Security settings overview

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

Security Settings overview

Organizational units, domains, and sites are linked to Group Policy objects. The Security Settings tool allows you change the security configuration of the Group Policy object, in turn, affecting multiple computers. With Security Settings, you can modify the security settings of many computers, depending on the Group Policy object you modify, from just one computer joined to a domain.

Security settings or security policies are rules that are configured on a computer or multiple computers for protecting resources on a computer or network. Security settings can control:

• How users are authenticated to a network or computer.

• What resources users are authorized to use.

• Whether or not a user's or group's actions are recorded in the event log.

• Group membership.

For more information, see Security Setting Descriptions.

Using Security Settings

You can change the security configuration on multiple computers in two ways:

• Create a security policy using a security template with Security Templates and then import it through Security Settings to a Group Policy object. For more information, see Import a security template to a Group Policy object.

• Change a few select settings with Security Settings. For more information, see Edit security settings on a Group Policy object.