OS Baselining

A baseline refers to a predefined set of configurations, settings, or standards that represent the desired and secure state of a system, application, or environment. It serves as a reference point or starting point for ensuring consistency, security, and compliance across multiple instances or components within an organization’s IT infrastructure. The purpose of a baseline is to establish a known and secure configuration that aligns with industry best practices, regulatory requirements, and organizational security policies. Baselines are commonly used for OSs, software applications, network devices, and other IT components. Key characteristics of a baseline include the following:

• Baselines promote standardization by defining a common set of configurations that should be applied consistently to all relevant systems.
• Security baselines are designed to meet security standards and mitigate known vulnerabilities, reducing the risk of security incidents.
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