Shadows creep when LDAP is left unchecked
Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) controls user access across systems. It sits in the center of authentication, authorization, and identity lookups. Because LDAP often connects directly to sensitive infrastructure, attackers target it to gain admin rights or pivot deeper into your network. That makes a security review equal parts detective work and structural audit.
Start with configuration. Confirm LDAP over TLS (LDAPS) is enforced. Plaintext binds open the door to credential theft. Disable anonymous binds unless explicitly required, and verify strong authentication mechanisms like SASL with Kerberos or certificate-based auth.
Audit schema and attribute permissions. Restrict write access. Many breaches start with misconfigured ACLs in directory entries that allow privilege escalation. Map out group memberships and nested groups—these can silently grant excessive rights.
Check bind accounts. Service accounts often accumulate permissions over time. Apply least privilege. Rotate their credentials. Monitor bind activity and flag abnormal patterns.
Validate integration points. LDAP often connects to web apps, VPNs, and email systems. Weak integration settings can bypass your core LDAP controls. Test each one. Enforce timeouts and lockouts. Remove stale or orphaned entries.
Log and monitor relentlessly. LDAP logs should feed into your SIEM. Look for repeated failed binds, suspicious searches, or attribute modifications at odd hours. Monitoring is your early warning.
Document everything. A proper LDAP security review leaves a record—config baselines, change history, access rights, and findings. Without this, issues resurface. With documentation, fixes stick.
Run these steps regularly. Attack surfaces change as your systems evolve. LDAP security reviews keep the core of your identity infrastructure clean, hardened, and trustworthy.
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