In Info-Tech's most recent study on SharePoint implementations, one in five enterprises reported security planning as a major challenge. The collaborative nature of SharePoint technology makes access control an important issue, and it also makes SharePoint servers dangerous targets for intrusion.

While Windows SharePoint Services (WSS) is the foundation for all SharePoint technology, including Microsoft Office SharePoint Server (MOSS), security concerns and management will differ depending on whether an enterprise implements only WSS or the full MOSS platform. The information provided here applies to WSS-only implementations using the current version (3.0).