Along with designing security to keep the network safe from intrusion, it s equally important to provide security for the files and folders on the network. Creating a robust security plan entails securing network resources at each access point. In this case, after users are authenticated (or in the event that a malicious user gains network access), files and folders can be secured via access control, encryption, and through backup and recovery activities. Protecting sensitive and valuable corporate data is the ultimate goal of all security activities, and in this chapter, we looked at the specific activities included in designing effective access control strategies, implementing and managing the Encrypting File System (EFS), and designing and testing backup and recovery strategies.

Securing data on the network is one of several elements in an overall security plan. Controlling access to files, folders, and other resources is the second line of defense after a strong user authentication strategy. Once users gain access to the network, access control strategies provide another layer of security by controlling and monitoring access to system objects at a very granular level. Through the use of access control lists (ACLs), users can be granted access via groups (typically) to needed resources. Following best practices, users are added to groups and groups are added to ACLs to gain specific privileges using the AGDLP method.

User access can be managed via one of several different frameworks, including user/ACL, account group/ACL, account group/resource group, and role-based permissions. Each method...