3. Excessive Access: Excessive access refers to the unnecessary granting of access to a user. This can happen due to various reasons, such as poor security policies, inadequate security controls, or poor user management. Excessive access increases the risk of unauthorized access, data leakage, or misuse of resources.
4. Applications Will Not Load: This issue occurs when an application fails to start or load properly. This can happen due to various reasons, such as incorrect configuration, missing files, or dependency issues. Some common solutions to this issue are to check application logs, verify the configuration, and ensure all required dependencies are installed.
5. Cannot Access Network Fileshares: Network file share access issues occur when users cannot access shared files over the network. This can happen due to various reasons, such as incorrect network configuration, incorrect share permissions, or authentication issues. To solve this problem, administrators need to verify network settings, check share permissions, and ensure correct user authentication.
6. Unable to Open Files: This issue occurs when a user cannot open files due to various reasons, such as file corruption, missing files, or incorrect permissions. To solve this problem, administrators need to check file permissions, verify the integrity of the file, and ensure all required dependencies are installed.
Causes of common problems
Open ports: Open ports on the server may allow unauthorized access to the system, which can lead to security breaches and data theft.
Services:
i. Active: Active services that are not needed may introduce unnecessary security risks to the system. Attackers can exploit vulnerabilities in these services to gain unauthorized access to the system.
ii. Inactive: Inactive services that are not properly configured or removed may leave the system vulnerable to attacks.
iii. Orphan/zombie: Orphan or zombie services are those that are left running even though they are no longer needed. These services can consume resources and introduce security risks to the system.
Intrusion detection configurations: Improperly configured intrusion detection systems can lead to false positives or false negatives, which can lead to security breaches or missed security events.
Anti-malware configurations: Improperly configured anti-malware software may not detect and remove all types of malware, leaving the system vulnerable to attack.
Improperly configured local/group policies:
Improperly configured local/group policies can lead to unauthorized access or changes to the system, which can compromise security.
Improperly configured firewall rules: Improperly configured firewall rules may allow unauthorized access to the system, which can compromise security.
Misconfigured permissions: Misconfigured permissions may allow unauthorized access to sensitive files or data, leading to data theft or other security breaches.
Virus infection: Virus infections can compromise the security of the system and may allow unauthorized access to sensitive data.
Malware: Malware can compromise the security of the system, steal sensitive data, or allow unauthorized access to the system.
Rogue processes/services: Rogue processes or services may be used to gain unauthorized access to the system or steal sensitive data.
Data loss prevention (DLP): Improperly configured DLP systems may not properly protect sensitive data, leading to data loss or theft.
Explain the following Security tools
Port scanners: Port scanners are security tools that allow system administrators to identify open network ports on a target system. This information can be useful in identifying potential security vulnerabilities or in configuring firewalls and other security measures to block unauthorized access.
Sniffers: Sniffers, also known as network analyzers or packet sniffers, are security tools that capture and analyze network traffic in real time. These tools can be used to monitor network activity for security breaches or to troubleshoot network issues.
Telnet clients: Telnet clients are software applications that allow remote access to servers and other network devices using the Telnet protocol. Telnet is an insecure protocol that transmits login credentials in clear text, so it is generally not recommended for use over untrusted networks.
Anti-malware: Anti-malware software is designed to detect and remove malicious software, such as viruses, worms, and Trojans, from computers and networks. This software typically includes real-time scanning and virus definition updates to stay current with the latest threats.
Antivirus: Antivirus software is a type of anti-malware that specifically targets viruses. Antivirus software typically uses a combination of signature-based detection, behavioral analysis, and heuristics to identify and remove viruses from infected systems.
File Integrity
File integrity refers to the completeness and accuracy of files stored on a system. Maintaining file integrity is essential for security purposes as it ensures that files have not been tampered with, corrupted or modified without authorization. Some tools and techniques used for file integrity are:
Checksums: A checksum is a mathematical algorithm that generates a unique value for a file. By comparing checksums of a file before and after modification, one can determine if any changes have been made to the file.
Monitoring: File monitoring involves the continuous monitoring of files to detect any unauthorized changes. This can be done using various file monitoring tools and techniques.
Detection: File integrity detection involves the detection of any file tampering or unauthorized modification using various detection tools.
Enforcement: File integrity enforcement involves the use of various security measures such as access controls, file permissions, and auditing to prevent unauthorized file modifications.
User Access Controls
User access controls are security measures used to restrict access to system resources and data. User access controls are essential for maintaining the security of a system and preventing unauthorized access.
Two common user access controls are:
SELinux: SELinux (Security-Enhanced Linux) is a Linux kernel security module that provides a mechanism for enforcing access control policies. SELinux is designed to protect the system against malicious or compromised applications by enforcing access control policies at the system level.
User Account Control (UAC): UAC is a security feature in Microsoft Windows that limits the user's access to system resources and data. UAC prompts the user to provide their credentials before allowing access to certain system resources, such as installing new software, making system-wide changes, or modifying important system files. UAC helps prevent unauthorized changes to the system, ensuring the integrity and security of the system.
5. Summary
Server administration refers to the management and maintenance of servers, which are the backbone of many organizations' IT infrastructure. It involves configuring, securing, monitoring, and troubleshooting servers to ensure they perform optimally, are available, and secure.
Server administration includes tasks such as installing and configuring operating systems, managing user accounts and access control, setting up and maintaining network services, installing and updating software, managing backups and disaster recovery, monitoring system performance, and responding to security threats and vulnerabilities.
To carry out these tasks, server administrators use a variety of tools and techniques such as command-line tools, graphical user interfaces, scripts, monitoring software, security tools, and networking tools. They must also stay up to date with the latest security threats, patches, and updates to ensure the servers they manage are secure and reliable.
Overall, server administration is a critical function that ensures the smooth running of an organization's IT infrastructure and supports the delivery of essential services and applications.
