In my previous post regarding wireless security, I mentioned that a single source of authentication for users is the most ideal in a corporate environment. The advantages of using one source for authentication are vast. One of the biggest advantages is that users only need to remember one password for all of their various accounts. This can also help improve security as well.
One common practice for users with a lot of different passwords is to write them down, and this is bad for computer security. So as part of our infrastructure support services, we offer a solution that everyone seems to like. A single password tied to a users Active Directory account, or as most users like to refer to it, their “Windows password”. This password can be used to authenticate to Linux servers, Windows servers, Email, Remote Access VPN, or any device or software that supports Active Directory authentication. I’ve written a quick howto document on how to setup basic Active Directory authentication on Linux servers. There is a lot more customization and fine tuning that can happen after this initial step, but this should get you started down the right path.
Click here to download the HOWTO! How to authenticate Linux users using Active Directory
Questions? Comments? Feel free to comment below!