Summary

In this chapter, you learned that Microsoft has taken great steps toward making communications and storage more secure. Windows 2003 represents the latest efforts of Microsoft in this area. You saw the importance of taking a layered approach to security. No single technology in Windows 2003 is the end-all, be-all of security. These technologies work together to help secure the intellectual property of the company both locally and abroad.

We've seen that although securing a system is very important, it's equally important to audit and test that security constantly. Monitoring activities in a network and recognizing signs of attack are critical in protecting a network.

Technologies like smartcards and biometrics help to strengthen the authentication process of Windows. Technologies like TLS and SSL help ensure that once authenticated, transmissions are still performed in a secure manner.

Files can be encrypted and still be shared among controlled lists of users. By storing files in an encrypted manner, systems become less vulnerable to data theft as a result of hardware theft. This enables companies to allow more access to their data without reducing the overall security of the environment.

It is always important to realize that today's " unbreakable " security will become tomorrow's plaything. 128-bit encryptions that used to take years to crack can be cracked in mere seconds by today's more powerful computers. Security is a commitment, an ongoing process that must be constantly monitored and maintained . It must grow as a company grows in order to remain useful.