RootUsers

This page is a directory that links to posts I have written that cover the official objectives in the Microsoft’s 70-744 Securing Windows Server 2016 exam. Basically if you’re after detailed information on any of the exam objectives below simply click the link for further information. I passed the exam in April 2017 with a score of 916 and started creating these posts while studying as I found the amount of information online at the time to be lacking.

The official objectives for the 70-744 exam can be found here.

Study Materials

Below is a list of material that I am using while studying for the 70-744 exam.

• Exam Ref 70-744 Securing Windows Server 2016 by Timothy L. Warner and Craig Zacker.

Below you will find links to posts that I have created covering different areas of the 70-744 exam which will help you study for the exam.

Implement server hardening solutions (25-30%)

• Configure disk and file encryption
  • Determine hardware and firmware requirements for secure boot and encryption key functionality
  • Deploy BitLocker encryption
  • Deploy BitLocker without a Trusted Platform Module (TPM)
  • Deploy BitLocker with a TPM only
  • Configure the Network Unlock feature
  • Configure BitLocker Group Policy settings
  • Enable Bitlocker to use secure boot for platform and BCD integrity validation
  • Configure BitLocker on Clustered Shared Volumes (CSVs) and Storage Area Networks (SANs)
  • Implement BitLocker Recovery Process using self-recovery and recovery password retrieval solutions
  • Configure BitLocker for virtual machines (VMs) in Hyper-V
  • Determine usage scenarios for Encrypting File System (EFS)
  • Configure the EFS recovery agent
  • Manage EFS and BitLocker certificates, including backup and restore
• Implement server patching and updating solutions
  • Install and configure Windows Server Update Services (WSUS)
  • Manage updates using WSUS
  • Create computer groups
  • Configure update approvals and deployments
  • Configure automatic updates
  • Configure WSUS reporting
  • Troubleshoot WSUS configuration and deployments
• Implement malware protection
  • Implement antimalware solution with Windows Defender
  • Integrate Windows Defender with WSUS and Windows Update
  • Configure Windows Defender using Group Policy
  • Configure Windows Defender scans using Windows PowerShell
  • Implement AppLocker rules
  • Implement AppLocker rules using Windows PowerShell
  • Implement Control Flow Guard
  • Implement Code Integrity (Device Guard) Policies
  • Create Code Integrity policy rules
  • Create Code Integrity file rules
• Protect credentials
  • Determine requirements for implementing Credential Guard
  • Configure Credential Guard using Group Policy, WMI, Command Prompt, and Windows PowerShell
  • Implement NTLM blocking
• Create security baselines
  • Install and configure Security Compliance Manager (SCM)
  • Create, view, and import security baselines
  • Deploy configurations to domain and non-domain joined servers

Secure a virtualization infrastructure (5-10%)

• Implement a Guarded Fabric solution
  • Install and configure the Host Guardian Service (HGS)
  • Configure Admin-trusted attestation
  • Configure TPM-trusted attestation
  • Configure the Key Protection Service using HGS
  • Migrate Shielded VMs to other guarded hosts
  • Configure Nano Server as TPM attested guarded host
  • Troubleshoot guarded hosts
• Implement Shielded and encryption-supported VMs
  • Determine requirements and scenarios for implementing Shielded VMs
  • Create a Shielded VM using only a Hyper-V environment
  • Enable and configure vTPM to allow an operating system and data disk encryption within a VM
  • Determine requirements and scenarios for implementing encryption-supported VMs
  • Troubleshoot Shielded and encryption-supported VMs

Secure a network infrastructure (10-15%)

• Configure Windows Firewall
  • Configure Windows Firewall with Advanced Security
  • Configure network location profiles
  • Configure and deploy profile rules
  • Configure firewall rules for multiple profiles using Group Policy
  • Configure connection security rules using Group Policy, the GUI management console, or Windows PowerShell
  • Configure Windows Firewall to allow or deny applications, scopes, ports, and users using Group Policy, the GUI management console, or Windows PowerShell
  • Configure authenticated firewall exceptions
  • Import and export Windows Firewall settings
• Implement a software-defined Distributed Firewall
  • Determine requirements and scenarios for Distributed Firewall implementation with software-defined networking
  • Determine usage scenarios for Distributed Firewall policies and network security groups
• Secure network traffic
  • Configure IPsec transport and tunnel modes
  • Configure IPsec authentication options
  • Configure connection security rules
  • Implement isolation zones
  • Implement domain isolation
  • Implement server isolation zones
  • Determine SMB 3.1.1 protocol security scenarios and implementations
  • Enable SMB encryption on SMB Shares
  • Configure SMB signing via Group Policy
  • Disable SMB 1.0
  • Secure DNS traffic using DNSSEC and DNS policies
  • Install and configure Microsoft Message Analyzer (MMA) to analyze network traffic

Manage privileged identities (25-30%)

• Implement an Enhanced Security Administrative Environment (ESAE) administrative forest design approach
  • Determine usage scenarios and requirements for implementing ESAE forest design architecture to create a dedicated administrative forest
  • Determine usage scenarios and requirements for implementing clean source principals in an Active Directory architecture
• Implement Just-in-Time (JIT) Administration
  • Create a new administrative (bastion) forest in an existing Active Directory environment using Microsoft Identity Manager (MIM)
  • Configure trusts between production and bastion forests
  • Create shadow principals in bastion forest
  • Configure the MIM web portal
  • Request privileged access using the MIM web portal
  • Determine requirements and usage scenarios for Privileged Access Management (PAM) solutions
  • Create and implement MIM policies
  • Implement Just-in-Time administration principals using time-based policies
  • Request privileged access using Windows PowerShell
• Implement Just-Enough-Administration (JEA)
  • Enable a JEA solution on Windows Server 2016
  • Create and configure session configuration files
  • Create and configure role capability files
  • Create a JEA endpoint
  • Connect to a JEA endpoint on a server for administration
  • View logs
  • Download WMF 5.1 to a Windows Server 2008 R2
  • Configure a JEA endpoint on a server using Desired State Configuration (DSC)
• Implement Privileged Access Workstations (PAWs) and User Rights Assignments
  • Implement a PAWS solution
  • Configure User Rights Assignment group policies
  • Configure security options settings in Group Policy
  • Enable and configure Remote Credential Guard for remote desktop access
• Implement Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS)
  • Install and configure the LAPS tool
  • Secure local administrator passwords using LAPS
  • Manage password parameters and properties using LAPS

Implement threat detection solutions (15-20%)

• Configure advanced audit policies
  • Determine the differences and usage scenarios for using local audit policies and advanced auditing policies
  • Implement auditing using Group Policy and AuditPol.exe
  • Implement auditing using Windows PowerShell
  • Create expression-based audit policies
  • Configure the Audit PNP Activity policy
  • Configure the Audit Group Membership policy
  • Enable and configure Module, Script Block, and Transcription logging in Windows PowerShell
• Install and configure Microsoft Advanced Threat Analytics (ATA)
  • Determine usage scenarios for ATA
  • Determine deployment requirements for ATA
  • Install and configure ATA Gateway on a dedicated server
  • Install and configure ATA Lightweight Gateway directly on a domain controller
  • Configure alerts in ATA Center when suspicious activity is detected
  • Review and edit suspicious activities on the attack time line
• Determine threat detection solutions using Operations Management Suite (OMS)
  • Determine usage and deployment scenarios for OMS
  • Determine security and auditing functions available for use
  • Determine Log Analytics usage scenarios

Implement workload-specific security (5-10%)

• Secure application development and server workload infrastructure
  • Determine usage scenarios, supported server workloads, and requirements for Nano Server deployments
  • Install and configure Nano Server
  • Implement security policies on Nano Servers using Desired State Configuration (DSC)
  • Determine usage scenarios and requirements for Windows Server and Hyper-V containers
  • Install and configure Hyper-V containers
• Implement a secure file services infrastructure and Dynamic Access Control (DAC)
  • Install the File Server Resource Manager (FSRM) role service
  • Configure quotas
  • Configure file screens
  • Configure storage reports
  • Configure file management tasks
  • Configure File Classification Infrastructure (FCI) using FSRM
  • Implement work folders
  • Configure file access auditing
  • Configure user and device claim types
  • Implement policy changes and staging
  • Perform access-denied remediation
  • Create and configure Central Access rules and policies
  • Create and configure resource properties and lists

Please note that Microsoft may update these at any time in the future, so if you find any differences please let me know.

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