Incorporating best practices

To finish off the chapter, we wanted to provide a checklist of the most important items that will help enforce your security baselines. The following list is ranked in order of importance as you look to build and enforce your baselines:

1. Select and deploy a framework to build a foundation; the NIST Cybersecurity Framework is a great place to start.
2. Select a baseline foundation; we covered CIS, Windows security baselines, and Intune's security baselines.
3. For your Windows devices, use Policy Analyzer from the Microsoft SCT to review your baselines, or use the CIS-CAT Pro tools to review your system configurations against the CIS Benchmarks.
4. Create or use (and re-use) a Golden Image template for each use case and always keep up with the latest updates. CIS has pre-defined hardened images that can be used.
5. Build well-documented and easy-to-follow procedures that others can use and follow.
6. Use automation of controls and tools...