Guardians of the Directory

Guardians of the Directory is the podcast for everything Active Directory security, management, and recovery. Join us as we dive into best practices, recent security events, listener Q&As, and expert interviews to equip you with the skills needed to protect your AD environment. Whether you’re an IT pro or a cybersecurity enthusiast, each episode delivers actionable insights to help you stay informed and secure. Become a Guardian of the Directory and tune in to strengthen your defenses!

Guardians of the Directory is a technology podcast hosted by Guardian of the Directory, with 18 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Guardian of the Directory hosts Guardians of the Directory, a technology show with 18 episodes published.

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  Episode #10

  Hybrid Identity is Broken: Rethinking AD, Entra ID & the Bridge in Between

  Aug 21, 202542 minS1

  <p>Welcome to another episode of Guardians of the Directory, where we pull back the curtain on the real-world challenges in securing and managing Active Directory and hybrid identity environments. In this episode, Craig Birch is joined by Sander Berkouwer, identity veteran, Microsoft MVP, and author of the Active Directory Administration Cookbook, to have a brutally honest conversation about hybrid identity – and why it's more than just "messy"... it's broken.</p><p>💡 Key Takeaways:</p><p>Why Hybrid AD isn't just two directories, and how the real architecture adds a third (and sometimes fourth) layer of identity confusion.</p><p>What’...

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  Episode #10

  Blueprinting Zero Trust From: Strategy to Execution with Jerry Chapman

  Jun 25, 202530 minS1

  <p>Welcome back to Guardians of the Directory! In this episode, Craig Birch is joined once again by Zero Trust expert Jerry Chapman for a deep dive into the Zero Trust Blueprint—a practical model to help organizations shift from theory to execution. Jerry shares insights from his work as Co-Chair of the CISA Zero Trust Working Group and provides a clear framework covering assessment, strategy, roadmap development, and execution phases.</p><p>Together, they explore:</p><p>The critical role of business assets and protect surfaces</p>The importance of session management, privilege access, and standing permission hygiene in Ac...

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  Guardians of the Directory

  AdminSDHolder in Active Directory: Hidden Risks and Persistent Threats

  May 1, 20257 minS0

  <p>In this episode of Directory Insights in 10 Minutes, Craig Birch breaks down the often-misunderstood AdminSDHolder object in Active Directory and why it's a high-value target for attackers. Learn how the SDProp process uses it to secure privileged groups—and how misconfigurations or legacy permissions can open the door to persistent access.🔍 What you’ll learn:What AdminSDHolder and SDProp really doWhy this object matters for securing protected groupsHow attackers abuse it for persistenceHow to identify dangerous ACLs and misconfigurationsPowerShell tips to simplify your audit🛠️ PowerShell script to audit AdminSDHolder will be posted in the video description/comments.💡 If AdminSDHolder is compromised...

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  Guardians of the Directory

  Admin Accounts with SPNs — Hidden Risk Behind Kerberoasting

  Apr 15, 20255 minS0

  <p>🔍 Admin Accounts with SPNs — Hidden Risk Behind Kerberoasting | Directory Insights in 10 MinutesIn this episode, Craig Birch breaks down a major Active Directory security blind spot: Kerberoasting via privileged accounts with SPNs (Service Principal Names).You'll learn how attackers exploit these accounts — and how to find, assess, and fix the risk without breaking your apps.Straightforward, no fluff — just practical identity security guidance.🛠️ What You’ll Learn🔐 What SPNs are — and why they matter⚠️ How attackers use them in Kerberoasting attacks🖥️ Why ADUC isn’t enough for visibility💻 PowerShell + LDAP filters for fast discovery🧠 SDProp and how it flags privileged accounts🤝 Why app owner collaboration...

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  Guardians of the Directory

  Kerberos Pre-Auth: Hidden AD Risk

  Apr 9, 20257 minS0

  <p>In this episode of Directory Insights in 10 Minutes, Craig Birch breaks down one of the most overlooked Active Directory misconfigurations: the "Do not require Kerberos pre-authentication" setting.🔍 Why it matters:Enables AS-REP Roasting attacks using tools like Hashcat or John the RipperAllows silent user enumeration without authentication failuresCan go undetected by SIEMs and security logs🛠️ What you'll learn:How this setting weakens AD securityHow attackers abuse it for initial access and password crackingHow to detect and remediate affected accounts using PowerShell🧠 Practical, fast, and built for real-world AD admins—no fluff.▶️ Chapters: 00:00 - Intro00:45 - Why “Do Not Require Pre-Auth” Is Danger...

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