Security Best Practice Recommendations
Question/Issue:
Symantec encourages all users and administrators to adhere to the following basic security "best practices":
Solution:
Symantec encourages all users and administrators to adhere to the following basic security best practices:
1. Use a firewall to block all incoming connections from the Internet to services that should not be publicly available. By default, you should deny all incoming connections and only allow services you explicitly want to offer to the outside world.
2. Enforce a password policy. Complex passwords make it difficult to crack password files on compromised computers. This helps to prevent or limit damage when a computer is compromised.
3. Ensure that programs and users of the computer use the lowest level of privileges necessary to complete a task. When prompted for a root or UAC password, ensure that the program asking for administration-level access is a legitimate application.
4. Disable AutoPlay to prevent the automatic launching of executable files on network and removable drives, and disconnect the drives when not required. If write access is not required, enable read-only mode if the option is available.
5. Turn off file sharing if not needed. If file sharing is required, use ACLs and password protection to limit access. Disable anonymous access to shared folders. Grant access only to user accounts with strong passwords to folders that must be shared.
6. Turn off and remove unnecessary services. By default, many operating systems install auxiliary services that are not critical. These services are avenues of attack. If they are removed, threats have fewer avenues of attack.
7. If a threat exploits one or more network services, disable or block access to those services until a patch is applied.
8. Always keep your patch levels up-to-date, especially on computers that host public services and are accessible through the firewall, such as HTTP, FTP, mail, and DNS services.
9. Configure your email server to block or remove email that contains file attachments that are commonly used to spread threats, such as .vbs, .bat, .exe, .pif and .scr files.
10. Isolate compromised computers quickly to prevent threats from spreading further. Perform a forensic analysis and restore the computers using trusted media.
11. Train employees not to open attachments unless they are expecting them. Also, do not execute software that is downloaded from the Internet unless it has been scanned for viruses. Simply visiting a compromised Web site can cause infection if certain browser vulnerabilities are not patched.
12. If Bluetooth is not required for mobile devices, it should be turned off. If you require its use, ensure that the device's visibility is set to "Hidden" so that it cannot be scanned by other Bluetooth devices. If device pairing must be used, ensure that all devices are set to "Unauthorized", requiring authorization for each connection request. Do not accept applications that are unsigned or sent from unknown sources.
For further information on the terms used in this document, please refer to the
Security Response glossary.
Technical Information:
How to correct "disable Autorun registry key" enforcement in Windows:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/953252
References:
These basic security 'Best Practices' can be found on the Security Response website, in the Technical Details tab of any threat or risk knowledge base article.
Document ID: 2009010808340848
Last Modified: 11/13/2009
Date Created: 01/08/2009
Operating System(s): Windows 2000 Professional, Windows 2000 Server/Advanced Server, Windows XP Home Edition, Windows XP Professional Edition, Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, Windows Server 2003 Web/Standard/Enterprise/Datacenter Edition, Windows Vista, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, Windows Server 2003 x64 Edition, Windows Vista x64 Edition, Windows Server 2008 DataCenter 64-bit, Windows Server 2008 DataCenter 32-bit, Windows Server 2008 Enterprise 64-bit, Windows Server 2008 Enterprise 32-bit, Windows Server 2008 Standard 64-bit, Windows Server 2008 Standard 32-bit, Windows Server 2008 Web Server 64-bit, Windows Server 2008 Web Server 32-bit, Windows 2000, Windows XP Home, Windows XP Tablet PC, Windows XP 64-Bit Edition 2003, Windows Server 2003 32-bit Edition, Windows Server 2003 64-bit Edition, Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005, Windows Vista 32-bit Edition, Windows Vista 64-bit Edition, Windows Server 2008
Product(s): Endpoint Protection 11, Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition 11, Symantec AntiVirus 10.1, Symantec AntiVirus 10.2, Symantec AntiVirus Corporate Edition 10.0, Symantec AntiVirus Corporate Edition 8.0, Symantec AntiVirus Corporate Edition 9.0, Symantec Client Firewall 8.0, Symantec Client Firewall 8.7, Symantec Client Security 3.0, Symantec Client Security 3.1
Release(s): Endpoint Protection 11 [All Releases], Endpoint Protection Small Business Edition 11.1, SAV 10.0 [All Releases], SAV 8.0 [All Releases], SAV 9.0 [All Releases], Symantec AntiVirus 10.1 [All Releases], Symantec AntiVirus 10.2 [All releases], Symantec AntiVirus 10.2 Client for Vista, Symantec Client Firewall 8.7 [All Releases], Symantec Client Firewall 8.x [All versions], Symantec Client Security 3.1 [All Releases], Symantec Client Security 3.x [All versions]
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