Applying Windows hardening

Nothing is impossible to break; just make it hard enough to make them want another target.

As you know, hardening is a fancy name for all the techniques used to protect a given server from attacks. While hardening is not a bullet-proof solution, its aim is to increase the security of a server to an acceptable level to prevent the majority of attacks.

In general, a properly hardened server should be protected against all scripted or automated attacks.

There are normally two ways to apply hardening, as outlined here:

• Applied by a separate team (information technology (IT) infrastructure)
• Another applied by the security team (you)

Let's take a look at your responsibilities when hardening is performed by the infrastructure team.

Hardening by the infrastructure team

In this case, the hardening is performed (executed) by another team; however, you may still be accountable for ensuring that the server is secure, so in that...