types of IDS devices: network, host and application-based IDS.  Continue Reading

• How to turn System Restore on or off

  System Restore is a handy feature offered in Windows XP by default. Find out how you can turn it on or off at your will.  Continue Reading

• IDS options: Signature databases and heuristics

  This tip details the differences between two defining IDS product features -- signature databases and heuristics -- and offers advice for choosing IDS solutions.  Continue Reading

• When to use Remote Desktop over VPN

  When providing remote users protected access on a server, determine if they need it for connectivity or management purposes -- then you will know when to use Remote Desktop or VPN.  Continue Reading

• KillPol helps debug policy problems

  It's not always easy to figure out the cause of a policy problem. KillPol, a utility, makes the debugging process less tedious and a whole lot less painful.  Continue Reading

• Use VBScript to monitor drive space

  Use this script to monitor free space on systems or shares.  Continue Reading

• Checklist: How to configure the audit policy

  A properly-configured audit policy can lead you to a goldmine of information in Windows event logs. Get help configuring the audit policy in this checklist.  Continue Reading

• Null session attacks: Who's still vulnerable?

  Null session vulnerabilities have fallen off the radar for many Windows shops, but at what price? Kevin Beaver explains which Windows machines are still at risk.  Continue Reading

• Guarding against malware infection from remote users

  Learn how securing your telecommuters can fortify your network against malicious code attacks.  Continue Reading

• Remove shortcut arrow from desktop icons in Win XP

  Remove shortcut arrow from desktop icons  Continue Reading

• Using Windows XP/Windows 2003 Server's SYSTEMINFO utility

  XP and Win2003's SYSTEMINFO utility allows an admin to query a local or remote system for detailed system configuration information.  Continue Reading

• DOS printing from Windows XP

  Allow DOS apps printing access on networked printers that do not use LPT1, such as IP printers.  Continue Reading

• Create ODBCs from a command line

  Create ODBCs from a command line  Continue Reading

• Speed up GPO processing during logon

  How logons get bogged down by the synchronus policy application. And how you can change that.  Continue Reading

• Cut and paste to/from a DOS window

  Using cut-and-paste in the command prompt is easy. Here's how you do it for Win2k Pro and Win2k server.  Continue Reading

• Default and predefined security templates

  What's in the Windows-supplied templates.  Continue Reading

• The difference between hackers and crackers

  The difference between hackers and crackers.  Continue Reading

• Disable the caching of SSL sites

  By default, Internet Explorer will cache all sites in your temporary Internet folder -- but you can prevent this.  Continue Reading

• Find those missing Control Panel icons

  How to solve the disappearing icon bug.  Continue Reading

• Antivirus hardware?

  Here's a look at antivirus appliances.  Continue Reading

• Using honeypots to fake out an attacker

  Honeypot systems attract hackers like bees to honey. If implemented correctly, they offer the network administrator a way to discover unwanted activity on a network.  Continue Reading

• What is CHKNTFS?

  Most admins are familiar with CHKDSK, but what about it's lesser known cousin, CHKNTFS?  Continue Reading

• How to prevent a Smurf attack

  A Smurf attack is a very unique but popular method of attack. This member-submitted tip tells how to guard against them.  Continue Reading

• Access logs in Excel format

  Obtain an Exce-readable, comma-delimited security logon/logoff/lockout log file (.csv) of a server.  Continue Reading

• Benefit from Windows file encryption

  What you can do with file encryption.  Continue Reading

• Create a shortcut to lock your computer

  Create a shortcut to lock your workstation.  Continue Reading

• Disable or restrict Internet access

  Settings to disable or restrict Internet access with Internet Explorer.  Continue Reading

• Connect Mac to Windows 2000

  How to connect Mac to Windows 2000  Continue Reading

• File system security

  This tip describes some basics of the Windows 2000 file system security apparatus.  Continue Reading