{"id":6436,"date":"2020-02-04T23:05:43","date_gmt":"2020-02-04T23:05:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.n-able.com\/?p=6436"},"modified":"2021-07-13T10:39:19","modified_gmt":"2021-07-13T09:39:19","slug":"token-based-authentication","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.n-able.com\/de\/blog\/token-based-authentication","title":{"rendered":"Group Policy Management and Troubleshooting Best Practices"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cybersecurity has defined the tech space over the past decade, and\u00a0we don\u2019t anticipate that changing any time soon. It\u2019s likely cybersecurity threats will only get more advanced in 2020 as the digital landscape continues to evolve, and customers will become even more concerned about the security of their devices. Managed services providers (MSPs) will need to make sure their cybersecurity threat and data breach protocols are up to the challenge.<\/p>\n

Luckily, we\u2019ve seen a lot of MSPs take big steps in the right direction.\u00a0Two-factor authentication (2FA)<\/a>, for example, is a great way for MSPs to encourage their customers to add an additional layer of security to their personal devices. What else can you do to\u00a0improve operational security for your customers<\/a>? Regulating user permissions with Microsoft\u2019s Group Policy is a great place to start.<\/p>\n

What is Group Policy?<\/b><\/h3>\n

Microsoft Group Policy is a network security tool that allows system administrators to implement certain security configurations across all users and all computers within a network. The security policies, configurations, and settings that Group Policy deploys are called Group Policy Objects (GPOs), which can be managed from a specific Group Policy Management Console or command-line interface tool. Even though GPOs can be applied directly from a Windows computer, it\u2019s much more common to do so using Active Directory because you can centrally manage Active Directory-based GPOs as opposed to using a domain controller. Make sure you familiarize yourself with Active Directory before diving into Group Policy\u2014you might find it easier to work with in the long run.<\/p>\n

There are three different kinds of GPOs\u2014local Group Policy Objects, non-local Group Policy Objects, and starter Group Policy Objects. You can combine all three of these varieties to create a security policy that fits your customers\u2019 needs, so don\u2019t feel pressured to commit to one type.<\/p>\n

Local Group Policy Objects are policy objects that can only be applied to local computers and the users who log in to that computer, and they come preinstalled with Windows computers. Non-local Group Policy Objects, on the other hand, are GPOs that are applied to more than one computer or user, but only if they are linked to Active Directory. Starter Group Policy objects are templates for Group Policy that allow MSPs and sysadmins to build their own preconfigured settings that can be used as the building blocks for policies they want to make in the future.<\/p>\n

What can you do with Group Policy?<\/b><\/h3>\n

Group Policy can be applied to a variety of different use cases, from implementing a company desktop wallpaper on all computers to making sure that only certain users have access to certain servers. This tool is especially useful for customers with a lot of workstations to maintain or with many employees spread out across the globe. With just a few keystrokes from one centralized location, MSPs can regulate user permissions and make sure everyone has access to what they need\u2014and nothing they don\u2019t.<\/p>\n

From a nonsecurity standpoint, you could also:<\/p>\n