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OS Hardening:
- The act of configuring an OS securely, updating it, creating rules and policies to help govern the system in a secure manner, and removing unnecessary applications and services, in order to minimize OS exposure to threats and to mitigate possible risk.
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Seven steps are involved in keeping a well-maintained computer:
- Use a surge protector or (better) uninterruptible power supply (UPS)
- Update the BIOS or UEFI
- Update the OS
- Update anti-virus and anti-malware software
- Update the firewall
- Maintain the disks
- Create an image of the system
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Summarize the process of hardening an Operating System:
- Remove unnecessary applications and services
- Whitelist or blacklist applications
- Use anti-malware, anti spyware, and anti-spam applications
- Configure host-based firewalls
- Perform updates and patches
- Use group policies, security templates, benchmarks and baselines
- Utilize a secure file system
- Perform preventive maintenance on hard drives