System hardening encompasses a set of tools, techniques, and applications to reduce the vulnerability of technology applications, systems, infrastructure, firmware, and other areas. The purpose of system hardening is to reduce security risk by eliminating potential attack vectors and narrowing the system’s attack surface.

By removing unnecessary programs, account functions, applications, ports, permissions, access, etc., you can minimize the potential for attackers and malware to harm your IT ecosystem.

System hardening requires a methodical approach to review, identify, close, and control potential vulnerabilities in your organization. There are several system hardening activities, including:

• Application hardening

• Operating system hardening

• Server hardening

• Database hardening

• Network hardening

Although the principles of system hardening are universal, specific tools and techniques vary depending on the type of consolidation you are performing. System hardening is required throughout the technology lifecycle, from initial installation through configuration, maintenance, support, and decommissioning.

System hardening is also a requirement for compliance with regulations such as GDPR, KVKK, PCI DSS, and HIPAA.

SYSTEM HARDENING TO REDUCE THE “ATTACK SURFACE”.

The “attack surface” is a combination of all potential vulnerabilities and backdoors that hackers can exploit. These vulnerabilities can occur in a variety of ways, such as:

• Default and hard-coded passwords

• Passwords and other credentials stored in plain text files

• Unprocessed software and firmware vulnerabilities

• Poorly configured BIOS, firewalls, ports, servers, switches, routers or other parts of the infrastructure

• Unencrypted network traffic or data at rest

• Lack of privileged access

SYSTEMS HARDENING STEPS 

The type of hardening you do depend on the risks and resources you have, as well as the priority with which you make corrections.

Review existing systems: Conduct a comprehensive review of your current technology. Use penetration testing, vulnerability scanning, configuration management, and other security audit tools to find system flaws and prioritize their remediation. Perform system hardening assessments using industry standards from NIST, Microsoft, CIS, DISA, etc.

Create a strategy for system hardening:  you do not need to harden all your systems at once. Instead, create a strategy and plan based on the risks identified in your technology ecosystem and use a phased approach to address the biggest vulnerabilities.

Fix vulnerabilities immediately: An automated and comprehensive vulnerability detection and patching system protects you from many potential attacks.

Network hardening: make sure your firewall is configured properly and all rules are checked regularly; secure remote access points and users; block unused or unnecessary open network ports; disable and remove unnecessary protocols and services; implement access lists; encrypt your network traffic. These types of precautions make the network much more secure. 

Harden servers: all servers must be located in a secure data center and hardening should always be done before connecting servers to the Internet or external networks. Avoid installing unnecessary software on a server. Protect your servers by properly segregating them and ensuring that superuser and administrator shares are properly set up and that permissions and access are limited to the principle of least privilege. 

Application hardening: uninstall components or features you do not need; restrict access to applications (e.g., application control) based on user roles and context; remove all sample files and default passwords. Application passwords should then be managed via an application password/privileged password management solution that enforces password best practices (password rotation, length, etc.). Application hardening should also include reviewing integrations with other applications and systems and removing or reducing unnecessary integration components and privileges.

Database hardening: create administrative constraints, such as privileged access control, on what users can do in a database; turn on node auditing to verify applications and users; encrypt database information-both in transit and at rest; enforce strong passwords; implement role-based access control (RBAC); remove unused accounts to prevent unwanted access to databases. 

Operating system hardening:  operating system updates, service packs and patches should be automatically deployed. Unnecessary drives, file shares, libraries, software and services should be removed. Local storage should be encrypted; registry and other system permissions must be tightened. In addition, all activities, errors, and warnings should be logged, and control over privileged users should be reviewed.

Unnecessary accounts and privileges must be removed.

ADVANTAGES OF SYSTEM HARDENING

System hardening makes up for continuous effort.

Increased system functionality: Fewer programs and less functionality reduce operational problems, misconfigurations, non-compliance, and security risks. 

Significantly improved security: A reduced attack surface means a lower likelihood of data breaches, unauthorized access, hacking or malware risks. 

Simplified compliance and auditability: a simpler structure, fewer programs and accounts generally make the process of monitoring the environment more transparent and clear. 

Tecron is at your side with its expert staff and strong business partners, from defining the right strategy to implementing all the necessary processes.