What does OS hardening typically involve?

OS hardening typically involves disabling unnecessary services. This process is crucial for enhancing the security posture of an operating system by minimizing its attack surface. Unused services can be exploited by attackers as potential entry points into the system. By disabling these services, organizations reduce the number of vulnerabilities that could be exploited, subsequently lowering the risk of a successful attack.

Disabling unnecessary services also helps in optimizing system performance since fewer resources are allocated to idle services. This practice is a fundamental step in establishing a secure operating environment, making it a vital part of security best practices.

In contrast, installing additional software, upgrading hardware components, and increasing user permissions generally do not contribute to hardening an operating system. Instead, these actions might introduce new vulnerabilities or complicate the system, leading to potential security risks.