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Active Directory

Microsoft's Active Directory is world's number one identity provider used by virtually all businesses, big and small. Choosing right structure, security, backups, etc., is something often ignored and causes significant performance degradations, security breaches, and service unavailability over time.

Why Active Directory Security and Availability Is Crucial
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It Controls Access to Everything

  • AD authenticates users and authorizes access to systems, applications, files, and data.

  • If AD is compromised, an attacker can impersonate any user — even domain admins.

 Impact: A single AD breach can give attackers unrestricted access across the organization.

It's a Prime Target for Attackers

  • AD is frequently the primary target in ransomware and advanced persistent threats (APTs).

  • Attackers use tools like Mimikatz, BloodHound, and Kerberoasting to escalate privileges and move laterally.

Fact: Over 90% of attacks on enterprise networks involve AD at some stage of the attack lifecycle.

A Compromise Is Catastrophic

  • AD compromise = complete loss of trust in the domain.

  • Recovery is complex, often requiring forest rebuilds and weeks of effort.

  • Downtime can paralyze operations, especially in regulated industries like finance or healthcare.

Example: The NotPetya attack crippled global firms by targeting identity infrastructure like AD.

Security & Compliance Depend on It

  • Regulatory frameworks (e.g., HIPAA, SOX, GDPR, ISO 27001) require strong access controls and auditability.

  • AD misconfigurations can expose sensitive data or allow unauthorized access.

Audit Risk: Weak AD security could result in non-compliance findings and legal liability.

It's Often Poorly Secured by Default

  • Default configurations leave gaps (e.g., excessive privileges, legacy protocols, unsecured domain controllers).

  • Many orgs lack segmentation between regular users and privileged admin accounts.

Issue: Legacy practices and lack of hardening make AD a "soft center" after perimeter defenses are bypassed.

How We Can Help:

AD Assessment & Health Check

  • Current environment audit and documentation

  • Security posture evaluation

  • Replication, DNS, and GPO assessment

  • Recommendations and remediation planning

    • Use Case: Identify vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and performance issues.

AD Design & Architecture

  • New forest/domain design

  • Organizational Unit (OU) structure planning

  • Group Policy strategy development

  • High availability and disaster recovery design

    • Use Case: Building a scalable and secure AD from the ground up or redesigning an outdated structure.

AD Migration & Consolidation

  • Domain migration or forest consolidation (e.g., M&A)

  • Cross-forest trust setup and domain decommissioning

  • SIDHistory and identity preservation planning

    • Use Case: Mergers, acquisitions, domain simplification.

AD Upgrade & Modernization

  • Upgrade Domain Controllers to newer Windows Server versions

  • Transition from legacy systems (e.g., 2008 R2 to 2022)

  • AD schema extension and functional level upgrade

    • Use Case: Leverage new features, enhance performance and support.

IAM Integrations

  • Integration with Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD), or third-party IDP

  • Conditional Access, MFA, and identity governance setup

  • Federation services (AD FS), SAML, or OAuth integration

  • Use Case: Hybrid identity strategy and cloud integration.

Group Policy Optimization​

  • Review and cleanup of GPOs

  • GPO consolidation and conflict resolution

  • Security baseline implementation

  • Use Case: Simplify management and enhance compliance.

Security Hardening

  • Microsoft Defender for Identity Setup and Configuration
    Admin tiering model implementation

  • Secure administrative hosts (PAW)

  • Least privilege access model

  • LAPS, auditing, and monitoring setup

  • Remediating security vulnerabilities and misconfigurations

  • ​Use Case: Mitigate risk of privilege escalation and lateral movement.

Zero Trust Implementation

  • ZTNA solution to access on-prem resources

  • Conditional Access Policies

  • Privileged Access Management

  • SCIM user provisioning

  • Password Protection

Disaster Recovery & Business Continuity Planning

  • Implement immutable AD Backup

  • Backup and restore testing

  • AD disaster recovery runbooks

  • Redundancy and failover configuration

    • Use Case: Ensure rapid recovery in case of AD failure or ransomware attack.

Automation & DevOps Enablement

  • Scripting and automation with PowerShell

  • Integration with CI/CD pipelines

  • User and group lifecycle automation

    • Use Case: Improve efficiency and reduce human error in identity management.

Training & Knowledge Transfer

  • Custom workshops and documentation

  • On-site or remote training sessions

  • Use Case: Enable internal teams to maintain and secure the environment post-engagement.

HCM integration (Workday, GreenHouse, etc.)

  • Automating user account provisioning / deprovisioning

  • Employee attribute and profile updates

  • Employee rehires

Take the First Step Toward Digital Trust

In today’s digital world, identity is your first and most critical line of defense. At RND Tech, we specialize in protecting what matters most — your people, your data, and your digital infrastructure. Whether you're navigating compliance, building a zero trust architecture, or responding to emerging threats, we're here to help.

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