A well-hardened attack surface is the first and most important line of defense in information security. We enable defaults and disable the unnecessary features that aren't used in your operating environment, in order to keep attackers out.
💡 What is Hardening?
This is the technical process where we remove unnecessary services, close open ports in Windows, and configure computers so that even if an attacker manages a first foothold - they're left "stuck" without the ability to spread.
🛡️ The Foundations of Our Hardening
Local Admin Removal: The most critical setting. Without local admin rights, most malware and viruses simply cannot install themselves on the system.
PowerShell Restrictions: Blocking the ability to run scripts from untrusted sources. Attackers commonly use PowerShell to move around the network - we deny them that access.
Network Access Control (NAC): Identifying unknown devices at the network gate. Only computers that have been authorized in advance can physically connect to the corporate network.
Secure Guest WiFi: Full separation between the guest network and the business network (VLAN), with strong authentication for users.
🔑 Identity Management and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Passwords alone have long stopped being sufficient protection. We roll out advanced authentication systems like Duo MFA:
Personal phone verification: Every login to a computer or VPN requires active verification from the employee's own device.
Protection against stolen credentials: MFA doesn't just protect against phishing, it also blocks physical access to the computer itself.
Identity theft prevention: Even if a password is stolen in a phishing attack, an attacker can't complete the login without the physical verification device.
⚠️ The "Shared Password" Trap
Using one shared password for several employees is a serious security breach. We enforce unique identities for every employee, which enables auditing and quick identification of breaches.
