Active Directory Foundations

Active Directory is the identity and access backbone of most enterprise Windows networks. This lesson explains how AD organizes users, computers, groups, and policies into a hierarchical structure, why that structure matters for both administrators and attackers, and how to explain it clearly in interviews.

Kerberos is the default authentication protocol in Active Directory. This lesson covers how it works at a level that supports clear technical communication, explains why its design matters for both security and attack surface, and prepares you to discuss Kerberos confidently in interviews and with stakeholders.

NTLM is a legacy authentication protocol that remains widely present in Active Directory environments despite known weaknesses. This lesson explains how it works, why it persists, what makes it vulnerable, and how to explain its relevance clearly in interviews and stakeholder conversations.

Access control lists define who can do what to every object in Active Directory. This lesson explains what ACLs are, how they control permissions on AD objects, why they matter for delegated administration and attack surface, and how to explain them clearly in interviews.

Group Policy Objects are the primary mechanism for centrally managing configuration across users and computers in Active Directory. This lesson explains what GPOs are, how they apply settings across the environment, why control over GPOs matters for security, and how to explain Group Policy clearly in interviews.

Domain trusts define how authentication and access flow between domains and forests in Active Directory. This lesson explains what trusts are, why they exist, how they change the scope of both legitimate access and potential compromise, and how to explain trust relationships clearly in interviews.