Security Templates overview

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

Security Templates overview

With the Security Templates snap-in for Microsoft Management Console, you can create a security policy for your computer or for your network. It is a single point of entry where the full range of system security can be taken into account. The Security Templates snap-in does not introduce new security parameters, it simply organizes all existing security attributes into one place to ease security administration.

Importing a security template to a Group Policy object eases domain administration by configuring security for a domain or organizational unit at once. For more information, see Import a security template to a Group Policy object.

In order to apply a security template to your local computer, you can use Security configuration and analysis or the Secedit command-line tool. For more information, see Configure local computer security.

Security templates can be used to define:

• Account Policies

  • Password Policy

  • Account Lockout Policy

  • Kerberos Policy

• Local Policies

  • Audit Policy

  • User Rights Assignment

  • Security Options

• Event log: Application, system, and security Event Log settings

• Restricted Groups: Membership of security-sensitive groups

• System Services security settings: Startup and permissions for system services

• Registry security settings: Permissions for registry keys

• File System security settings: Permissions for folders and files

Each template is saved as a text-based .inf file. This enables you to copy, paste, import, or export some or all of the template attributes. With the exceptions of Internet Protocol security and public key policies, all security attributes can be contained in a security template.

New and predefined templates

With each member of the Microsoft® Windows Server 2003 family or with the Microsoft® Windows® XP operating system, there are a set of predefined templates created for different levels of security to suit your organization.

There are several predefined templates that can help you to secure your system based on your needs, these templates are for:

• Reapplying default settings.

• Implementing a highly secure environment.

• Implementing a less secure but more compatible environment.

• Securing the systemroot.

For more information, see Predefined security templates.

The Setup security.inf template allows you to reapply default security settings. This template is created during setup for each computer and must be applied locally.

You can create a new security template with your own preferences or use one of the predefined security templates. Before making any changes to your security settings you should understand what the default settings of your system are and what they mean.

For more information about Security Templates, see Security Templates.