The fundamentals of SharePoint security management are the same whether an enterprise implements only Windows SharePoint Services (WSS) or the full Microsoft Office SharePoint Server (MOSS) platform. One of the key differentiators of MOSS security is in the expanded functionality. Enterprise search and Excel Services are two capabilities that are included only with MOSS, and they carry security concerns that are not present in WSS.
Info-Tech’s latest study on SharePoint usage found that nearly 50% of the enterprises surveyed are either using or planning to use the enterprise search features, and almost 35% use or intend to use Excel Services. These enterprises will need to understand how to deal with the additional security requirements associated with these functional areas.