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Windows Security Essentials

Windows Security Essentials

$495.00
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What is the Windows Security Essentials course about?

Evaluate the role of the Local Security Authority (LSA), Security Accounts Manager (SAM), and NTLM vs. Kerberos in authentication pathways Analyze the security implications of Windows boot processes, including Secure Boot, UEFI, and Trusted Platform Module (TPM) integration Map Windows security subsystems to organizational threat models, identifying attack surfaces in kernel vs. user mode operations Compare built-in Windows security boundaries (user, session.

What does the Windows Security Essentials cover on foundations of Windows Security Architecture?

Evaluate the role of the Local Security Authority (LSA), Security Accounts Manager (SAM), and NTLM vs. Kerberos in authentication pathways Analyze the security implications of Windows boot processes, including Secure Boot, UEFI, and Trusted Platform Module (TPM) integration Map Windows security subsystems to organizational threat models, identifying attack surfaces in kernel vs. user mode operations Compare built-in Windows security boundaries (user, session.

What does the Windows Security Essentials cover on endpoint Protection and Defense-in-Depth?

Configure and manage Windows Defender Antivirus policies via Group Policy or Intune with centralized reporting Balance real-time protection performance impact against detection efficacy across endpoint workloads Implement Controlled Folder Access to prevent ransomware encryption of critical data Deploy and manage exploit protection rules (EMET successor) for legacy applications with known vulnerabilities Integrate Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC) policies to enforce code integrity.

What does the Windows Security Essentials cover on network Security and Communication Hardening?

Design and enforce host-based firewall rules using Windows Firewall with Advanced Security for server roles Implement IPsec policies to encrypt and authenticate traffic between critical systems Disable or restrict insecure protocols (e.g., SMBv1, NTLM, RPC endpoints) based on application dependencies Configure secure DNS settings, including DNS over HTTPS (DoH) and DNSSEC validation Segment network access using Windows Defender Firewall and Zero Trust.

What does the Windows Security Essentials cover on group Policy and Configuration Governance?

Design Group Policy Object (GPO) inheritance and filtering strategies using WMI and security group filters Implement change control and versioning for GPOs using the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC) and backup procedures Enforce security settings via GPO while managing exceptions for specialized workloads or departments Audit GPO application using Resultant Set of Policy (RSoP) and Group Policy Results in hybrid environments Secure.

What does the Windows Security Essentials cover on privileged Access and Just-Enough-Administration?

Design and deploy Just-Enough-Administration (JEA) endpoints to limit PowerShell command exposure Implement role-capable PowerShell sessions with constrained language mode and logging Configure and audit Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS) for hybrid and on-premises environments Integrate privileged access workstations (PAWs) into administrative workflows with hardware and policy controls Enforce session isolation for privileged users to prevent credential leakage across systems Monitor and alert.

What does the Windows Security Essentials cover on logging, Monitoring, and Incident Response?

Configure advanced audit policies for object access, privilege use, and account management events Centralize and normalize Windows event logs using Windows Event Forwarding (WEF) or third-party SIEM Develop detection rules for common attack patterns (e.g., pass-the-ticket, DCShadow, golden tickets) Preserve forensic integrity of event logs by securing log retention and preventing tampering Correlate Windows security events with endpoint telemetry to identify lateral.

What does the Windows Security Essentials cover on hybrid Identity and Cloud Integration Security?

Configure and audit Azure AD Connect synchronization with password hash sync, pass-through authentication, or federation Implement seamless SSO while mitigating risks of on-premises compromise affecting cloud access Enforce conditional access policies for hybrid users based on device compliance and sign-in risk Manage hybrid Azure AD join and device identity lifecycle across on-premises and cloud Secure service accounts used in hybrid synchronization and.

Closely related courses: Windows Security Center, Windows Security Toolkit, Windows Defender Security Center Toolkit, Windows Defender Security Center.

More answers: what you get with every course, refund policy, all help answers.

This curriculum reflects the scope typically addressed across a full consulting engagement or multi-phase internal transformation initiative.

Foundations of Windows Security Architecture

  • Evaluate the role of the Local Security Authority (LSA), Security Accounts Manager (SAM), and NTLM vs. Kerberos in authentication pathways
  • Analyze the security implications of Windows boot processes, including Secure Boot, UEFI, and Trusted Platform Module (TPM) integration
  • Map Windows security subsystems to organizational threat models, identifying attack surfaces in kernel vs. user mode operations
  • Compare built-in Windows security boundaries (user, session, service) and their enforcement mechanisms
  • Assess risks associated with legacy components such as LLMNR, NetBIOS, and SMBv1 in modern enterprise environments
  • Design security baselines aligned with Microsoft’s Security Compliance Toolkit and CIS Benchmarks
  • Implement and audit Windows Defender Credential Guard to mitigate pass-the-hash and credential theft attacks

Identity and Access Management in Active Directory

  • Design least-privilege group membership strategies using AGDLP/AGUDLP models in multi-domain forests
  • Implement and audit Protected Users group policies to enforce modern authentication requirements
  • Configure fine-grained password policies for high-risk roles without compromising usability
  • Assess risks of excessive domain admin rights and design tiered administrative access models
  • Monitor and remediate Kerberos delegation misconfigurations that enable privilege escalation
  • Plan and execute secure trust relationships between domains and forests, including external and forest trusts
  • Implement Just-In-Time (JIT) administration using Microsoft Identity Manager or Azure AD Privileged Identity Management

Endpoint Protection and Defense-in-Depth

  • Configure and manage Windows Defender Antivirus policies via Group Policy or Intune with centralized reporting
  • Balance real-time protection performance impact against detection efficacy across endpoint workloads
  • Implement Controlled Folder Access to prevent ransomware encryption of critical data
  • Deploy and manage exploit protection rules (EMET successor) for legacy applications with known vulnerabilities
  • Integrate Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC) policies to enforce code integrity and block untrusted executables
  • Configure attack surface reduction (ASR) rules with appropriate exclusions to maintain business continuity
  • Design endpoint detection and response (EDR) onboarding strategies using Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

Network Security and Communication Hardening

  • Design and enforce host-based firewall rules using Windows Firewall with Advanced Security for server roles
  • Implement IPsec policies to encrypt and authenticate traffic between critical systems
  • Disable or restrict insecure protocols (e.g., SMBv1, NTLM, RPC endpoints) based on application dependencies
  • Configure secure DNS settings, including DNS over HTTPS (DoH) and DNSSEC validation
  • Segment network access using Windows Defender Firewall and Zero Trust principles for hybrid environments
  • Monitor and log suspicious network connections using Windows Event Forwarding and SIEM integration
  • Assess the impact of network isolation on legacy applications during security policy rollouts

Group Policy and Configuration Governance

  • Design Group Policy Object (GPO) inheritance and filtering strategies using WMI and security group filters
  • Implement change control and versioning for GPOs using the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC) and backup procedures
  • Enforce security settings via GPO while managing exceptions for specialized workloads or departments
  • Audit GPO application using Resultant Set of Policy (RSoP) and Group Policy Results in hybrid environments
  • Secure GPOs against tampering by restricting permissions on SYSVOL and GPO objects
  • Integrate Desired State Configuration (DSC) with GPO for declarative configuration management at scale
  • Monitor GPO processing failures and latency across distributed domain controllers

Privileged Access and Just-Enough-Administration

  • Design and deploy Just-Enough-Administration (JEA) endpoints to limit PowerShell command exposure
  • Implement role-capable PowerShell sessions with constrained language mode and logging
  • Configure and audit Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS) for hybrid and on-premises environments
  • Integrate privileged access workstations (PAWs) into administrative workflows with hardware and policy controls
  • Enforce session isolation for privileged users to prevent credential leakage across systems
  • Monitor and alert on privileged account usage using Windows Event IDs 4670, 4674, and 4697
  • Evaluate trade-offs between administrative efficiency and security when delegating management tasks

Logging, Monitoring, and Incident Response

  • Configure advanced audit policies for object access, privilege use, and account management events
  • Centralize and normalize Windows event logs using Windows Event Forwarding (WEF) or third-party SIEM
  • Develop detection rules for common attack patterns (e.g., pass-the-ticket, DCShadow, golden tickets)
  • Preserve forensic integrity of event logs by securing log retention and preventing tampering
  • Correlate Windows security events with endpoint telemetry to identify lateral movement
  • Conduct live response investigations using built-in tools (e.g., Task Manager, netstat, PowerShell)
  • Design incident response playbooks specific to Windows-based malware and ransomware outbreaks

Hybrid Identity and Cloud Integration Security

  • Configure and audit Azure AD Connect synchronization with password hash sync, pass-through authentication, or federation
  • Implement seamless SSO while mitigating risks of on-premises compromise affecting cloud access
  • Enforce conditional access policies for hybrid users based on device compliance and sign-in risk
  • Manage hybrid Azure AD join and device identity lifecycle across on-premises and cloud
  • Secure service accounts used in hybrid synchronization and application integrations
  • Monitor and respond to anomalous sign-in activities using Azure AD Identity Protection
  • Plan for identity resilience by designing failover and recovery procedures for identity systems

Security Automation and Operational Resilience

  • Develop PowerShell scripts to automate security configuration checks and remediation tasks
  • Implement secure scripting practices, including module signing, execution policy enforcement, and script block logging
  • Integrate Windows security controls with IT service management (ITSM) tools for ticketing and change tracking
  • Design patch management workflows balancing security urgency with system availability
  • Conduct periodic security posture assessments using Microsoft Secure Score and Attack Surface Analyzer
  • Simulate attack scenarios using red team tools to validate defensive configurations
  • Establish metrics for security effectiveness, including mean time to detect (MTTD) and mean time to respond (MTTR)
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