What happened: Microsoft published an update on its Windows security direction, including guidance aimed at reducing reliance on NTLM and preparing organizations for a world where NTLM is disabled by default.
Why it matters: NTLM is a legacy authentication protocol that can increase risk in modern identity environments. Reducing NTLM dependency can strengthen identity security and reduce lateral movement opportunities.
Practical steps highlighted
- Enable enhanced NTLM auditing to identify where it is still used.
- Map application and service dependencies and prioritize remediation.
- Migrate and validate critical workloads with Kerberos.
Sources
- Windows IT Pro Blog: Advancing Windows security: Disabling NTLM by default
