How to quickly integrate System Hardening
Planning, implementing, monitoring, and optimizing professional System Hardening ties up a lot of resources – if you don’t approach the project correctly. With these solutions, you can significantly increase your efficiency.
Waiting is not an option
System Hardening is not a “nice to have” but a “must have”! This should be clear to anyone involved in IT security. Preventive measures are required in more and more IT regulations and standards (ISO 27001, DORA, NIS2, etc.). This is understandable, as tests prove that System Hardening protects against many attack vectors.
However, implementing System Hardening can be very time-consuming. On the one hand, this is because many IT landscapes consist of mature, heterogeneous systems. On the other hand, it is because hundreds of settings have to be made per system in order to meet the established standards of CIS, BSI, or DISA. In addition, IT managers must determine the “perfect” time for hardening.
One thing is clear: the ideal time was yesterday. Because no or insufficient System Hardening is definitely the worst solution! Therefore, if you have not already done so, start implementation as soon as possible.
Integrate System Hardening into your processes
There are various approaches you can take to harden your IT landscape – for example, Rapid Hardening, Layered Hardening, and Lifecycle Hardening.
➡ Rapid Hardening is about providing basic protection as quickly as possible. This involves starting to harden client systems (Tier 2) by securely configuring just 200 to 300 settings.
➡ Layered Hardening: First, the assets that are most in need of protection (Tier 0) are thoroughly hardened. Then you work your way through layer by layer (Tier 1, Tier 2).
➡ Another very common method is Lifecycle Hardening. This involves integrating System Hardening directly into a rollout project – for example, when introducing Windows 11. This approach is very efficient because you harden new operating systems and applications before they are deployed company-wide.
Opt for automated System Hardening
When planning your hardening project, determine how the hardening should be implemented technically. Manual configuration is not feasible in terms of time for large system landscapes. Centralized configuration using group policies is also a no-go, as Group Policy Objects quickly reach their limits when faced with complex challenges. In addition, some regulations now prohibit the use of GPOs.
A more sensible approach is to harden the system using PowerShell scripts or PowerShell Desired State Configuration (DSC). You will need to implement these yourself – or you can use Enforce Administrator as a “shortcut.”
✅ Systems Management
With Enforce Administrator, you can centrally harden large system landscapes and monitor the configurations.
✅ Continuous monitoring
Unwanted changes are immediately detected and reversed by Enforce Administrator. This creates a kind of “self-healing system.”
✅ Digital sovereignty
Enforce Administrator is unique on the market. And our solution officially bears the label “Software made in Germany.”
✅ Simple audits
You can generate a hardening report at the touch of a button to comply with documentation requirements.
⏬ Download: Enforce Administrator Product Brochure (PDF)
Do you have any questions?
Would you like to know more about System Hardening? Or would you like to know how you can implement automated System Hardening in your company? Contact us – our experts are happy to help!