Securing Windows 2000 Servers Resource Guide

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  1. Configure Automatic Updates to automatically notify you of the availability of new security fixes. If possible, configure Automatic Updates to automatically download updates and install them without manual intervention. For more control over updates, use Microsoft Software Update Services, Microsoft Systems Management Server, or a similar solution to reduce the labor associated with deploying patches.

  2. Keep up with the latest security patches by using the Security Bulletins Search.

  3. Follow the Microsoft Windows 2000 Server Hardening Guide.

  4. Update your anti-virus tools and signature files from viruses. Check out the Virus Alerts regularly.

  5. Read Securing Windows 2000 Server, Security Operations Guide for Windows 2000 Server.

  6. Use the Baseline Security Analyzer to scan and evaluate the security of your system.

  7. To secure your Web servers (IIS 5.0), see the IIS 5.0 Resource Guide.

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Ongoing Security Maintenance
Additional Security Resources

Ongoing Security Maintenance

Without ongoing maintenance, your system can become vulnerable to new forms of attacks. Further, the security of your system will degrade over time due to human error of administrators managing the system. Follow these recommended steps on a regular basis:

  1. Use the Baseline Security Analyzer regularly to scan and evaluate the security of your system.

  2. Subscribe to the Microsoft Security Notification Service. This is a free email notification service that Microsoft uses to send information to subscribers about the security of Microsoft products.

  3. Use the Microsoft Update Web site to check for the latest Recommended and Critical updates.

  4. Configure Automatic Updates to automatically notify you of the availability of new security fixes. If possible, configure Automatic Updates to automatically download updates and install them without manual intervention. For more control over updates, use Microsoft Software Update Services, Microsoft Systems Management Server, or a similar solution to reduce the labor associated with deploying patches.

  5. As new security fixes become available, it is important to apply these new fixes. Microsoft has created the Qchain tool to chain hotfixes together in order for only one reboot to be required when installing several fixes.

Additional Security Resources