Windows Hardening
Let's Dive into Windows System Hardening and understand the concepts of the system Hardening.
Windows Hardening Process
Testing
Complicances
- CIS (Center for Internet Security) Benchmarks
- NIST SP 800-53 (U.S. Federal Systems)
- ISO 27001 (International Standard) (A.9.2.1,A.12.6.1,A.16.1.7)
- GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation)
- Microsoft Security Baselines
CIS & NIST: Foundational for technical hardening.
ISO 27001: Best for risk management processes.
GDPR/HIPAA/PCI DSS: Industry-specific mandates.
Checklist for Windows Hardening
| Category | Item |
|---|---|
| OS & Patching | Windows OS is fully patched and updated |
| Windows Defender (or approved AV) is enabled and updated | |
| Automatic Windows Updates are enabled | |
| SMBv1 and other legacy protocols are disabled | |
| User Accounts & Access | Default Administrator account is renamed or disabled |
| Guest account is disabled | |
| Strong password policies are enforced | |
| Account lockout policy is configured | |
| Local admin privileges are restricted | |
| Multi-factor authentication is enforced where possible | |
| Audit & Logging | Audit policy covers logon events, object access, privilege use, etc. |
| Event logs are securely collected and stored | |
| Log retention meets compliance requirements | |
| Log tamper protection is enabled | |
| Firewall & Network | Windows Firewall is enabled and correctly configured |
| Inbound/outbound firewall rules are reviewed and minimized | |
| Unused ports/services are closed | |
| RDP access is disabled or restricted with IP filtering and MFA | |
| Services & Features | Only necessary services are running |
| Insecure remote services (Telnet, FTP) are disabled | |
| PowerShell logging is enabled (script block, module, transcription) | |
| Application Control | Only authorized software is installed |
| AppLocker or Windows Defender Application Control is configured | |
| Office macros are disabled or restricted | |
| Browsers are hardened (e.g., Flash disabled, extension restrictions) | |
| System Configuration | BitLocker encryption is enabled on all drives |
| Secure Boot is enabled in BIOS/UEFI | |
| USB/removable media usage is restricted | |
| LSA Protection (Credential Guard) is enabled if supported | |
| Group Policy & Security | Security baselines (CIS/Microsoft) are applied |
| Null sessions and anonymous access are restricted | |
| LM and NTLMv1 authentication is disabled | |
| SMB signing and NTLM restrictions are enforced | |
| Backup & Recovery | Backups are regularly performed and verified |
| Backup data is securely stored (offline/immutable) | |
| System restore points are managed or disabled | |
| Monitoring & Detection | Host-based IDS/IPS tools are deployed (e.g., Sysmon, Defender ATP) |
| Alerts are configured for suspicious activity | |
| Centralized logging or SIEM integration is active | |
| Browser & Email Security | Anti-phishing and malware filters are enabled in browsers |
| Email attachment scanning and filtering are in place | |
| Web filtering or DNS protection is enforced |
Tools For Validating Windows Hardening
| Category | Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in Windows Tools | PowerShell | Audit accounts, services, firewall rules, and configurations. |
secpol.msc | Validate password/account lockout policies. | |
gpedit.msc | Check Group Policy settings (e.g., AppLocker, UAC). | |
auditpol | Verify auditing settings (logon events, object access). | |
Manage-bde | Check BitLocker encryption status. | |
eventvwr.msc | Review Security/System event logs. | |
| Free Third-Party Tools | Microsoft Security Compliance Toolkit | Compare GPOs against CIS/NIST baselines. |
| Sysinternals Suite | Analyze processes, autostart programs, and network activity. | |
| Nmap | Scan for open ports/services (e.g., RDP, SMB). | |
| Wireshark | Detect insecure network traffic (e.g., SMBv1, unencrypted protocols). | |
| OpenVAS | Vulnerability scanning for missing patches/misconfigurations. | |
| BloodHound | Audit Active Directory privileges (for domain-joined systems). | |
| Commercial Tools | Nessus | Automated vulnerability and CIS compliance scanning. |
| Qualys | Continuous compliance monitoring and reporting. | |
| CrowdStrike Falcon | Endpoint detection and response (EDR) for threat detection. | |
| Rapid7 InsightVM | Identify misconfigurations and generate compliance reports. | |
| Scripting & Automation | Ansible/Puppet | Enforce configurations (e.g., disable services, set policies). |
| PowerShell DSC | Define and enforce system state (e.g., BitLocker, firewall rules). | |
| SIEM & Logging | Splunk | Centralize and analyze logs for compliance/auditing. |
| ELK Stack (Elastic) | Free log aggregation and retention. | |
| Microsoft Sentinel | Cloud-native SIEM for threat detection and compliance monitoring. |