What does hardening a system primarily involve?

Hardening a system primarily involves securing it by reducing vulnerabilities and risks. This process typically includes measures such as removing unneeded services, configuring systems securely, applying patches and updates, and implementing security controls to mitigate potential threats. By focusing on reducing the attack surface of a system and addressing weaknesses, organizations can better protect their resources against unauthorized access and cyber threats.

Adding more applications does not contribute to the hardening of a system but can often introduce additional vulnerabilities. Increasing system speed may enhance performance but is not directly tied to security measures. Providing user training is important for overall security awareness, but it is not the primary focus of hardening a system, which is centered on the configuration and management of the system itself to enhance its defenses.