Windows Server 2003: Secure By Default

Microsoft has made security the focal point of its Windows Server 2003 publicity, especially the publicity that's targeted toward IT professionals. Windows 2003 marketing materials tout Bill Gates's challenge to Microsoft employees in January 2002 to develop a Trustworthy Computing initiative, and product managers and developers from the Windows 2003 security team are taking center stage to convince IT audiences that Microsoft has radically changed the security philosophy of its Windows OSs.

Some of the changes announced with Windows 2003 are completely new functions, such as the Software Restriction Policy (SRP), which can prevent the execution of unapproved applications on any member of a domain. Just as important, though, are changes to existing security mechanisms and OS configuration standards. A key goal in the Trustworthy Computing initiative is to be secure by default. In other words, you shouldn't have to manually harden the OS by tweaking applications and the registry before you can safely deploy the system. . . .