Security templates are efficient ways of accelerating and simplifying the task of hardening operating systems. Microsoft Company applies various templates to configure the security of its Windows and eliminate any possibilities of attack by malware or any other system attack that could compromise its functioning. Some of these templates used to configure windows are account policy, Event log, user rights, restricted groups, system services, file and registry permissions, and built-in security templates (Wright & Plesniarski, 2016). The essay will delve into a discussion of these templates and how they are used by MS Windows to simplify the role of hardening operation systems and organizational units (OUs).
In this template, three subgroups get engaged to configure the security of windows. These include the account lockout, password, and Kerberos policies. These policies assist in controlling user passwords and whenever the windows user forgets his or her login password. These templates are quite helpful when it comes to the security of windows since they help in preventing unauthorized access to windows thus eliminating any chances of attack or access to data by unauthorized sources (Wright & Plesniarski, 2016; Melber, 2004). This happens in three fronts: the system automatically logs off users who stay idle past the set time, renames admin accounts, and also renames guest account. Furthermore, Kerberos policy directs the Kerberos ticketing for the domain communiqué. This is only accessible for Group Policy Objects (GPOs) that have gotten connected to the main domain level (Melber, 2004).
In addition to account policy, MS employs user rights as a security template to safeguard the system. These rights govern access to what any user or group can perform on a computer. They, for instance, control all admin rights like logins to local platforms, backing up of files and adjusting the time on windows. The usage of this template has assisted the company break from the usage of the old models which required every computer to get configured separately to user rights (Melber, 2004; Microsoft Corporation, 2017).
The company includes the event log settings in its security templates that add a fresh aspect to the system’s ability to regulate all other related systems. Unlike in the past where each computer needed to be configured manually to event log settings, the current versions of windows have all these combined, and it is possible to have all the systems configured with this template at once. These settings can additionally prevent guest users from accessing information that they might not get permission to access. This helps in safeguarding the system’s as well as the personal data security (Microsoft Corporation, 2017; Melber, 2004).
MS Windows has come up with a new template of configuring network services on multiple computers with the introduction of GPOs. This has eliminated the inconveniences caused by the need to configure each computer individually as it was before the Active Directory and GPOs. System services use GPOs to configure network security by applying them to several computers within the GPO and in a dependable style. Also, this template has made it possible to configure system services offline and test them so as they can get rolled out with the GPO (Microsoft Corporation, 2017).
MS Windows had added a feature in the form of a template to its security system that enables the system to configure files and registry keys through security models and gives the user the definitive control over each registry key and file. Through this template, the user can also regulate how authorizations act with the rest of the files and subfolders in the pecking order structure of the registry or file system (Melber, 2004). These templates help in maintaining the security of the system and prevent any malware or cyber-attacks.
In conclusion, MS Windows has instituted security measures that are vital in ensuring the safety of windows OS. The use of security templates ensures that the systems are protected from unauthorized access, malware, and cyber-attacks. The use of the above and many other templates has ensured that despite the global threat of cybercrimes, the company’s products remain safe and secure from any unauthorized access.