Question

Discuss how you would harden a system and whose responsibility it would be to do this task. Is there an issue if this task is not assigned? What is important about a baseline? Why do you need one? How do you capture a proper baseline? Discuss any issues that have come up when a proper baseline wasn't captured. Explain the importance of inventory management when it comes to computer hardware and how this may help with administration of servers. What are the benefits and problems with managing this inventory? Type the answer please so i can read it . Thanks

Answer 1

If you have any doubts please comment below.Please give upvote if you like this.

Explanation:

The given question contains two different questions,one of them discusses the system hardening and the other is about the inventory management. For each of these questions, there are several sub parts. Refer to the below explanation clearly for both questions.

1. System hardening is a collection of tools, techniques, and best practises to reduce vulnerabilities in technology applications, systems, infrastructure, firmware and other areas. The goal is to reduce security risk by eliminating potential attack vectors and condensing the systems attack surface.

There are several types of system hardening activities such as :-

a) Application hardening

b) Operating system hardening

c) Server hardening

d) Database hardening

e) Network hardening

Steps to harden a system:

• Auditing the existing systems(Using penetration , testing, vulnerability scanning and so on)
• Create a strategy for systems hardening
• Path vulnerability immediately i.e. automated and comprehensive vulnerability identification and patching system
• Network hardening by ensuring that firewall is properly configured and all rules are regularly audited, secure remote access points, block open network parts.
• Server hardening by hardening system before connecting to external servers, avoid installing unnecessary software on computers.
• Eliminating unnecessary accounts and privileges
• Operating system hardening by applying os updates, dervice packs, remove unnecessary drives, etc

1. It is the responsibility of manager to harden it's system, thus the MSP i.e managed service providers must strengthen client defenses against outside attacks.
2. Yes, it's an damaging issue if no steps are takes for system hardening. This is because no system hardening may lead to decreased system functionality decreased in security significantly and complex auditability and compliance.
3. A hardening process establishes a baseline of system functionality and security. This is because, inorder to recognize abnormal system behaviour as a sign of attack one needs to know what is normal behaviour. Thus, this is the security baseline.
4. If a proper baseline wasn't captured then the system won't be able to differentiate between an attack and normal behaviour . Thus , baseline helps us to harden the system by providing means to security.
5. Inventory management for computer hardware which involves numerous types such as client pc's servers printers and other peripherals is very crucial for an organization. It involves various aspects such as keeping upto date information about assets, including location client assignment purchase history warranty info, configurations and so, morever, hardware inventory management dares time and helps focus on computer/ IT tasks.
6. In short, computer hardware inventory management lets discover and manage hardware devices in network of an organization, automate hardware assest management, keep hardware inventory up to date and save valuable time.
7. This inventory management also help to monitor server inventory, fring under control and keep it well organised. Organization can monitor server inventory changes. Perform patch management, automate auditing process, critical security control and compare different system environment.
8. The advantages of inventory management system for computer hardware are discussed above. The various challenges are the hardware inventory challenges such as maintaining accurate inventory for wide range of devices pc's, mobiles, servers , data centers etc... Other than this there are numerous organizational challenges.