The Account Operators group is a built-in group in Windows that allows users to manage user accounts and groups. It is important to understand the best practices for using this group to ensure that your system is secure and that users have the appropriate access to resources.
In this article, we will discuss 10 best practices for using the Account Operators group. We will cover topics such as creating a separate account for the group, setting up proper permissions, and more. By following these best practices, you can ensure that your system is secure and that users have the appropriate access to resources.
1. The Account Operators group should not be assigned any user rights
The Account Operators group is a privileged group that has the ability to create, modify, and delete user accounts. If this group were assigned any user rights, it would be possible for members of the group to use their privileges to gain access to resources they should not have access to.
Therefore, it’s important to ensure that no user rights are assigned to the Account Operators group. This will help protect your system from malicious users who may try to exploit the group’s privileges. Additionally, you should also make sure that only trusted individuals are added to the group, as these people will have the power to manage user accounts on your system.
2. The Account Operators group should not be added to the Administrators group on domain controllers
The Account Operators group is responsible for creating, modifying, and deleting user accounts. This means that they have the ability to create new administrator accounts with full privileges on the domain controller. If an account operator were added to the Administrators group, then they would be able to make changes to the system configuration of the domain controller, which could lead to security vulnerabilities or other issues.
Therefore, it’s important to ensure that the Account Operators group is not added to the Administrators group on any domain controllers in your environment. Doing so will help keep your systems secure and prevent potential problems from occurring.
3. The Account Operators group should not be granted permissions to modify computer objects in Active Directory
Computer objects in Active Directory contain sensitive information, such as the computer’s name, IP address, and operating system. If an Account Operator were to modify this information, it could lead to security risks or other issues with the network. Additionally, granting permissions to modify computer objects can also give Account Operators access to more resources than they need, which can be a potential security risk.
Therefore, it is best practice to not grant Account Operators permission to modify computer objects in Active Directory.
4. The Account Operators group should not be granted permission to create or delete groups in AD
The Account Operators group is responsible for managing user accounts, and granting them permission to create or delete groups in AD could lead to security risks. For example, if an account operator creates a new group with elevated privileges, they could grant themselves access to sensitive data or resources that they should not have access to. Additionally, deleting existing groups can cause problems with applications or services that rely on those groups.
Therefore, it’s important to ensure that the Account Operators group does not have permissions to create or delete groups in AD. This will help maintain the security of your Active Directory environment.
5. The Account Operators group should not be granted permission to manage service accounts
Service accounts are used to run services and applications on a network, and they often have elevated privileges. If the Account Operators group is granted permission to manage service accounts, then any member of that group could potentially gain access to sensitive data or make changes to critical systems. This could lead to serious security risks, so it’s important to ensure that only trusted administrators have access to service accounts.
6. The Account Operators group should not be granted permission to manage users’ home folders
The Account Operators group is responsible for managing user accounts, such as creating and deleting them. However, they should not be given access to users’ home folders because this could lead to a security breach. If the Account Operators group has access to these folders, then they can view or modify sensitive information that belongs to other users. This could result in data loss or theft of confidential information.
Therefore, it’s important to ensure that the Account Operators group does not have permission to manage users’ home folders. Doing so will help protect your organization from potential security risks.
7. The Account Operators group should not be granted permission to reset passwords for other users
The Account Operators group is a powerful group that has the ability to create, modify, and delete user accounts. If they are granted permission to reset passwords for other users, then they could potentially gain access to those accounts without having to go through the proper authentication process. This would be a major security risk as it would allow them to bypass any security measures in place.
Therefore, it’s important to ensure that the Account Operators group does not have this permission. Instead, password resets should only be done by an administrator or someone with the appropriate privileges.
8. The Account Operators group should not be granted permission to enable or disable user accounts
Enabling or disabling user accounts is a sensitive operation that should only be done by an administrator. Allowing the Account Operators group to enable or disable user accounts could lead to security risks, as they may not have the same level of knowledge and experience as an administrator. Additionally, granting this permission could also lead to confusion among users, as it would be unclear who enabled or disabled their account.
Therefore, it’s best practice to ensure that the Account Operators group does not have permission to enable or disable user accounts.
9. The Account Operators group should not be granted permission to unlock user accounts
The Account Operators group is responsible for managing user accounts, such as creating and deleting them. However, they should not be given the ability to unlock user accounts because this could lead to security risks. If an account operator unlocks a user’s account without their permission, it could allow malicious actors to gain access to sensitive information or resources. Additionally, if an account operator unlocks a user’s account too frequently, it could indicate that the user’s password has been compromised.
Therefore, it is important to ensure that the Account Operators group does not have the ability to unlock user accounts in order to maintain system security.
10. The Account Operators group should not be granted permission to logon locally to servers and workstations
The Account Operators group is responsible for creating, modifying, and deleting user accounts. This means that they have the ability to make changes to the system configuration of a server or workstation. If an account operator were to logon locally to a server or workstation, they could potentially make changes to the system configuration without proper authorization. This could lead to security vulnerabilities and other issues.
Therefore, it’s best practice to not grant permission to the Account Operators group to logon locally to servers and workstations. Instead, access should be granted on a case-by-case basis when necessary.