Uncategorized

How to fix slow DNS lookup

January 30, 2026
You notice it as “the internet feels slow,” but it’s not throughput. It’s the pause before anything starts. A new website takes 8–15 seconds to begin loading. RDP connections hang at “configuring,” PowerShell modules time out on first call, and “it’s faster the second time” becomes the only consistent clue. In Windows environments—especially domain-joined endpoints and hybrid…
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Recent AD News

Legacy D-Link DSL Routers Exploited via Unauthenticated DNS Hijacking (CVE-2026-0625)

January 12, 2026
LA critical command-injection flaw in legacy (end-of-life) D-Link DSL gateway routers is being actively exploited to achieve unauthenticated remote code execution (RCE) and silent DNS setting changes (DNS hijacking). What happened (and why it matters) The bug is tracked as CVE-2026-0625 (CVSS 9.3) and sits in the router CGI endpoint dnscfg.cgi, where DNS configuration parameters aren’t properly…
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Active Directory Fundamentals

Migrating from AD FS to Azure AD SSO

December 19, 2025
Many organizations built their hybrid identity strategy around Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS) for single sign-on (SSO). Today, Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) can deliver the same sign-in experience for most apps—often with less infrastructure, lower operational overhead, and better native controls like Conditional Access. This guide walks you through a practical…
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Active Directory FundamentalsActive Directory PoliciesUncategorized

Role-based access control (RBAC) in Azure

December 19, 2025
Azure RBAC is the authorization system used to control who can do what across Azure resources. It is designed to keep access granular, auditable, and aligned to real operational responsibilities—without turning permissions into a messy pile of one-off exceptions. In practice, Azure RBAC works best when it is treated as an operating model, not a one-time configuration task: define roles clearly…
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Active Directory Fundamentals

Federation strategies using Entra

December 19, 2025
Federation is still a critical tool in hybrid identity—but the “best” federation strategy depends on what you’re trying to achieve: modern SSO for SaaS, partner access, legacy app support, or a phased retirement of AD FS. This guide explains practical federation patterns using Microsoft Entra ID, how to choose between them, and how to implement them safely. …
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Active Directory Fundamentals

Tracking privilege escalation in Azure AD

December 19, 2025
Tracking Privilege Escalation in Azure AD (Microsoft Entra ID) Privilege escalation in Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) rarely looks like a single “hacker flips a switch” moment. In real environments, it’s usually a chain of small, legitimate-looking changes—role assignments, consent grants, group membership edits, Conditional Access exceptions, or…
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Active Directory Fundamentals

Zero Trust architecture with Entra at the core

December 19, 2025
Zero Trust Architecture with Microsoft Entra at the Core Zero Trust is not a product you “turn on.” It’s an operating model for security where every access request is treated as hostile until proven otherwise. The big shift is psychological and architectural: you stop trusting network location (VPN, office LAN, “inside”) and you start trusting verified identity +…
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Active Directory Fundamentals

Secure score improvements using Entra ID insights

November 21, 2025
Secure Score Improvements Using Entra ID Insights Microsoft Secure Score is most useful when it’s treated as a risk-reduction roadmap, not a vanity metric. If Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) is your identity control plane, then the best Secure Score gains usually come from identity-driven changes: stronger authentication, tighter access conditions, reduced privilege…
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Active Directory Fundamentals

Setting up MFA policies in hybrid environments

November 21, 2025
What you’ll build Hybrid MFA basics: where MFA can be enforced Prerequisites and guardrails (don’t skip) A practical MFA policy model for hybrid orgs Implementation steps in Entra Conditional Access Extending MFA to on-prem apps, VPN, and RADIUS Rollout plan: pilot → broad deployment Monitoring and troubleshooting Ready-to-use policy templates FAQs …
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