This 70-297 exam of mcse certification consists of Multiple Choice, Hot Area, Drag, and Drop, Build list and reorder, and Build a Tree questions. The MCSE 2003 can be adaptive and simulation questions might be asked. This test includes Case study type questions. You will be required to attempt approximately 50 questions in 150 minutes. To pass, you need a score of 700. To know more about this exam please read the following : Everything you want to know about 70-297 exam. Download 70-297 practice test.
The exam guide for the Microsoft Windows 2003 Design Active Directory test measures an individual's ability to analyze the business requirements and to design a directory service architecture including unified directory services, such as Active Directory and Windows NT/2000 domains connectivity between and within systems, system components, and applications data replication, such as directory replication and database replication. In addition, the 70-297 test measures the skills required for analyzing the business and technical requirements for desktop management, designing a solution for desktop management that meets business requirements, designing a directory service architecture, and designing service locations.By using MCSE Certification, you must be able to pass the exam and provide yourself with better job opportunities.
70-297 test prepares you for various job roles, which include: systems engineer, systems administrator, network administrator, information systems administrator, technical support engineers, systems analysts, network analysts and technical consultants. If you would like to know more about the Windows Server 2003 Design Active Directory 70-297 test please visit the Microsoft website.
This 70-297 exam is appropriate for you if you are working or want to work in a typically complex computing environment of medium-to-large organizations. There are no specific prerequisites for this test, although it is recommended that you should have at least one year of experience in implementing and administering network operating systems in network environments.
Now you don't need to spend your time and money searching for 70-297 study materials, 70-297 books, 70-297 PDF, etc. This 70-297 tutorial kit contains everything you need to get certified. Just follow the instructions, focus on the free Microsoft practice IT questions and getting certified will be easy.
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January 14, 2011
January 12, 2011
Microsoft releases three security bulletins for September
Microsoft released three security bulletins for September's Patch Tuesday, but only one is critical. The other two bulletins patch more minor threats. However, Redmond has yet to release a patch for the known Word 2000 vulnerability, which attackers are already exploiting.
Details
Well, Microsoft is taking it easy on us at the end of summer, releasing only three security updates for this month. Even the critical threat should have relatively minor impact on many businesses because it mainly affects Microsoft Publisher. However, readers should note that other Microsoft Office applications use some of the affected files, which can cause some minor problems.
MS06-054
Microsoft Security Bulletin MS06-054, "Vulnerability in Microsoft Publisher Could Allow Remote Code Execution," is only a critical threat for users of Office Publisher 2000 Service Pack 3. While this threat also affects Office Publisher 2002 SP3, Office Publisher 2003 SP1, and Office Publisher SP2, it is only an important threat for these versions.
This is a newly reported threat, and there have been no reports of exploits in the wild (CVE-2006-0001). The only workaround is to refrain from opening or saving Publisher files obtained from untrusted sources.
Note: An update to MS06-054 indicates that installing the update will prevent users from accessing Publisher 2.0 files. For more details, see Microsoft Knowledge Base article 924685.
In addition, keep in mind that even though the patch will block attacks exploiting this vector, opening a malformed Publisher file (such as one designed to exploit the vulnerability) after installing the patch can still cause a system crash.
If your organization doesn't use Publisher, it isn't important that you apply the update for security reasons. But if you have Publisher installed and don't install the update, you can expect to get periodic reminders about updating the affected files.
MS06-053
Microsoft Security Bulletin MS06-053, "Vulnerability in Indexing Service Could Allow Cross-Site Scripting," addresses a moderate to low threat caused by a query validation error (CVE-2006-0032). This is a moderate threat for Windows 2000 SP4, Windows XP SP1, and Windows SP2, but it's only a low threat for Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2003 SP1.
This is a newly discovered vulnerability, and there have been no reports of exploits in the wild. This bulletin replaces Microsoft Security Bulletin MS05-003 for Windows XP SP1 and Windows Server 2003.
Because this threat only applies to Internet Information Services (IIS), there should be no impact for many users; Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 don't install or enable IIS by default. Read the security bulletin to learn about available workarounds; the most useful one is to simply remove or disable the Indexing Service if it isn't necessary.
MS06-052
Microsoft Security Bulletin MS06-052, "Vulnerability in Pragmatic General Multicast (PGM) Could Allow Remote Code Execution," is an important threat that affects Windows XP SP1 and Windows XP SP2 only. This is a privately reported vulnerability, and there have been no reports of active exploits (CVE-2006-3442).
The Pragmatic General Multicast protocol is only present on systems with Microsoft Message Queuing version 3.0 installed, which isn't part of the default installation. Using firewall best practices should block attacks trying to exploit this vulnerability, but Microsoft reports no known workarounds.
Updates to previously released security bulletins
* Microsoft Security Bulletin MS06-040: Originally released in August, version 2.0 addresses patch problems with Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP Professional x64, as described in Knowledge Base article 921883.
* Microsoft Security Bulletin MS06-042: Also released in August, this Internet Explorer cumulative update has now reached version 3.0, a necessary step to fix a number of problems with the patches.
Details
Well, Microsoft is taking it easy on us at the end of summer, releasing only three security updates for this month. Even the critical threat should have relatively minor impact on many businesses because it mainly affects Microsoft Publisher. However, readers should note that other Microsoft Office applications use some of the affected files, which can cause some minor problems.
MS06-054
Microsoft Security Bulletin MS06-054, "Vulnerability in Microsoft Publisher Could Allow Remote Code Execution," is only a critical threat for users of Office Publisher 2000 Service Pack 3. While this threat also affects Office Publisher 2002 SP3, Office Publisher 2003 SP1, and Office Publisher SP2, it is only an important threat for these versions.
This is a newly reported threat, and there have been no reports of exploits in the wild (CVE-2006-0001). The only workaround is to refrain from opening or saving Publisher files obtained from untrusted sources.
Note: An update to MS06-054 indicates that installing the update will prevent users from accessing Publisher 2.0 files. For more details, see Microsoft Knowledge Base article 924685.
In addition, keep in mind that even though the patch will block attacks exploiting this vector, opening a malformed Publisher file (such as one designed to exploit the vulnerability) after installing the patch can still cause a system crash.
If your organization doesn't use Publisher, it isn't important that you apply the update for security reasons. But if you have Publisher installed and don't install the update, you can expect to get periodic reminders about updating the affected files.
MS06-053
Microsoft Security Bulletin MS06-053, "Vulnerability in Indexing Service Could Allow Cross-Site Scripting," addresses a moderate to low threat caused by a query validation error (CVE-2006-0032). This is a moderate threat for Windows 2000 SP4, Windows XP SP1, and Windows SP2, but it's only a low threat for Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2003 SP1.
This is a newly discovered vulnerability, and there have been no reports of exploits in the wild. This bulletin replaces Microsoft Security Bulletin MS05-003 for Windows XP SP1 and Windows Server 2003.
Because this threat only applies to Internet Information Services (IIS), there should be no impact for many users; Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 don't install or enable IIS by default. Read the security bulletin to learn about available workarounds; the most useful one is to simply remove or disable the Indexing Service if it isn't necessary.
MS06-052
Microsoft Security Bulletin MS06-052, "Vulnerability in Pragmatic General Multicast (PGM) Could Allow Remote Code Execution," is an important threat that affects Windows XP SP1 and Windows XP SP2 only. This is a privately reported vulnerability, and there have been no reports of active exploits (CVE-2006-3442).
The Pragmatic General Multicast protocol is only present on systems with Microsoft Message Queuing version 3.0 installed, which isn't part of the default installation. Using firewall best practices should block attacks trying to exploit this vulnerability, but Microsoft reports no known workarounds.
Updates to previously released security bulletins
* Microsoft Security Bulletin MS06-040: Originally released in August, version 2.0 addresses patch problems with Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP Professional x64, as described in Knowledge Base article 921883.
* Microsoft Security Bulletin MS06-042: Also released in August, this Internet Explorer cumulative update has now reached version 3.0, a necessary step to fix a number of problems with the patches.
January 10, 2011
Get IT Done: Protect Windows servers with Microsoft Security Resource Kit
Since the announcement of its Trustworthy Computing initiative, Microsoft has released a plethora of utilities designed to help administrators keep their Windows systems secure. Keeping track of everything that has been released as well as keeping up with regular updating and patching of Windows systems can be a major challenge. Fortunately, Microsoft has made it easier with the release of the Microsoft Security Resource Kit, a CD-ROM containing nearly all of the security utilities the company has released. The kit is free, and you can order it from Microsoft.
I'm going to show you what it includes and how it can help you lock down Windows servers.
What's in there?
The kit is divided into four sections:
* Security Resources
* Security Tools
* Infrastructure
* Desktop Security
Figure A provides a look at the welcome screen.
Figure A
Microsoft Security Resource Kit main screen
The Security Resources section includes PDF documents with detailed explanations for securing Microsoft servers, as well as links to security information on Microsoft’s Web site.
The Security Tools section contains items such as the Security Update Server, the IIS Lockdown Tool 2.1, QChain.exe, the Microsoft Network Security Hotfix Checker (hfnetchk.exe), and the most recent Windows 2000 security rollup package. Table A lists the software components included with the kit.
Table A Security Update Server Allows administrators to automatically apply updates to their Windows servers. Make sure that you carefully go over and understand any licensing and end user license agreements (EULA) that come with the Security Update Server, as well as the packages it installs. Certain provisions in recent Microsoft recent EULAs—especially those with Windows XP SP1 and Windows 2000 SP3—essentially allow Microsoft access to your systems.
Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer This utility looks at Windows servers, including SQL Server and Exchange, in an effort to identify potential security misconfigurations.
IIS Lockdown Tool 2.1 This tool secures the ever-vulnerable IIS Web server.
QChain.exe This one allows you to install multiple hotfixes with a single command.
Microsoft Network Security Hotfix Checker This utility identifies the hotfixes that have not been applied to your servers.
Software components of the security resource kit
White papers in the Infrastructure section
The kit excels in providing detailed security information. Dozens of white papers on products including Windows, IIS, Exchange, ISA Server, and SMS are included. The topics are all security related and provide excellent information on best practices for deploying those systems and their components.
The Exchange section contains information on protecting an Exchange server from viruses and an overview of the product's security features.
The Windows 2000 section is an invaluable resource for administrators who are serious about security and includes information on PKI, cryptography, Kerberos, IPSec, the Encrypting File System (EFS), and distributed security servers, as well as on how these services are related to and deployed in Windows environments. Having all of these white papers in one place makes life easier for administrators. You'll also find white papers on additional topics, such as smart cards, single sign-on, and certificate services.
The ISA Server section offers white papers and case studies on deploying that firewall and caching product, including a how-to on using ISA to protect against the Code Red and Nimda worms. The IIS and SMS sections contain best practices white papers for those products.
Obviously, white papers alone will not protect your environment from threats. But you can glean some great tips and security practices that will help you to keep security tight and controlled.
It’s convenient to have all of these white papers in one place, especially since, at times, I have found it difficult and frustrating to find these types of resources on Microsoft’s Web site.
A demo is worth a thousand words
Also included in the kit are a number of demos and animations depicting how certain services function. Call me simple, but I like these kinds of demonstrations, especially when I need to explain to the CEO what it is that some of these services do. Figure B shows a screen shot from the Software Update Services animation.
Figure B
Software Update Services at work
Secure the desktop
This toolkit doesn't focus only on server security. One section is devoted to security on the desktop, and on Windows XP and Office XP in particular. You'll find a number of white papers and demos on how to best secure these potential weak points of infrastructure security.
Final take
The Microsoft Security Resource Kit is essential for almost any Windows administrator because it provides an abundance of security-related information in one place and across all of Microsoft’s commonly deployed products.
I especially like the inclusion of nearly every security utility available, along with the selection of white papers that offer security tips and best practices. Most of all, having all of this stuff in one place is bound to save a lot of time for administrators, who would otherwise have to search the Internet, follow various links, and download each of these tools and documents individually.
I would have liked to see other servers, such as SQL Server, covered a little more thoroughly in this kit. Nevertheless, this is an excellent resource that will help you plug some of the holes that continually arise in Microsoft products.
Your can order the kit here. Again, it is free. Even shipping is included, unless you want the kit rushed, in which case shipping is $5.95.Since the announcement of its Trustworthy Computing initiative, Microsoft has released a plethora of utilities designed to help administrators keep their Windows systems secure. Keeping track of everything that has been released as well as keeping up with regular updating and patching of Windows systems can be a major challenge. Fortunately, Microsoft has made it easier with the release of the Microsoft Security Resource Kit, a CD-ROM containing nearly all of the security utilities the company has released. The kit is free, and you can order it from Microsoft.
I'm going to show you what it includes and how it can help you lock down Windows servers.
What's in there?
The kit is divided into four sections:
* Security Resources
* Security Tools
* Infrastructure
* Desktop Security
Figure A provides a look at the welcome screen.
Figure A
Microsoft Security Resource Kit main screen
The Security Resources section includes PDF documents with detailed explanations for securing Microsoft servers, as well as links to security information on Microsoft’s Web site.
The Security Tools section contains items such as the Security Update Server, the IIS Lockdown Tool 2.1, QChain.exe, the Microsoft Network Security Hotfix Checker (hfnetchk.exe), and the most recent Windows 2000 security rollup package. Table A lists the software components included with the kit.
Table A Security Update Server Allows administrators to automatically apply updates to their Windows servers. Make sure that you carefully go over and understand any licensing and end user license agreements (EULA) that come with the Security Update Server, as well as the packages it installs. Certain provisions in recent Microsoft recent EULAs—especially those with Windows XP SP1 and Windows 2000 SP3—essentially allow Microsoft access to your systems.
Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer This utility looks at Windows servers, including SQL Server and Exchange, in an effort to identify potential security misconfigurations.
IIS Lockdown Tool 2.1 This tool secures the ever-vulnerable IIS Web server.
QChain.exe This one allows you to install multiple hotfixes with a single command.
Microsoft Network Security Hotfix Checker This utility identifies the hotfixes that have not been applied to your servers.
Software components of the security resource kit
White papers in the Infrastructure section
The kit excels in providing detailed security information. Dozens of white papers on products including Windows, IIS, Exchange, ISA Server, and SMS are included. The topics are all security related and provide excellent information on best practices for deploying those systems and their components.
The Exchange section contains information on protecting an Exchange server from viruses and an overview of the product's security features.
The Windows 2000 section is an invaluable resource for administrators who are serious about security and includes information on PKI, cryptography, Kerberos, IPSec, the Encrypting File System (EFS), and distributed security servers, as well as on how these services are related to and deployed in Windows environments. Having all of these white papers in one place makes life easier for administrators. You'll also find white papers on additional topics, such as smart cards, single sign-on, and certificate services.
The ISA Server section offers white papers and case studies on deploying that firewall and caching product, including a how-to on using ISA to protect against the Code Red and Nimda worms. The IIS and SMS sections contain best practices white papers for those products.
Obviously, white papers alone will not protect your environment from threats. But you can glean some great tips and security practices that will help you to keep security tight and controlled.
It’s convenient to have all of these white papers in one place, especially since, at times, I have found it difficult and frustrating to find these types of resources on Microsoft’s Web site.
A demo is worth a thousand words
Also included in the kit are a number of demos and animations depicting how certain services function. Call me simple, but I like these kinds of demonstrations, especially when I need to explain to the CEO what it is that some of these services do. Figure B shows a screen shot from the Software Update Services animation.
Figure B
Software Update Services at work
Secure the desktop
This toolkit doesn't focus only on server security. One section is devoted to security on the desktop, and on Windows XP and Office XP in particular. You'll find a number of white papers and demos on how to best secure these potential weak points of infrastructure security.
Final take
The Microsoft Security Resource Kit is essential for almost any Windows administrator because it provides an abundance of security-related information in one place and across all of Microsoft’s commonly deployed products.
I especially like the inclusion of nearly every security utility available, along with the selection of white papers that offer security tips and best practices. Most of all, having all of this stuff in one place is bound to save a lot of time for administrators, who would otherwise have to search the Internet, follow various links, and download each of these tools and documents individually.
I would have liked to see other servers, such as SQL Server, covered a little more thoroughly in this kit. Nevertheless, this is an excellent resource that will help you plug some of the holes that continually arise in Microsoft products.
Your can order the kit here. Again, it is free. Even shipping is included, unless you want the kit rushed, in which case shipping is $5.95.
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