Hardening Your Server: 12 Critical Steps Every Admin Should Take

Server hardening reduces attack surfaces and protects core infrastructure from cyber threats. Whether you manage Linux or Windows servers, these steps are essential.

12 Steps to Harden Any Server

1. Disable unused services
2. Enable automatic updates
3. Use strong SSH policies
4. Enforce MFA for admin accounts
5. Configure a firewall (UFW, firewalld, iptables)
6. Use fail2ban or similar intrusion prevention
7. Regularly audit logs
8. Encrypt sensitive data
9. Disable root login
10. Use configuration management
11. Limit access with least privilege
12. Perform vulnerability scans