Better be despised for too anxious apprehensions, than ruined by too confident security.
”Edmund Burke
Before you can build a secure Microsoft Exchange environment, you have to provide a secure foundation. For Microsoft Exchange Server 2003, that means tightening up the security configuration of the servers that will host Exchange, as well as domain controllers, Domain Name System (DNS) servers, and other machines whose services Exchange depends on. Microsoft Windows security is a fascinating and broad topic, but because this book is about Exchange security, I focus on basic steps you should be taking to secure your Windows infrastructure. The steps and techniques discussed here apply to Microsoft Windows 2000 Server and Windows Server 2003, both of which will smoothly run Exchange Server 2003. The Additional Reading section points you to a wealth of more detailed security material, which I encourage you to use.