How To Secure a Windows 2003 Server

This article explains how to secure a Windows 2003 server. The following tips are essential in making the Windows 2003 server secure.

1. The easiest way to make Windows 2003 secure is to keep it up to date by installing updates regularly.
2. By installing anti-virus software, you can make the Windows 2003 server more secure from the majority of viruses. Do not forget to install the updates for anti-viruses regularly. Once you have installed the anti-virus software on the server, then distribute it to the clients of that server. It will ensure a tight security against spyware, which not only slows down the computers but also steals important information from credit cards.
3. A Windows 2003 server has a very secure way to control server access. All potential server services are turned off by default. You can enable them. In "Programs\Administrative Tools" a tool named "Manage your Server" is found which can be used to configure the basic services. It is also used to assign roles to your server, for example a web server, DNS server, etc.
4. Another way to enhance the Security of a Windows 2003 server is to install the "Service pack 1" and "Security Configuration Wizard" because "Microsoft Service Pack 1" provides many security enhancements and tools for the Windows 2003 server. The most important security tools for a Windows 2003 server are the "server firewall" and "Security Configuration Wizard." To install the "Security Configuration Wizard", move to "add remove program" and select "Security Configuration Wizard." Check the box. It will make the Security Configuration Wizard available in the "administrative tools" section of the "control panel." The main purpose of the Security Configuration Wizard is to supply a way to check the server's security. You can use GUI to manage the server settings and command line option "scw.exe," which enables you to make group policy objects.
5. It is always a good idea to use firewalls, the campus firewall and the server firewall protection. If you have a server firewall running on a Windows 2003 server and it is configured properly, then it will reduce a major amount of network traffic able to reach your server and all the systems connected to it. The major advantage of a campus firewall is that it provides security to the server by imposing certain restrictions on the systems attached with the server.
6. Password protection is very essential when there are multiple numbers of users of any computer or a computer is attached with a network.
7. By disabling the guest account, you can prevent an authorized access of your system. To disable the guest account, select "Manage" by right clicking on "My Computer," then in "Local Users and Groups," make sure that the guest account is disabled. A red X will be visible over the corner of the icon.
8. Make sure that the administrative account is not used by most of the users in their daily work because it is the most powerful account of Windows and administrators should only use it for specific purposes like patching the system or installing new hardware, etc.
9. It is recommended to use NTFS instead of FAT from a security viewpoint so if necessary, convert your disk partitions to NTFS.