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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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)