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@isdecisions
The install and initial configuration [of FileAudit 4 RC] was a breeze. I truly like how it takes care of all the tasks required to ensure successful auditing. No scheduled task troubleshooting and the real time scanner just works.
Robert Wagner (on IS Decisions User Community)
I do really like the layout and new functionality, and everything so far has been very intuitive.
Sam Brinly (FileAudit 4 Beta-Tester)
Join FileAudit 4 Beta-Testing Program
FileAudit 4: Join the Beta-Testing Program, Enter to Win One of 10 Free Licenses!
FileAudit 4 is an agentless, remote and non-intrusive software solution that allows you to proactively track, audit, report and alert on all access to files and folders on Windows servers.
FileAudit 4 main features are:
File and Folder Activity Real-Time Monitoring Monitor in real time access (or access attempts) to sensitive files and folders stored on Windows systems (read/write accesses, file ownership changes, permission modifications)
File and Folder Activity Alerts Set up Email alerts that will be automatically triggered when specific access events occur (access denied, file deletion …)
File and Folder Activity Archiving Automatically archive all file access events occurring on one or several Windows systems for future reference.
Schedulable, Automated Multi-criteria Reporting Customize reports according to multiple criteria (paths, file type, access type…) and have them automatically Emailed to selected recipients.
Delegation to non-IT auditors Create specific accounts for people without administrative rights (external auditors…)
FileAudit 4 also comes with a fully revamped, touch-ready, “Windows 8” User Interface. Think of it as the security cam of your Windows file servers!
In order to participate, you just need to join the FileAudit 4 Beta-Testers Community and follow the instructions you will find there. To thank you for your valuable help, every active participant to this Beta-Testing Program will be entered to win one of 10 free FileAudit 4 licenses.
Join the FileAudit 4 Beta-Testers Community now
My team and I manage over 320 open-access PC's spread across multiple locations. An on-going problem for us has been the ability to restrict concurrent logon’s to these PC's. UserLock has allowed us to do just that. The installation/deployment of the software is incredibly simple and there appears to be no overhead on the clients during logon. The UserLock support team have been incredible helpful in allow us to further develop our integration with the software through the UserLock API.
Paul Sinnock, IT Team Manager at University of Kent (on IS Decisions LinkedIn Company Page)
FileAudit 4 Dashboard Preview ... Please let us know your thoughts!
Another sneak peek of FileAudit 4 User Interface: what do you think?
Who wants to beta-test FileAudit 4?
The beta version of FileAudit (sneak peek hereunder) 4 will be released shortly.
This software solution allows you to proactively track, audit, report and alert on all access to files and folders on Windows servers.
FileAudit 4 Sneak Peek
If you want to beta-test FileAudit 4, please just send an Email to [email protected] with your:
First name, last name
Email address
Number of Windows file servers in your organization
Thanks in advance for your participation!
P.S. If you want further info about FileAudit 4 features, please just post a comment to this article.
Our software and Tech Support nominated for the Windows IT Pro 2012 Community Choice Awards
Our 4 software solutions and our Technical Support have been nominated for the Windows IT Pro 2012 Community Choice Awards:
FileAudit in Category #3 "Best Auditing & Compliance Product"
RemoteExec in Category #6 "Best Deployment/Configuration Product"
UserLock in Category #6 "Best Security Product"
WinReporter in Category #25 "Best Systems Monitoring Product"
Technical Support in Category #30 "Best Vendor Tech Support"
You use and appreciate our software and/or our Tech Support? Please vote for us now!
Great product. Does what it says it should and well. We are a ISO 27001 certified company and security is paramount. Could not use Windows computers in our network without UserLock.
Graham Parry (CEO at FSC) about UserLock
How to remotely uninstall applications thanks to RemoteExec.
There are different ways to uninstall software with RemoteExec. You can find three options described below:
Using the original MSI package.
You have the original installer package which is a MSI package. You just have to set a “MSI installation” action. In the “MSI file” field, set the share path where the MSI package is stored and choose the uninstall “Operation”. Leave the default option “Only if needed” and “Don’t reboot” checked.
In the “Target computers”, choose the systems on which you want to uninstall the concerned software and launch the Action.
Using the original installer package which is an “exe” file.
You have the original installer package which is an “exe” file. Several editors allow silent uninstallation thanks to specific arguments available in their documentation. For example, Firefox allows launching the uninstaller silently. Using RemoteExec, we can start a “File execution” action with the uninstaller file path “C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\uninstall\helper.exe” and the argument /S. You can leave the default options: “Administrative” context choice, the “Auto mode” box checked and the “Reboot” option unchecked.
In the “Target computers”, choose the systems on which you want to uninstall the concerned software and launch the Action.
If nothing is available in the Software help guide, you can try the 3rd method.
You don’t have the original installer package.
This procedure allows the uninstallation of applications: Skype, Live Messenger, browser’s toolbars etc…
The installation of an application writes a value into the Windows registry of a machine that contains the required information for a silent uninstallation. This information can be different depending on the version you are concerned with. But they are usually the same for a same major version.
How to get it:
Go on a computer where the application is installed. We will take Skype as an example here.
Run regedit and go to the key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall (32 bits) HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall (64 bits)
This key contains the software uninstallation key. You will find two types of keys: Application name and GUID name. As some editors don’t name the associated keys with the application name, you may have to parse them and check value “Display name” to find the correct one. That’s the case in our example. You can also launch a research (Edit/Find next (F3)) directly using the application name.
Once you have found it, open RemoteExec on go to File Execution action.
Type “msiexec.exe” in the “File” field.
In Argument(s) field, type : /X (for uninstallation) {Guid string you get previously} /qn (silent option). Example with Skype version 5.5.117 guid: /X{AA59DDE4-B672-4621-A016-4C248204957A} /qn
Keep the “Administrative” context choice, the “Auto mode” box checked and uncheck the “Reboot” option.
Choose the target machine(s) on which you get the Guid to do a test and launch the execution.
If the procedure is successful, launch it on your other computers. Don’t forget to save this action into your Favorites (My Remote Actions).
RemoteExec overview Download RemoteExec
Password Policy: Sharing Passwords
This is a guest post by W. Benson Dana, IT internal auditor for the Maine state government.
At one point in my career, I worked at a place where management in one unit had allowed a senior manager to collect the log on and email passwords of the employees of the unit. There had been complete resistance to giving up this policy, and the excuse was that this unit's mission and objectives were unique (how many times does the internal auditor hear this excuse?) and that this arrangement was absolutely necessary.
I called a meeting and here is my description of the meeting agenda:
« We will discuss the specific IT security policy that prohibits the sharing of passwords. I understand that the unit has a policy that the Assistant Director must have the AD (Active Directory) password of at least a subset of the unit's employees if not all. This would be a direct violation of the IT security policy. I am not interested in discussing any other aspect of IT policies or operations, past or present.
I am not aware of any other unit in the company with a similar policy. If it were, that unit would receive the same degree of scrutiny. I am not interested in discussing any other unit’s policies or procedures, unless anyone knows of a similar policy.
Your AD password is unique to you and is not known by anyone else unless you share it, overtly or inadvertently. The members of the help desk who are so authorized CAN reset your password if you forget it. When that happens, you type in a NEW password that is again unknown to anyone else.
Our IT systems monitor when passwords are changed, but not what the password is.
The prohibition to sharing passwords is a basic and standard internal control around the world. One of its primary purposes is to protect OTHER employees from inappropriate suspicion in the event that account is used for inappropriate purposes. This is similar in concept to the requirement that each cashier use their own cash drawer instead of a shared cash register drawer. If 2 people share a cash drawer, and one steals, they both come under suspicion. The employer owes its employees a duty to see that their employees cannot be falsely accused of inappropriate conduct.
If a password is shared, the person who knows another’s password now becomes automatically suspect whenever that user’s account is used for inappropriate, illegal or unethical purposes. One of the 2 WILL be falsely accused of the violation. If the matter is not resolved, they BOTH will remain under the cloud of suspicion. That is a BAD result.
Every employee in history who has been convicted of theft, embezzlement, or other crime was hired as a trusted employee. This policy has nothing to do with trust. The Maine Attorney General’s office recently terminated the employment of an employee, licensed to practice law in Maine, who is accused in connection to a pornography violation. Until this was brought to light, this lawyer was considered a trusted employee above reproach. I am not interested in discussing anything related to trusting employees.
Are passwords inadvertently shared? Probably. Does that make it right or smart? No.
In the case when an employee has a planned leave, email can simply be forwarded to another person. In the event an employee is sick, they can usually manage to log on, activate the forwarding feature, and log off. In an emergency situation, the help desk can perform this action. I’m interested in knowing how many such emergency situations have occurred in the past 6 to 12 months. I am not inclined to plumb the depths of history with respect to this one aspect of the discussion. »
I was successful in getting the unit to stop sharing passwords.
This article has been originally published on Internal Control Freak, W. Benson Dana’s blog where you will find other stories related to Fraud prevention and accounting and business advice.
Prevent concurrent logins
W. Benson Dana is perfectly right here: password sharing creates accountability and non-repudiation issue as user A, connected to the network with the credentials of user B, can access user B’s data and applications, send e-mails in his/her name, etc.
Passwords can be shared inadvertently (ever seen a password written on a Post-it note and attached to a monitor?) or consciously (a manager does not want to approve purchase requisitions and so just logs on for one of his subordinates and then allows him to approve each purchase requisitionin his place) .Educating users about the dangers of such practices is a good thing but is it good enough?
Human beings usually need to be properly motivated to adopt best practices and follow rules and policy.
UserLock comes handy here, as this unique software solution prevents (among numerous other security features) concurrent logins to a Windows network.
On a UserLock-protected network, a user cannot share his password without taking a major risk of being unable to logon himself. Can you think of better motivation?
Check UserLock detailed features
Download a free, fully-functional trial
UserLock is part of PC Mag’s Best Apps for 2012
UserLock, our software solution that limits concurrent logins, restricts access, monitors, alerts and reports on session activity throughout the corporate Windows network, has been picked by PC Mag to be part of their "25 excellent applications for small-to-mid-sized businesses to consider in 2012".
Samara Lynn, Lead Analyst at PC Mag, describes UserLock as “an impressive product”, emphasizes its efficiency and scalability and highlights its usefulness for organizations that have to adhere to compliance regulations like HIPAA or SOX.
UserLock allows Network Administrators to:
Limit or prevent concurrent logins to Windows networks, based on user, user groups, Organizational Units or session types.
Restrict user access to the network with multiple criteria: workstations, time, business hours, and connection type.
Follow the session activity on the network in real-time and get detailed, graphical reporting
Remotely close or lock user sessions, shutdown workstations, from anywhere using the Web console
More than one million UserLock licenses are currently in use by hundreds of security demanding organizations worldwide, including: The US DoJ, the FBI, the DEA, the United Nations, Barclays Bank, Banco Santander, Cigna, as well as numerous SMBs and academic institutions.
Read the article on PC Mag
UserLock detailed features
Download a fully-functional trial
70% of young workers ignore IT security rules: how to tame them?
According to a report recently issued by Cisco Systems, 7 out of 10 young employees frequently ignore IT policies and two-thirds said they believe their company's policies need to be modified. About 61 percent said corporate IT security isn't their responsibility, believing it is that of their employer or the maker of their devices.
Of those who were aware of IT security policies, 70% of employees worldwide admitted to breaking policy with varying regularity. Among the different reasons, the most common was the belief that employees were not doing anything wrong (33%). One in five (22%) cited the need to access unauthorized programs and applications to get their job done, while 19% admitted the policies are not enforced. Some (18%) said they do not have time to think about policies when they are working, and others either said adhering to the policies is not convenient (16%), they forget to do so (15%), or their bosses aren't watching them (14%). The attitude of younger workers to technology clearly represents a new and growing threat to corporate IT security.
Beyond IT security awareness and training programs, organizations must find ways to efficiently enforce their computer security policies.
UserLock has a role to play here, as this software solution gives CSOs and Network Administrators the means to secure access to their Windows network and to quickly react in case of inappropriate behavior.
Using UserLock makes it possible to:
Automatically notify all users prior to gaining access to a system with a tailor-made disclaimer
Users can for example be advised that system usage is monitored, recorded, subject to audit, and that unauthorized use is prohibited and subject to criminal and civil penalties. This is an efficient reminder for thoughtless employees, young or not.
Restrict user access to the network with multiple criteria: workstations, time, business hours, quotas and connection type
UserLock allows setting and enforcing access restrictions in a granular way. An example of multi-criteria restriction could be: prevent a given user (or group, or Organizational Unit) from logging to the network:
from a computer outside of a given department
outside of business hours
via a VPN connection.
The login system is the first line of defense of a Windows network. Restricting user access reduces the attack surface of the network and keeps rogue or careless users at bay.
Follow the session activity on the network in real-time, be alerted and remotely lock, logoff and reset all sessions immediately
UserLock allows real time session surveillance and monitoring; at all times a System Administrator knows who is connected, from what workstation(s), since when, etc. Popup or email alerts can also be sent to the network administrators for specific events such as denied logins, successful logins and logoffs.
In case of suspicious behavior, System Administrators can instantly take action to tackle insider threats.
Limit or prevent concurrent logins to a Windows network, based on user, user groups, Organizational Units and session types
Limiting or preventing concurrent logins decreases the ability of users to share their credentials, as it would impact their own ability to access to the network.
It also makes it impossible for a rogue user to seamlessly use valid credentials at the same time as their legitimate owner, access that user’s data and applications, send Emails in his name, etc.
Simultaneous logins limitation or prevention avoids serious accountability and non-repudiation issues.
Check UserLock detailed features
Download a free trial
We curate Microsoft related news for you
Volunteers among IS Decisions’ Team constantly review dozens of information sources (websites, blogs, Twitter accounts, etc.), carefully select content for its quality, originality and relevance, and create compelling online magazines.
Our goal is to provide IT pros with online resources that help them easily get useful, up to date information about Microsoft technologies, IT security and more, in order to streamline their technology watch activities.
Topics we cover include:
Microsoft "Microsoft's products, people and strategies"
Windows Infrastructure "Hot off the presses for Windows IT pros"
IT Security "Windows IT Security News"
PowerShell "Everything PowerShell"
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You can receive a daily digest by Email for the topic(s) of your choice:
Click on the "Follow" button at the top right corner of every page (under the mention "curated by IS Decisions") of the topic(s), then type in your Email address. You can opt out whenever you want by clicking "Unfollow".
Please check our online magazines out and let us know what you think. Thanks for your feedback!
Check the December issue of IS Decisions Wire
The December issue of IS Decisions Wire, our bimonthly E-newsletter is out.
Drawing inspiration from Microsoft's Metro design language, IS Decisions Wire celebrates an elegant and clean look & feel that we hope you will find pleasant to look at and interesting to read.
Subscribe now to get the next issue: it’s free!
How to remotely deploy Internet Explorer 9 on your network
Simple and direct deployment
Easily deploy the new Internet Explorer 9 (IE9) browser on chosen computers by following these instructions.
Download the four existing IE 9 packages from the Microsoft Web site - IE9-Windows7-x64-enu.exe - IE9-Windows7-x86-enu.exe - IE9-WindowsVista-x64-enu.exe - IE9-WindowsVista-x86-enu.exe
Open RemoteExec and go to Remote Jobs/New Remote Job/Multiple actions through the Configuration tree.
Click on Add Files to execute/deploy in the Quick access pane. A browser will open. Browse to the four downloaded IE 9 packages, select them and click on Open.
Go to the Target Computers section and select the computers on which you want to deploy IE 9.
You can now start your deployment by clicking on
The Progress window will open in a new tab to permit you to follow the remote operation process.
Advanced deployment
The simplified and direct deployment previously described shows the easiest path possible. This is the full scenario to follow if you want to deploy the required hotfix and Internet Explorer 9.
Requirements
Here is the list of requirements needed to deploy Internet Explorer 9:
Windows Vista, Seven, 2008 or 2008 R2 (You cannot install IE 9 on Windows XP or Windows 2003).
For Windows Seven and Windows 2008 R2, the KB2454826 is required if you have not yet deploy the Service Pack 1 released in February.
This deployment can require a system reboot.
In this article we describe how to build your deployment scenario automatically.
Create your scenario
Download the four existing IE 9 packages from Microsoft Web site and the two KB2454826 hotfixs packages: - IE9-Windows7-x64-enu.exe - IE9-Windows7-x86-enu.exe - IE9-WindowsVista-x64-enu.exe - IE9-WindowsVista-x86-enu.exe - Windows6.1-KB2454826-v2-x64.msu - Windows6.1-KB2454826-v2-x86.msu
Open RemoteExec and go to Remote Jobs/New Remote Job/Multiple actions through the Configuration tree.
The Quick access pane allows you to add all Remote Actions needed for this deployment scenario. Click on Add a wake up. This System action will be added to the central window. As it’s already pre-set, you’ve nothing else to do: RemoteExec will wake up the target computers1 and wait until an answer is received before performing the next action.
1: RemoteExec should have automatically scanned the Mac addresses and subnet of Target computers. RemoteExec automatically scans for MAC addresses and subnets at each start-up. You can launch or schedule the scan of MAC addresses during working hours with the Get wake up info Action. You can also check all previously scanned MAC addresses or add manually MAC addresses and subnets in the RemoteExec Options.
Click on Add Files to execute/deploy in the Quick access pane. A browser will open. Browse to the two KB2454826 hotfixs packages. Select them and click on Open.
RemoteExec will detect the package type as an Update installation action and will set all parameters automatically2.
2: If the KB2454826 has been already installed, RemoteExec will display a warning message in the Execution Results Windows: Exit code not null (0x240006 The update to be installed is already installed on the system.). Then it will launch the next action.
Click on Add a reboot in the Quick access pane.
As the reboot needs only be done for the computers which just received the hotfixs, double-click on the Reboot action in the list and check the option Reboot only if needed.
Repeat step 4 to add the IE 9 installation files clicking on Add Files to execute/deploy in the Quick access pane.
Add another Reboot action after the IE 9 installation actions. As in step 6, enable the Reboot only if needed check box. IE 9 deployment require a reboot to finalize his installation.
To finish, click on Add a shutdown to power off your computers.
Your whole IE 9 deployment scenario is now complete.
You can select your Target computers in the third section as wanted: only the machines which can accept the hotfixs or this Internet Explorer version will be processed.
Schedule your Job deployment as explained in a previous article
Want more?
It can be useful to save this scenario deployment for re-use, when you add new computers to your network for example. Once you’ve finished your Multiple actions configuration, select it in the Configuration tree and then click on Save in my Remote Actions through the context menu or the Quick access pane.
Type a name for this Multiple actions in the pop-up and validate. You will be able to use it later in My Remote Actions menu through the Use action in a new remote job command.
Netware to Active Directory migration: what about limiting concurrent logins?
NDS and NetWare gave network administrators the ability to easily enforce certain restrictions on their network especially the ability for a person to open simultaneous sessions with the same login.
As with most things in Netware Directory Services, restricting concurrent connections could be performed from the administrative workstation using the NetWare Administrator utility.
When migrating to Windows Server and Active Directory, former Netware network administrators are therefore surprised to discover that Windows offers no native feature to prevent or limit simultaneous logins to their new network.
That is where UserLock comes in handy, with concurrent logins limitation features even more powerful than Netware’s native features. UserLock allows you to limit or prevent simultaneous logins to a Microsoft Windows network, per user, user group or per session type (workstation, terminal, interactive or VPN/RAS).
Limitations can be set in a granular way and can vary from one user to another or from one group to another.
With UserLock you will be able to define and enforce:
the maximum number of concurrent workstations where a user can be logged on
the maximum number of terminal sessions that a user can open
the maximum number of simultaneous VPN/RAS sessions that a user can open
the maximum total number of sessions (all session types) that a user can open
You will also be able to:
define a maximum limit for combinations of several kinds of sessions. You can for example set a custom limit to prevent the number of workstation sessions plus the number of VPN/RAS sessions to be greater than one.
allow users to remotely logoff an existing session if their number of allowed sessions has already been reached. A user will then be able to remotely close a previous session from the new workstation on which he is not allowed to logon due to his current UserLock restriction.
Additional UserLock features
Workstation restriction
Time restriction
Real-time session monitoring and alerts
Reporting on session history and statistics
Remote session administration
More info