Chapter 13. Account Policies and Audit Policies

This chapter covers the following subjects: Use of Group Policy to Configure Security: Intruders often attempt to crack user accounts and their passwords to gain access to your network. Policies that serve to require strong passwords and lock accounts out when too many incorrect passwords are entered improve your network’s security. This section shows you how to use Group Policy to configure policies that improve the security of Active Directory accounts and passwords, including the new fine-grained password policies that enable you to set different policies for portions of a domain. Auditing of Active Directory Services: Auditing lets you record actions that take place across your domain, including attempts to access user accounts and resources. This section shows you how to use Group Policy to set up policies that effectively track these types of activities on your network.

Chapter 11, “Creating and Applying Group Policy Objects,” showed you how Group Policy works and how to set up Group Policy objects (GPOs) to configure various aspects of the Windows computing environment. You have also learned about Group Policy succession and how you can modify the sequence in which GPOs are applied and its effect when policy settings conflict with one another. Chapter 12, “Group Policy Software Deployment,” then turned your attention to the use of Group Policy to maintain a consistent software environment where users and computers receive a well-regulated set of software applications that can be modified and upgraded as required, as well as the removal of outdated software. This chapter focuses on the use of Group Policy to create and enforce a secure computing environment that protects your computers and data from whatever the bad guys might attempt to throw at you.