Securing file

Although you can use a certificate containing a Key Usage of 'Digital Signature' or one of the Authentication EKU's, this will enable the encryption key to be more easily misused and vulnerable to attack.

Any existing certificate on the Target Node that meets these criteria can be used to secure DSC credentials. There are two approaches you can take to create and use the required Encryption Certificate public-private key pair. Method 1 is recommended because the private key used to decrypt credentials in the MOF stays on the Target Node at all times. The private key must be kept secret, because is used to decrypt the MOF on the Target Node The easiest way to do that is to create the private key certificate on the Target Node , and copy the public key certificate to the computer being used to author the DSC configuration into a MOF file.

The following example:. Once exported, the DscPublicKey. Alternately, the encryption certificate can be created on the Authoring Node , exported with the private key as a PFX file and then imported on the Target Node. Although the PFX is secured with a password it should be kept secure during transit.

Once exported, the DscPrivateKey. The configuration data block defines which target nodes to operate on, whether or not to encrypt the credentials, the means of encryption, and other information.

For more information on the configuration data block, see Separating Configuration and Environment Data. This example shows a configuration data block that specifies a target node to act on named targetNode, the path to the public key certificate file named targetNode.

In the configuration script itself, use the PsCredential parameter to ensure that credentials are stored for the shortest possible time. When you run the supplied example, DSC will prompt you for credentials and then encrypt the MOF file using the CertificateFile that is associated with the target node in the configuration data block.

This code example copies a file from a share that is secured to a user. Having the ability to drill down into the intricate details enables IT teams to quickly unravel complex file server activity and get to the cause of the problem. Assigning effective share-level, NTFS and overall permissions can lead to unfettered access or even Access Denied messages for users that require share access.

In other words, identifying and determining effective permissions ensures that no one has excessive access rights that would put your data at risk. Introduce secure change management to help prevent malicious insiders from abusing their administrator privileges. Long names are harder to read and even harder to skim through when you are scanning lists of files and folders. Remember to also pick a phrase that means something when you are naming one of your files.

That said, name your files and folders with simple and short titles. Protect your vital files by monitoring to-and-fro data exchange within the organization. Users with unauthorized access to the internal network may attempt to enter, trespass within, interfere with or otherwise intercept and try to change the system. It may be different in your environment and shared hosting will typically have some kind of web page for managing permissions.

In some hosting it may not be possible for you to tighten down the file system access as much as you would like. It may be a different user that is the identity on your application pool.

Whatever user is the identity on your application pool, that is the user who needs permissions. The two folders that are writable should not allow executing scripts or executables.