In this article, Thomas Maurer interviews Carlos Mayol Berral of Microsoft to showcase Windows Server 2025 Security Baseline and App Control, offering insights and demos for IT administrators and security professionals.

Windows Server 2025 Security Baseline and App Control

By Thomas Maurer
Published March 17, 2025

Introduction

This in-depth article presents a conversation between Thomas Maurer and Carlos Mayol Berral, Senior Program Manager at Microsoft for Azure Edge Security, focused on the latest security innovations in Windows Server 2025. Central to the discussion are the Security Baseline and App Control features, with practical demonstrations and expert guidance for IT professionals aiming to strengthen their server environments.

Windows Server 2025 Security Baseline and App Control

Key Takeaways

  • Overview of Windows Server 2025 Security Baseline & App Control: Carlos Mayol Berral explains the foundational role these technologies play in protecting modern server environments against evolving threats. Security Baseline provides a set of recommended security configurations, while App Control allows organizations to specify which applications are permitted to run.

  • Hands-on Demonstrations: Carlos offers step-by-step guidance on how to implement these security features in real-world environments.

Highlights from the Conversation

  • Applying the Security Baseline:
    Administrators can easily apply the Windows Server 2025 Security Baseline using PowerShell or the Windows Admin Center. These tools enable a smoother, more automated rollout of baseline security settings, reducing human error and improving consistency across servers.

  • Centralized Policy Management with Azure Arc:
    Azure Arc allows for the centralized management of server security policies, not just across Azure VMs but on-premises servers and multi-cloud environments as well. This facilitates consistent policy enforcement and easier compliance audits.

  • Security Best Practices:
    The discussion highlights approaches and tools that help ensure robust server security, from leveraging built-in Windows Server controls to integrating with Microsoft’s cloud management solutions.

  • Demos & Practical Guidance: The video component, referenced in the article, walks viewers through:

    • How to deploy and manage the Windows Server 2025 Security Baseline.
    • Using App Control to restrict unauthorized applications.
    • Streamlining configuration via PowerShell scripts and Windows Admin Center.

Why These Features Matter

Threats to server infrastructure are increasingly sophisticated. Security Baseline and App Control serve as foundational elements in defense-in-depth strategies, helping to:

  • Reduce attack surface (by enforcing least-privilege configurations)
  • Prevent execution of unapproved software (mitigating malware risk)
  • Increase compliance with organizational and industry standards
  • Enable hybrid and multi-cloud security management (via Azure Arc)

Who Should Watch/Read

  • IT administrators responsible for Windows Server environments
  • Security professionals interested in Microsoft’s latest security capabilities
  • Anyone modernizing their server infrastructure or moving toward hybrid cloud

Learn More

About the Author

Thomas Maurer is Principal Program Manager & Chief Evangelist Azure Hybrid at Microsoft (Cloud + AI). He brings deep expertise on the Azure hybrid cloud and edge platform and regularly shares technical know-how through community engagement and public content.
Opinions expressed are his own.

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