Security Hardening Checklist: 8 Steps for Windows and Linux Servers

Whether you’re running Linux or Windows, hardening your servers means finding potential weak spots in security and fixing them through configuration modifications. As the name implies, server hardening applies system hardening best practices to servers.

To safeguard your operations and save money in the long term, you should harden your server so that hackers have a harder time breaking in. However, server hardening also helps your business remain in accordance with industry and state data protection laws.

As a first step in hardening your server, you should create a checklist that details the measures you need do to safeguard your Windows or Linux server. These server hardening checklist items are high-level, and they work for both Windows and Linux servers.

Accounting practices

A user account is a persona constructed for the purpose of gaining authorized entry to a server or other networked resource. The administrator account has the most privileges and can access all parts of the server. The only way to ensure the safety of these accounts is to implement a strict policy for creating and using passwords. The minimum password length, password complexity, account lockout period, and maximum password age should all be outlined in this policy.

Controlling how users log in to the server is just as important as controlling their passwords. Implementing two-factor authentication and limiting the locations from which users can log in are both recommended as a means of bolstering security. Guest accounts and inactive accounts should also be deleted.

Do you have a set password policy? This question is crucial to the Server Hardening Checklist.

Do you have measures in place to regulate that can access what parts of the server and from where they can access it?

How often do you clear out old or inactive accounts?

Modifications and Upgrades

Including a strategy for applying software patches and upgrades in your server hardening checklist is essential. They are crucial to server security since vendors frequently issue them to fix newly identified security flaws and enhance performance. Before installing changes to the production environment, it is recommended to test them on a test installation to rule out any potential issues.

Establishing a process for the installation of automated versions for your OS and any other application programs should be considered a fundamental aspect of any computer procedure. For instance, both Microsoft and most Linux distributions constantly offer updates and hotfixes for their server operating systems, such as Windows. It is also important to set up automatic upgrades for any third-party software operating on your servers.

Key questions for a server security checklist to ask to make sure you’ve had everything configured and patched correctly:

Have you set up the server OS to update automatically?

Have you additionally enabled automated updates for any third-party software installed on your server?

Do you check for issues with each update on a test server before releasing it to the live servers?

User Access Control

Everyone who needs access to the server’s programs and resources should have an account, but not everyone should have root access. This is why user account management should be at the top of your server security priorities.

Limit who can create new administrator accounts and give regular users only the permissions they need to complete their duties. Using a domain controller, you may manage many accounts with comparable permissions by assigning them to user groups. These groups, rather than individual accounts, will be given access to file systems and other resources.

Questions Central to Server Hardening for Admin Control of User Permissions

Do you control user permissions with a group policy or other comparable tools?

Can you tell me about the safeguards you’ve installed to prevent the unauthorized use of administrator accounts?

A Safer Network

If you want to protect your network from outside threats, you should turn on the firewall and configure it to reject all incoming traffic by default. Then, depending on your analysis, only accept the incoming network traffic that is really crucial to your business’s success. While Windows Firewall does a serviceable job in this regard, a dedicated hardware firewall provides superior protection by physically isolating traffic management from the server.

Always use the strongest level of encryption when allowing remote desktop protocol (RDP) access to your server. A virtual private network (VPN) can be set up to encrypt Internet traffic for users connecting to their accounts or programs running on the server from remote places.

Questions That Should Be On Every Windows and Linux System Administrator’s Server Hardening Checklist

Does your firewall filter out anything but essential traffic?

When accessing your server from a distance, do you always employ a VPN?

Do you use a secure connection when using a remote desktop?

Software Protection & Virus Scanners

Anti-virus and anti-malware software safeguards your computers by checking for and eliminating any bad code they find. Get one set up and run regular scans on your server. Furthermore, make sure your anti-virus software is set to automatically download and install any updates to its virus definition database.

User Account Control (UAC) allows you to control the level of access that third-party programs have to system resources and data. Hence it should be included in any Windows hardening checklist. You can cross off prohibiting harmful background software from running on your server from your list of server hardening tasks.

Essential Security Measures for Defending Against Malware and Viruses:

Do your servers have anti-virus and anti-malware protection?

Does your server undergo routine scans and upgrades from your anti-virus software?

Do your Windows servers have User Account Control set to “Enabled”?

Standard Safety Preferences

There are undoubtedly a number of services and capabilities built into the server OS that you will never use. You can greatly lessen the likelihood that an attacker will be able to compromise your Windows or Linux server through a vulnerability in one of these services or applications by including their removal from your hardening checklist.

Disabling support for external storage devices like USB drives eliminates a common attack vector for hackers with physical access to your servers and complements other security measures.

Important Security Checklist Items for Physical Servers

Has the server had all unused programs and services shut down?

Can you check the server’s security configuration to see whether USB devices are disabled?

How can you keep unauthorized people from gaining access to your servers?

Restore and backups are covered

Having a solid backup and recovery strategy in place is a crucial part of any server hardening checklist. Data loss, ransomware attacks, and other catastrophes that compromise data and system integrity can all be prevented with regular backups.

Make sure the backup process is automated and continuous whether you opt for an on-premises, off-premises, or cloud-based solution.

The frequency of server backups should be one of the primary items on your backup and recovery checklist.

Is it a fully automated process?

Where do you save your copies of important data?

The number of copies that you have is unknown.

Auditing Procedures and Records

A reservoir of information useful for undertaking system audits can be compiled by enabling logging and monitoring for all system occurrences. In order to trace the origin of an issue or security vulnerability, auditors examine server activity using event logs. Hardening your server security requires you to create an audit policy that details the kind of system activity you should log, how long you should keep these logs, and how often you should back them up.

In addition, it’s a good idea to keep records of your system configurations, policies, and security settings. Maintaining up-to-date documentation of your disaster recovery procedures is a crucial aspect of your overall security posture.

Essentials for Hardening: Log Management and System Monitoring

When people use your server, are their actions recorded?

Approximately how often do you look at your event logs?

Do you keep track of server configuration updates?

Conclusion

It is impossible to exaggerate the importance of servers in modern corporate operations. You can protect one of your most important pieces of IT infrastructure by adding a server hardening checklist to your risk management procedures.