What Does Hardening Mean In Security?

What Does Hardening Mean in Security?

Answer:

It is a process to reduce the ways of attack by covering the vulnerabilities, non-essential turn-off, and security control with configuration systems like managing passwords, disabling non-essential ports, and file permission. In terms of computing, it reduces the attacking surface to reduce the system liability. Hardening aims is to decrease the risk of attack by condensing the attack surface of the system and by eliminating potential attack vectors. Malware has very less opportunities to gain access to your system if you remove the programs, applications, access, and accounts functions.

It demands a well-organized approach to identifying and reducing the system vulnerabilities in the organization. There are many kinds of hardening activities like,

• Network hardening
• Database hardening
• Application hardening
• Hardening in server
• Operating system hardening

The concept of system hardening is universal the tools and techniques vary depending upon the type of hardening. It required a lifecycle that includes installation, configuration, maintenance, and support.

Reduction of attack surface:

The attack surface is the mixture of all flaws and forbidden doors in technology that are used by malware. This happens in many ways.

• Passwords are stored in plain text files
• Hardcoded and default passwords
• Damaged software
• Firmware liability
• Encoded network traffic
• Lack of confidential access control
• Poorly structured BIOS, switches, firewalls, and other parts of the framework.

Advantages of system hardening:

These are the advantages of system hardening it retrieves continuous efforts.

• Improve system functionality:                                                                              When there are few programs and, fewer functions, means there is less risk in operations like incompatibilities, misconfigurations, and compromise.

• Security improved:

By reducing the attacker’s surface then there is a low risk of data breaches, hacking systems, and unofficial access.

• Simple survey and compliance:

Few accounts and programed linked with simple environments mean surveying the environment will be more straightforward and transparent.