Ramblings on IT and Security
When building or managing a Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), precision and uniqueness are not optional, they’re very essential. Don’t be one of many, be your unique self! One key element that reflects this is the Object Identifier (OID). OIDs are globally unique values used to identify everything from certificate policies and application purposes to custom certificate extensions and cryptographic algorithms.
Continue readingA little while ago, I wrote about the shift toward passwordless authentication and why we need to rethink our dependency on traditional passwords. While I’m still convinced that passwordless is the future, and the sooner we get there, the better. At the same time I also see the reality most environments are still dealing with.
Continue readingEarlier this year, I completed my bachelor thesis in Cybersecurity, diving into one of the most exciting developments in the world of authentication (well, that’s my personal opinion anyways), FIDO2 and Passkeys. My research focused on how passwordless authentication can reshape the way we secure digital identities, not only from a technical point of view, but also in terms of user experience, adoption , and the shift in mental models required to move beyond passwords.
Continue readingI usually don’t focus on geopolitics, but the recent uncontrolled developments in cybersecurity, digital infrastructure, and artificial intelligence are too alarming to ignore. The recent shifts in the United States raise critical questions about Europe’s digital future and independence.
Continue readingDid you know that Windows has had a built-in capability to function as a SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) system for years, provided you stay within the Windows ecosystem? This powerful feature, known as Windows Event Forwarding (WEF), allows you to centralize event logs from multiple Windows machines, giving you a comprehensive view of your network’s activities.
Continue readingI’ll promise to keep this blog post short—well, shorter than usual (hopefully). Last week, I worked on a project involving application allow listing. In the Windows ecosystem, this can be achieved using Windows AppLocker. While AppLocker has been around for quite some time, it’s only recently become available on Windows 11 Professional. Previously, it was an exclusive feature for Enterprise versions.
Continue readingToday I’ve learned,
That even software and designs from quarter of a century ago still influence the modern Cloud enabled world. In this specific case I’m talking about the PowerBI gateway and how it operates in an on-prem Active Directory environment. Allow me to explain…
Hey there, tech enthusiasts and Active Directory adventurers! Today, let’s talk about something really cool yet often overlooked in the world of Microsoft Active Directory: the AdminSDHolder. Now, you might be thinking, “What’s so special about this AdminSDHolder?” Well, let me tell you, it’s a game-changer in how security permissions are managed in your organization’s digital realm.
Continue readingHave you ever wondered how to seamlessly connect your on-premises Active Directory with Entra ID? Well, you’re in the right place because today, I’m diving into Entra Connect, formerly known as Azure AD Connect. But hold on tight, because we’re not just talking about the basics; we’re here to make sure you install and configure it like a security pro!
Continue readingDo you know what really ticks me off? Stuff that doesn’t work as expected. Exactly that happened to me today while I revisited configuring a “Privileged Access Workstation” (PAW). Now a PAW is used to safeguard highly privileged credentials in a domain or cloud environment. In essence it’s a workstation used solely for admin work, all infrastructure management is done from this machine. While talking about configuring a PAW is beyond the scope of this blog post, I do need to point out that “Domain Admins” and equivalent groups should never ever have local admin rights on a PAW, they should be regular users, reducing the risk of credential theft and the obvious malware infection that usually follows.
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