Introduction

Active Directory (AD) is widely used by organizations to manage user identities, authentication, authorization, and access to shared resources. Because file-sharing systems often contain sensitive business information, misconfigured permissions, weak authentication controls, and insufficient monitoring can create significant security risks.

This security assessment project focuses on evaluating an Active Directory-based file-sharing environment to identify security weaknesses and recommend mitigation strategies.

The assessment covers:

• User account security.
• Access control management.
• File-sharing permissions.
• Authentication security.
• System monitoring.
• Security logging and detection.

Additionally, this assessment explores how integrating security monitoring platforms such as Wazuh can improve visibility, detect suspicious activities, and strengthen Active Directory security operations.

Assessment Scenario

Environment

A company performs a security review of its internal Active Directory-based file-sharing infrastructure due to concerns about unauthorized access and potential data exposure.

The environment consists of:

• Active Directory Domain Controller.
• Windows file-sharing server.
• Domain user accounts.
• Security groups and organizational units.
• Shared folders containing business data.
• Wazuh security monitoring integration.

Assessment Objective

The objective of this assessment is to identify security weaknesses within the Active Directory file-sharing environment and evaluate potential risks related to:

• Identity management.
• Access control.
• Authentication security.
• Data protection.
• Security monitoring.

The goal is to reduce the risk of unauthorized access, privilege abuse, and potential data breaches.

Assessment Scope

The assessment included:

• Reviewing Active Directory user accounts.
• Evaluating group memberships and permissions.
• Reviewing organizational unit configurations.
• Analyzing password and authentication policies.
• Reviewing shared folder permissions.
• Examining Windows security logs.
• Reviewing patch management status.
• Integrating Wazuh for monitoring and detection.

Data Collection and Analysis

The following activities were performed:

Active Directory Review

Reviewed:

• User accounts.
• Security groups.
• Administrative privileges.
• Organizational Units (OUs).
• Group Policy Objects (GPOs).

Access Control Review

Analyzed:

• Shared folder permissions.
• NTFS permissions.
• User access levels.
• Excessive privileges.

Security Log Analysis

Reviewed security events for suspicious activity, including:

• Failed authentication attempts.
• Successful logins.
• Privilege changes.
• Account modifications.
• File access events.

Security Monitoring Integration

Integrated Wazuh to provide:

• Centralized log collection.
• Security alerting.
• File integrity monitoring.
• Vulnerability detection.
• Compliance monitoring.

Vulnerability 1: Inactive User Accounts

Issue

15 Active Directory user accounts have not been used for more than six months.

Risk

Inactive accounts increase the risk of unauthorized access because:

• Credentials may remain valid.
• Former employees may still have access.
• Attackers may target unused accounts.

Recommendation

Implement an account lifecycle management process:

• Regularly review inactive accounts.
• Disable unused accounts.
• Remove unnecessary permissions.
• Follow employee termination procedures.

Vulnerability 2: Outdated Software and Missing Security Updates

Issue

The file-sharing server is running outdated software that has not received updates for approximately 10 months.

Risk

Unpatched systems may contain known vulnerabilities that attackers can exploit for:

• Remote code execution.
• Privilege escalation.
• Malware infection.

Recommendation

Implement regular patch management:

• Apply security updates.
• Monitor vendor security advisories.
• Perform vulnerability scans.
• Maintain supported software versions.

Vulnerability 3: Weak Password Policy

Issue

Approximately 10% of users are using weak passwords such as:

• 123456
• password

Risk

Weak passwords increase the likelihood of:

• Brute-force attacks.
• Credential stuffing.
• Account compromise.

Recommendation

Strengthen Active Directory password policies:

• Require complex passwords.
• Enforce minimum password length.
• Implement account lockout policies.
• Enable MFA where possible.

Vulnerability 4: Lack of Multi-Factor Authentication

Issue

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is not enabled for access to the file-sharing environment.

Risk

If user credentials are compromised, attackers may gain direct access to internal resources.

Recommendation

Implement MFA for:

• Domain accounts.
• Administrative accounts.
• Remote access services.
• Sensitive applications.

Vulnerability 5: Excessive User Permissions

Issue

20% of users have access permissions beyond their job requirements.

Risk

Excessive permissions increase the possibility of:

• Accidental data exposure.
• Insider threats.
• Unauthorized file access.
• Lateral movement after account compromise.

Recommendation

Apply the Principle of Least Privilege (PoLP):

• Review security groups.
• Remove unnecessary permissions.
• Separate administrative accounts.
• Perform regular access reviews.

Vulnerability 6: Weak File Transfer Security

Issue

File-sharing communication does not have sufficient encryption protection.

Risk

Unprotected file transfers may expose sensitive information through:

• Network interception.
• Man-in-the-middle attacks.
• Unauthorized monitoring.

Recommendation

Implement secure file-sharing practices:

• Enable SMB encryption where applicable.
• Enable SMB signing.
• Disable insecure protocols.
• Use secure transfer methods such as SFTP when required.

Vulnerability 7: Misconfigured Shared Folder Permissions

Issue

10% of shared files are configured with overly broad permissions such as:

• Everyone access.
• Public access.

Risk

This may expose sensitive information to unauthorized users.

Potential impact:

• Data leakage.
• Unauthorized modification.
• Compliance violations.

Recommendation

Perform regular permission reviews:

• Remove unnecessary access.
• Use role-based access control.
• Apply NTFS permission best practices.

Vulnerability 8: Lack of Regular Security Testing

Issue

The environment has not undergone security assessments or penetration testing for more than one year.

Risk

Security weaknesses may remain undetected.

Recommendation

Establish regular testing:

• Vulnerability scanning.
• Active Directory security assessments.
• Permission audits.
• Penetration testing.

Vulnerability 9: Inadequate Monitoring and Alerting

Issue

The environment lacks centralized monitoring for suspicious Active Directory activity.

Risk

Attack techniques such as:

• Brute-force attacks.
• Privilege escalation.
• Unauthorized access.
• Account manipulation.

may remain undetected.

Recommendation

Deploy security monitoring solutions such as Wazuh.

Monitor:

• Authentication events.
• Privileged account activity.
• File access.
• Configuration changes.

Vulnerability 10: No Data Retention Policy

Issue

Unused files remain stored indefinitely.

Risk

Old data increases:

• Attack surface.
• Storage exposure.
• Risk of sensitive information leakage.

Recommendation

Implement a data lifecycle policy:

• Classify sensitive data.
• Archive inactive files.
• Remove unnecessary information.
• Define retention periods.

Risk Assessment Summary

NIST Cybersecurity Framework Mapping

The identified risks align with the NIST Cybersecurity Framework:

Identify

• Asset management.
• Risk assessment.
• Access review.

Protect

• Password policies.
• MFA implementation.
• Least privilege access.
• Patch management.

Detect

• Security monitoring.
• Log analysis.
• File integrity monitoring.

Respond

• Incident investigation.
• Account containment.
• Security remediation.

Recover

• Data recovery procedures.
• Security improvement processes.

Wazuh Security Monitoring Integration

Wazuh enhances Active Directory security monitoring by providing centralized visibility into security events.

Security Capabilities

Wazuh provides:

Real-Time Monitoring

Detects:

• Failed login attempts.
• Suspicious authentication activity.
• Privilege changes.

Log Analysis

Analyzes Windows security logs for:

• Unauthorized access attempts.
• Account modifications.
• Policy changes.

File Integrity Monitoring

Monitors critical files and directories for:

• Unauthorized modifications.
• Suspicious changes.
• Data manipulation.

Vulnerability Detection

Identifies:

• Missing patches.
• Vulnerable software.
• Security configuration issues.

Security Improvements After Implementation

By combining Active Directory security controls with Wazuh monitoring, organizations can achieve:

• Better visibility into user activity.
• Faster detection of suspicious behavior.
• Improved access control management.
• Reduced risk of unauthorized access.
• Stronger compliance readiness.

Conclusion

The Active Directory file-sharing assessment identified several security weaknesses related to identity management, access control, authentication, and monitoring.

The most critical improvements include:

• Enforcing MFA.
• Applying least privilege access.
• Maintaining updated systems.
• Monitoring Active Directory activity.
• Regularly reviewing permissions.

Active Directory security requires continuous assessment because attackers frequently target identity systems as an entry point into enterprise environments.

By implementing proper security controls and continuous monitoring with tools such as Wazuh, organizations can significantly improve their security posture and reduce the risk of data compromise.