What’s System Hardening? System Hardening Checklist

Information technology (IT) systems are the backbone of many modern business enterprises. These include software applications, network solutions, and server hardware used to take care of operations and deliver value to customers. Subsequently, protecting them from the ever-present threat of cyberattacks must be a priority for these organizations. System hardening is just considered one of the ways to make sure the operational efficiency of those systems.

System hardening is the means of configuring an IT asset to scale back its exposure to security vulnerabilities. That exposure is often known as an attack surface, and it’s the sum of all of the potential flaws and entry points that attackers can use to compromise a system. System hardening goals to make this attack surface as small as possible, making it difficult for malicious actors to compromise the asset.

If we were to make use of a straightforward example of a file on a pc as an asset, then the system hardening process would come with steps like

• File encryption.
• Password protection.
• Automating system log-off.
• Improved physical security.
• Restricted network and physical access.

All these steps will increase the issue of gaining unauthorized access to the file.

There are various kinds of IT assets, and the means of hardening them varies. But, whatever the asset, the goal of eliminating vulnerabilities and mitigating security risks stays the identical.

Since most network infrastructures contain various IT assets (each hardware and software), it will stand to reason that there are various kinds of system hardening. Security hardening can occur across multiple network areas, and these individual “hardened” components come together to create your system’s overall “shield” against security vulnerabilities.

The important varieties of system hardening include the next:

• Operating System (OS) hardening.
• Server hardening.
• Endpoint hardening.
• Network hardening.
• Database hardening.
• Application hardening.

While the essential principles and end goals of hardening remain the identical, each particular sort of hardening requires its own specific tools and techniques. But, whether it’s server hardening or hardening an operating system, all kinds are equally essential at every stage of your IT assets’ lifecycles. Actually, system hardening is taken into account so vital that it might be required by healthcare organizations like HIPAA or for retail industries that must follow the payment card industry (PCI) data security standards. 

The increased dependence on IT infrastructure has also increased the variety of hackers trying to infiltrate these systems for nefarious purposes. Over a decade ago, studies showed that a hacking attack occurred every 39 seconds, and within the years since, that rate of attacks can only have gone up.

Within the face of this overwhelming wave of cyberattacks, it’s not an issue of if you’ll face an intrusion attempt but when. 

Consequently, businesses must take the crucial steps to guard themselves and their customers from attacks. Hardening systems must be a necessary a part of these steps crucial for an efficient defense against cyberattacks.

Beyond protecting your data and infrastructure, industry best practices and government regulations regarding information security can only be satisfied by applying the system hardening process to your infrastructure.

Improved security posture is the goal of system hardening, and if done accurately, it significantly reduces the chance of you becoming a victim of common security threats. It is because cybersecurity experts always update best practices for system hardening to match emerging threats and vulnerabilities.

Your infrastructure can experience a boost in performance on account of installing security patches, system updates, and disabling unnecessary processes while following system hardening guidelines.

Enhancing your system’s security levels through system hardening means you’re less more likely to experience incidents that compromise your security. Consequently, you lower your expenses that will have been spent on disaster recovery efforts within the event of a security breach.

Most governments and industries recognize the growing threat of cyberattacks and their impact on residents/stakeholders. Consequently, they’ve made it mandatory for organizations operating inside their jurisdiction to comply with regulations based on information security and data protection best practices.

These best practices also function the muse for many system hardening guidelines, which implies you’ll be able to effortlessly kill two birds with one stone.

While information technology infrastructure varies based on organizational requirements and use cases, the technologies used to construct these systems are common across industries. Whether it’s due to great marketing or the standard of those products/services, this standardization has made it possible to create security configuration guidelines for every technology. These guidelines, developed by cybersecurity experts, provide a system hardening checklist that organizations can apply to every technology item that makes up their infrastructure.

As well as, the benchmark documents contain recommendations and detailed instructions for implementing security measures based on use cases. On this format, a security skilled can download the suitable documentation for his or her infrastructure and construct a checklist of hardening steps specific to their technology stack.

1. Prioritize critical IT assets, then work through your network inventory list.
2. Restrict access to admin accounts, disable guest accounts, institute account lockout policies, and implement a strict password policy for all users that features a two-factor authentication system.
3. Commonly install updates and patches for the operating system and third-party applications, including antivirus software. Automate this process when possible to avoid human error.
4. Configure system alerts.
5. Leverage cybersecurity tools like penetration tests, system configuration management, vulnerability scans, etc., to evaluate your current protection level frequently.
6. Make use of practical cybersecurity standards just like the NIST CSF to make sure your system complies with cybersecurity parameters.
7. Implement a firewall and routinely audit and update its rules. Secure distant users and access points and encrypt network traffic.
8. Restrict access to critical components of your infrastructure based on user roles and monitor closely to forestall unauthorized access to core systems.
9. Document all activity, including logging and monitoring notifications for system-level events, access logs, errors, and detected suspicious activities. 
10. Remove unnecessary features or services and shut unused network ports to eliminate potential entry points for hackers and reduce the burden on system resources.

With a greater understanding of what system hardening is and best practices, you’ll be able to start desirous about learn how to measure performance. Many IT professionals are interested by the correct benchmarks they need to use to evaluate the viability of their system hardening procedures. But, it could appear somewhat overwhelming to begin from scratch and select your personal system hardening KPIs from inside your personal internal system.

Fortunately, a framework has already been established to assist IT technicians and system admins measure the success of their system hardening efforts. The Center for Web Security (CIS) has developed benchmarks and best practices to assist make sure the positive impacts of your hardening efforts – whether you’re hardening security, a server, or anything in between.

Despite the importance of system hardening, not all organizations have the technical capability to effectively implement a system hardening checklist for his or her infrastructure. That is why switching to a cloud-based option may be the right solution since a completely managed provider will help with system hardening.