AD-DOM-07 - NetBIOS name standard compliance should be retrievable

Contributed by Michael Soule with Merill FernandoAll contributors →

Overview

NetBIOS names are still used in many Windows networking scenarios, even though DNS is the primary name resolution method. Non-compliant NetBIOS names can cause:

• Legacy Application Issues: Older applications may not handle non-standard characters
• WINS Problems: Windows Internet Name Service may have trouble with invalid names
• Network Browsing: Issues with network neighborhood and browsing services
• Script Failures: PowerShell and batch scripts may fail with special characters

Valid NetBIOS names should:

• Be 1-15 characters in length
• Contain only alphanumeric characters and: !@#$%^&'()_-.+~
• Not contain: \ / : * ? " < > |

Security Recommendation

• Use Simple Names: Stick to alphanumeric characters for maximum compatibility
• Keep Short: Stay well under the 15-character limit
• Avoid Special Characters: Even allowed special characters can cause issues
• Document Requirements: If special characters are needed, document the business case

How the Test Works

This test validates NetBIOS names against standard naming conventions, checking for valid characters and length requirements.

Related Tests

• Test-MtAdNetbiosNameNonStandardDetails - Lists non-compliant NetBIOS names
• Test-MtAdDomainNameStandardCompliance - Checks domain name compliance

Test Metadata

Field	Value
Test ID	AD-DOM-07
Severity	Info
Suite	Active Directory
Category	AD.Domain
PowerShell test	Test-MtAdNetbiosNameStandardCompliance
Tags	AD, AD-DOM-07, AD.Domain

Source

• Pester test: tests/ad/domain/Test-MtAdNetbiosNameStandardCompliance.Tests.ps1
• PowerShell source: powershell/public/ad/domain/Test-MtAdNetbiosNameStandardCompliance.ps1