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Monitor Central Access Policy and Rule Definitions

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Applies To: Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2012, Windows 8

This topic for the IT professional describes how to monitor changes to central access policy and central access rule definitions when you use Advanced Security Auditing options to monitor dynamic access control objects.

Central access policies and rules determine access permissions for multiple files on multiple file servers. Therefore, it is important to monitor changes to them. Like user claim and device claim definitions, central access policy and rule definitions reside in Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS), and they can be monitored just like any other object in Active Directory. Central access policies and rules are critical elements in a Dynamic Access Control deployment. These policies and rules are stored in AD DS, so they should be less likely to be tampered with than other network objects. However, it is important to monitor these objects for potential changes in security auditing and to verify that policies are being enforced.

Note

The contents of this topic apply to the list of supported Windows operating systems designated in the Applies To list at the beginning of this topic.

Use the following procedures to configure settings to monitor changes to central access policy and central access rule definitions and to verify the changes. These procedures assume that you have configured and deployed Dynamic Access Control, including central access policies, claims, and other components, in your network. If you have not yet deployed Dynamic Access Control in your network, see Deploy a Central Access Policy (Demonstration Steps).

Note

Your server might function differently based on the version and edition of the operating system that is installed, your account permissions, and your menu settings.

To configure settings to monitor changes to central access policy and rule definitions

  1. Sign in to your domain controller by using domain administrator credentials.

  2. In Server Manager, point to Tools, and then click Group Policy Management.

  3. In the console tree, right-click the default domain controller Group Policy Object, and then click Edit.

  4. Double-click Computer Configuration, click Security Settings, expand Advanced Audit Policy Configuration, expand System Audit Policies, click DS Access, and then double-click Audit directory service changes.

  5. Select the Configure the following audit events check box, select the Success check box (and the Failure check box, if desired), and then click OK.

  6. Close the Group Policy Management Editor.

  7. Open the Active Directory Administrative Center.

  8. Under Dynamic Access Control, right-click Central Access Policies, and then select Properties.

  9. Click the Security tab, click Advanced to open the Advanced Security Settings dialog box, and then click the Auditing tab.

  10. Click Add, add a security auditing setting for the container, and then close all Security properties dialog boxes.

After you configure settings to monitor changes to central access policy and central access rule definitions, verify that the changes are being monitored.

To verify that changes to central access policy and rule definitions are monitored

  1. Sign in to your domain controller by using domain administrator credentials.

  2. Open the Active Directory Administrative Center.

  3. Under Dynamic Access Control, right-click Central Access Policies, and then click Properties.

  4. Click the Security tab, click Advanced to open the Advanced Security Settings dialog box, and then click the Auditing tab.

  5. Click Add, add a security auditing setting for the container, and then close all Security properties dialog boxes.

  6. In the Central Access Policies container, add a new central access policy (or select one that exists), click Properties in the Tasks pane, and then change one or more attributes.

  7. Click OK, and then close the Active Directory Administrative Center.

  8. In Server Manager, click Tools, and then click Event Viewer.

  9. Expand Windows Logs, and then click Security. Verify that event 4819 appears in the security log.

Using Advanced Security Auditing Options to Monitor Dynamic Access Control Objects