What is Active Directory Directory Service Restore Mode (DSRM)?
Active Directory Directory Services Restore Mode (DSRM) is a special boot mode in Windows Server operating systems used for recovery and maintenance of the Active Directory database.
What Does It Do?
- Recover Active Directory Database: When the Active Directory (AD) database becomes corrupted or inaccessible, Directory Services Restore Mode (DSRM) enables the system to boot securely and repair the database efficiently.
- Restore Active Directory from Backup: Use Directory Services Restore Mode (DSRM) to restore the Active Directory database, ensuring data integrity and a successful system recovery.
- Troubleshooting Database Issues: DSRM enables maintenance and troubleshooting tasks on the AD database.
- Isolated Recovery from Attacks: It allows a secure recovery by isolating Active Directory from the network.
DSRM Password Storage: The system stores the DSRM password locally, keeping it independent of the Active Directory domain. This password remains unused during normal operations and is only required for recovery tasks.
Security Recommendations: To enhance Active Directory security, update the DSRM password every 6 to 12 months on each Active Directory server.
Case Example: You may have multiple domain environments in your company’s infrastructure and multiple Active Directory servers in these domain environments.
You can use the following script to perform DSRM password updates centrally on these servers.
Features of the Script:
- Centralized or Individual Updates: The script can update the DSRM password for all AD servers in a domain or for individual servers.
- Use Unique, Complex Passwords: Generate passwords with 16, 18, or 20 characters to ensure uniqueness and complexity for every AD server.
- Export Results: After the password update, the script exports a CSV file containing the domain name, hostname, IP address, and the generated password for each AD server.
Requirements:
- Domain Admin privileges
- Administrator Privileges Required: Run the necessary commands with administrator privileges to apply these security measures.
DSRM Password Manager GUI Interface, If you want to try the script I wrote, you can get it on Github
If you found this powershell script helpful, feel free to share it with your team and check out my blog for more quick tips and insights!