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Security Fundamentals & Crypto · Foundational

Hardening

Reducing a system's attack surface by removing unnecessary functions and applying secure configurations.

Definition

Hardening includes disabling unused services and ports, removing default accounts, applying patches, enforcing strong authentication, and configuring logging. It is guided by baselines such as CIS Benchmarks and STIGs. Hardening applies to operating systems, network devices, applications, cloud services, and containers.

Example

Disabling SMBv1, removing guest accounts, and closing unused ports on a Windows server.

Exam tip

Hardening questions often list several options; choose the one that removes unneeded functionality.

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