With malicious hackers constantly looking for ways to break into servers, Managed IT Service (MITS) teams use a technique called OS hardening (which is short for operating system hardening) to stop hackers from gaining access to their client’s systems.
Hardening of the OS is the process of reinforcing and configuring an operating system to make it as secure as possible by updating it, removing unnecessary applications and services and creating rules and polities to help manage the system in a secure manner. Depending on the OS your business uses, the intricate hardening practices may differ. Regardless of how your company is operating, we’ve outlined some general steps that anyone can use to make their systems more protected:
1. Clean up any Programs That are no Longer Being used
Every unnecessary program on your computer is another pathway to your data; by uninstalling any programs that you no longer use, you also delete the pathway into your network. As a general rule, any programs that are not approved by your company should not be installed on any company computers.
2. Keep Your Operating Systems up to Date
Reports show that 53% of Mac OS users are running the latest version of OS X while only 35% of Windows users run the latest version of their software. With each service pack and update released, both Apple and Microsoft are working hard to patch any vulnerabilities in their systems so ensuring that your computer is updated with the latest version available is essential to protecting it form hackers.
3. Patch Everything
It is easy to ignore OS or program patch updates, but it’s important to understand that implementing a patch management system is an essential part of a good digital security regiment. Following the same logic as system updates, patches are used to quickly fix issues that pop up throughout the lifetime of a software program.
4. Eliminate User Error
The easiest way for hackers to breach your system is through user error. To protect against this, every company needs to implement strict security rules such as regular password changes and group access policies.
5. Monitor Baselines
When hardening an OS, overall system monitoring is one of the most important factors to consider. To monitor a baseline simply pick an activity to measure and monitor its fluctuations for an extended period of time to create a baseline. Any irregularities in said baseline could then potentially be considered a cause for concern.
Want to protect your company’s digital assets with OS hardening? Reach out to Resilient IT for a consultation today!
