Running Head: ACTIVE DIRECTORY i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i 1
Wk 3 - Apply: Access Control and PKI
CYB 205 – Infrastructure Administration
ACTIVE DIRECTORY i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i 2
Explain the types of information that can be stored in an Active Directory user record.
Active Directory refers to the directory that encompasses the listing of objects. It is
responsible for storing information pertaining to organizations, computer systems, users and
other details. The active directory also has the ability to record a diverse range of information
relating to other objects. It basically relies on a standard protocol that is ultimately responsible
for the storage purpose (Algorithms and cryptography, 2020). Some of the main types of
information that can be stored in the Active Directory user record include name, address,
phone number, email id and other personal details relating to the users.
What are some of the additional tabs that are available in the Active Directory Users and
Computers "Advanced Features" mode?
The Active Directory has a number of tabs that are available for the users and computers in the
Advanced Feature mode. Some of them are password expiry, password last set, user account
control, last logon or log off, etc. In the user record of the Active Directory there exist a
number of advanced features such as password replication, advanced certificates, attribute
editor as well as object security.
What are some of the specific challenges and risks associated with account management
in a large infrastructure?
A number of challenges and risks exist relating to account management in a large
infrastructure. Some of the main issues relate to controlling and resetting of passwords, and
identity management i.e. knowing that the caller is who they say they are. These are some of
the fundamental challenges that need to be taken care of in a large infrastructure. As the scope
of account management is pretty large in nature, there is the need to adopt an end-to-end risk
management assessment approach instead of simply making some kind of modifications in the
existing protocols and procedures (Algorithms and cryptography, 2020).
ACTIVE DIRECTORY i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i 3
How can inadequate access controls or access management leave critical information
vulnerable?
Inadequate access controls or access management has the ability to leave critical information
in a vulnerable state. For instance, if there does not exist an appropriate access management
system, one of the main issues that could arise is the loss of security. Security exists in diverse
forms such as the accessibility of an employee. This aspect needs to be managed by taking
into consideration their position, functions and responsibilities in the organization at a specific
point in time. Another serious issue that is associated with the adoption of incorrect access
management revolves around compliance and audit issues. Before making changes such as the
removal of the access of organizational personnel at any point in time, it is necessary to
properly check the concurrency of data. i i
What protections does encryption offer and how important is key management to
keeping any encryption system secured?
Proper key management plays a cardinal role to keep an encryption system secure. Private and
public keys are instrumental when it comes to providing security and thus these keys improve
the level of complexity. These keys need to be optimally used in an organization setting as
they encourage the encryption of data which boosts its level of security. Proper key
management ensures that there is a public key that is used to encrypt data and a private key
that is used to decrypt or decode the encrypted data (Algorithms and cryptography, 2020).
ACTIVE DIRECTORY i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i 4
Consider a cloud-hosted Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) environment with many users
accessing these systems from all over the world. What advantages or challenges might
there be managing these identities and associated keys?
In a cloud-hosted Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) environment with many users accessing
these systems from all over the world various kinds of challenges arise relating to the
management of identities as well as associated keys in such an environment. A major
challenge while managing associated keys is the lack of proper iteration between a client and
the top team of the contractor. Some of the benefits of cloud-hosted IaaS include practical risk
activation, on-site visual management as well as change management (Algorithms and
cryptography, 2020).
How the tools and processes demonstrated in the lab might be used by an infrastructure
administrator to help secure an environment
The tools and processes that were covered in this week’s lab can be used by an infrastructure
administrator to strengthen the security of an IT environment. The tools can also be used by
security professionals and industrial experts to enhance software security level as they can be
used for measuring security in the economics relating to insecure software.
ACTIVE DIRECTORY i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i i 5
References
Algorithms and cryptography. (2020).
http://www.physics.udel.edu/~msafrono/650/Lecture%207.pdf.
Cobb, M. (2011, August 8). Best practices for audit, log review for IT security investigations.
ComputerWeekly.com. https://www.computerweekly.com/tip/Best-practices-for-audit-
log-review-for-IT-security-investigations.
