Prepare for Removal of SMB 1

Server Message Block (SMB) is a network protocol used to provide access to shared files and printers that is included in current Windows client and Windows Server versions. SMB 1, the earliest version of the protocol, was marked for deprecation in 2013, and a future version of Windows will ship without SMB 1 installed. It is currently included for legacy compatibility, but SMB 1 has limitations that increase security risk for organizations that have not disabled it, and organizations should take steps now to eliminate SMB 1 from their environment.

Why Eliminate SMB 1?

SMB 1 has been in use since the early 1990s, when it was included with Windows for Workgroup and LAN Manager, and it predates current security best practices. Subsequent versions of the protocol, starting with Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, were made more efficient and added features to improve performance and security. The current version is SMB 3.1.1, which was introduced with Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016.