Strengthening your security posture with Windows Admin Center

Security helps protect sensitive data and critical infrastructure. Cyberattacks are on the rise, and it is more critical than ever to ensure that your Windows Server infrastructure is secure. To help customers stay ahead of evolving threats, we are continuously innovating and introducing new security-focused tools in Windows Admin Center.

WS 2025 Silicon Assisted Security

If you’re familiar with the Secured-core tool, then you’re going to love our new Silicon Assisted Security tool! This includes the secured-core requirements along with the minimum recommended hardware requirements for Windows Server 2025. We have heard your feedback, and as a result, we consolidated this into a singular view to streamline the configuration experience.

With Silicon Assisted Security, you can monitor the status and set the below security features:

• Virtualization-based Security (VBS)
• System Guard Secure Launch (DRTM)
• Hypervisor-protected Code Integrity (HVCI)
• Boot DMA protection
• Secure Boot
• Trusted Platform Module (TPM 2.0)

Note: This tool is currently in preview and is behind an experiment key. Add experiment key under Settings -> Advanced -> Experiment keys: msft.sme.security.siliconAssistedSecurityPreview

WS 2025 Security baseline

Microsoft provides a security baseline for Windows Server with hundreds of security settings. This tool provides a method to implement security based on Microsoft recommended security baselines and industry best practices. You can apply the security baseline throughout the device lifecycle starting from initial deployment using Microsoft provided ‘PowerShell tooling’ or Windows Admin Center, supported by the new security configuration platform, ‘OSConfig’. You can also leverage the ‘inbuilt drift control mechanism’, one of the salient features of the security configuration platform which helps ensure that the system starts and remains in a known good security state.

Apply the recommended Windows Server security baseline:

• Center for Internet Security (CIS) Benchmark
• Defense Information Systems Agency Security Technical Implementation Guides (DISA STIG)
• Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS 140) requirements for the OS
• Azure Compute Security baselines

You can learn more about all the new Windows Server 2025 security features and updates here: Windows Server 2025 security book.

Windows LAPS

Windows Local Administrator Password Solution (Windows LAPS) is a Windows feature that automatically manages and backs up the password of a local administrator account on your Microsoft Entra joined or Windows Server Active Directory-joined devices. You also can use Windows LAPS to automatically manage and back up the Directory Services Restore Mode (DSRM) account password on your Windows Server Active Directory domain controllers. An authorized administrator can retrieve the DSRM password and use it. Learn more here.

Now, you can use Windows LAPS to manage your passwords on your LAPS enabled machines within the domain with Windows Admin Center. With this tool, you can reveal and copy passwords of a given machine. View the corresponding password expiration time and update the time stamp. Not only that, but you set the expiration time and reset passwords for multiple machines at a time, making password management and authentication more secure, simpler, and efficient.

By leveraging these powerful security tools in Windows Admin Center, you can take a proactive approach to safeguarding your Windows Server environments. Whether it’s through Silicon Assisted Security, Security Baseline, or Windows LAPS, Windows Admin Center provides the necessary tools to enhance your security posture with minimal complexity.

As cyber threats continue to evolve, securing your infrastructure should remain a top priority. Windows Admin Center is here to help you stay ahead, ensuring that your Windows Server environment is protected, resilient, and ready for the challenges of tomorrow.

To get started with these security features, download the latest version of Windows Admin Center here and improve your security today.