Security Baselines

• The process of establishing a system’s security state is called baselining, and the resulting product is a security baseline that allows the system to run safely and securely.



• Security baselines are critical to protecting information systems, particularly those allowing connections from external users.



• Hardening is the process by which operating systems, network resources, and applications are secured against possible attacks.

Password Selection

• The first step in addressing the password issue is to create an effective and manageable password policy that both system administrators and users can work with.



• There are many tools available to help enforce the selection of strong, hard-to-guess passwords.



• Selecting passwords based on “passphrases” can be an easy and effective method of selecting a good password.



• Users should change their passwords every 60 to 90 days and should not



• be allowed to reuse old passwords.

Operating System and Network Operating System Hardening

• Securing operating systems consists of removing or disabling unnecessary services, restricting permissions on files and directories, removing unnecessary software (or not installing it in the first place), applying the latest patches, removing unnecessary user accounts, and ensuring strong password guidelines are in place.



• There are many good resources, such as Microsoft’s security checklists, that can assist system administrators in securing their systems.



• Hardening Microsoft, UNIX, and Mac OS operating systems follow the same basic guidelines, but each OS has specific steps and guidelines that must be followed to ensure that a particular OS is secure.



• Ensuring systems are patched in a timely manner is critical to maintaining a secure state.

Network Hardening

• Securing network resources consists of disabling unnecessary functions, restricting access to ports and services, ensuring strong passwords are used, and ensuring the code on the network devices is patched and up-to-date.



• Controlling the types and amount of traffic allowed to move through network devices can help ensure effective, secure operations.

Application Hardening

• Securing applications depends heavily on the application involved, but typically consists of removing samples and default materials, preventing reconnaissance attempts, and ensuring the software is patched and up-to-date.



• Application patches should be tested before they are placed on a production system.