Security Configuration Manager

Introduction

Welcome to the Security Configuration Manager Practice Lab. In this module you will be provided with the instructions and devices needed to develop your hands-on skills.

Learning Outcomes

In this module, you will complete the following exercises:

• Exercise 1 - Install Prerequisites for Security Configuration Manager
• Exercise 2 - Install and Manage Security Configuration Manager

After completing this lab, you will be able to:

• Install Security Configuration Manager
• Manage security baselines with Security Configuration Manager

Exam Objectives

The following exam objectives are covered in this lab:

• Understand dedicated firewalls - Security Compliance Manager; security baselines

Lab Duration

It will take approximately 30 minutes to complete this lab.

Exercise 1 - Install Prerequisites for SCM

Security Configuration Manager or SCM is a free tool that administrators can use to secure computers in a corporate network. SCM is a Microsoft Solution Accelerator which automates administrative tasks to help secure computers.

Baselines also known as security templates are included with a standard install of SCM. The baselines contain Microsoft security guidelines and best practices to follow when specific security setting need to be applied to a server. For example, SCM has baselines for Windows Server 2008 and 2012, Windows 7, 8. Exchange Server 2007 and 2010. The latest baselines for Windows Server 2016 and Windows 10 are not included with the regular installation and will have to be downloaded separately from within the SCM application.

Learning Outcomes

After completing this exercise, you will be able to:

• Install Security Configuration Manager

Exercise 2 - Install and Manage Security Configuration Manager

With SCM installed it will provide Microsoft security guides called as baselines. These baselines provide a starting point from which to deploy new settings on Windows devices. The included baselines are specific to Windows Server 2008/2012, Windows 7/8, Exchange 2007/2010 and Internet Explorer.

After successfully installing .NET Framework 2.0/3.0 and SQL Server 2012 Express, you will be installing Security Configuration Manager on PLABDM01. In this exercise, you will import GPOs that were backed up earlier and use the GPOs to compare it with the supplied baselines in SCM. Similarly, you will learn how to merge the baselines, export them to a file and apply them to a computer using GPO.

Learning Outcomes

After completing this exercise, you will be able to:

• Manage security baselines with Security Configuration Manager