What is system hardening in Security+?
D4 · Operations · CompTIA Security+ SY0-701System hardening is the process of reducing a system's attack surface by removing unnecessary software and services, applying security configuration settings, and enabling security features — making it more resistant to attack.
Hardening steps: remove default accounts/passwords, disable unused services and ports, apply patches, enable host firewalls, configure logging, enable encryption, restrict admin access.
Hardening guides: CIS Benchmarks (industry standard), DISA STIGs (US government), NIST guidelines.
Hardening steps: remove default accounts/passwords, disable unused services and ports, apply patches, enable host firewalls, configure logging, enable encryption, restrict admin access.
Hardening guides: CIS Benchmarks (industry standard), DISA STIGs (US government), NIST guidelines.
Hardening reduces attack surface. Default configurations are often insecure — vendors prioritize ease of use over security. Key hardening concepts: disable telnet (use SSH), disable HTTP (use HTTPS), close unused ports, change default credentials, enable auditing. Image-based deployment ensures consistent hardening across all systems.