In Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server 2003, site groups offer a flexible method to help control access to content. A site group is a way to configure rights for users based on the kinds of tasks they perform. SharePoint Portal Server recognizes security policies in use on your organization's servers, file shares, and databases during searches. Security is important to help prevent users from finding documents to which they have no access when they perform searches in the portal site.

In the portal site, SharePoint Portal Server uses default site groups to group users with a specific set of customizable rights. You can also create a custom site group for a specific area or list and assign a specific set of rights to it. In addition, by default, SharePoint Portal Server uses the default site groups included with Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services.

Notes

• Installing and operating a SharePoint Portal Server computer is supported only if your server is a member of a domain, not a member of a workgroup.
• All servers in a server farm must be members of the same domain.

Security for Backward-Compatible Document Libraries

In the backward-compatible document library (Web Storage System-based), it is important to restrict access to sensitive information. In some cases, it is important to restrict the viewing of a document to those who edit or approve it, until it is ready for a larger audience.

In the document library, SharePoint Portal Server roles add actions such as check-in, check-out, publish, and approve to traditional file-access permissions, such as Read, Write, and Change. Each role identifies a specific set of permissions. Coordinators handle management tasks, authors add and update files, and readers have read-only access to published documents. Access permissions for the three roles are fixed and cannot be modified. SharePoint Portal Server also offers the option of denying users access to specific documents. Roles are usually specified at the folder level, although you can add coordinators at the document library level for management tasks.

Site Groups and Windows Groups

For more information, see Managing Users and Cross-Site Groups and Managing Site Groups and Permissions.

Note  Cross-site groups are not supported in SharePoint Portal Server. Cross-site groups are supported in Windows SharePoint Services only.

SQL Server Security Issues

Connections between the front-end Web server and the computer running Microsoft SQL Server are not encrypted, so data could be sniffed. To help secure the communications, it is recommended that you implement Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) or otherwise encrypt server-to-server communications.

Related Topics

About roles in the backward-compatible document library

About security for portal areas

About security in the backward-compatible document library

About site group security in SharePoint Portal Server