Security Hardening
Security hardening reduces a system or network's attack surface by eliminating as many security vulnerabilities as possible. It involves configuring systems to be more resistant to attacks by minimizing available entry points and reducing the potential damage an attack can cause.
Here's a more detailed explanation:
Reducing Attack Surface: The primary goal is to decrease the number of ways an attacker can enter a system. This involves disabling unnecessary services, closing unused ports, and removing unnecessary software.
Eliminating Vulnerabilities: Hardening addresses known vulnerabilities by patching software, updating firmware, and applying security best practices to system configurations.
Defense in Depth: Hardening often employs a defense-in-depth strategy, implementing multiple security controls so that if one layer fails, others still provide protection.
Configuration and Settings: A significant part of hardening involves carefully configuring security settings. This can include setting strong passwords, enforcing access control lists, encrypting data, and configuring firewalls.
Examples: Common hardening techniques include:
Disabling default accounts and changing default passwords.
Removing or disabling unnecessary services and protocols.
Applying the latest security patches.
Configuring firewalls to restrict network access.
Enabling strong encryption.
Implementing strong authentication and authorization mechanisms.
Minimizing user privileges.
ThreatNG helps organizations identify weaknesses in their external attack surface, providing crucial information for security hardening efforts.
External Discovery: Identifying the Attack Surface
ThreatNG's external discovery process is the first step. Identifying all externally facing assets (websites, applications, servers, etc.) defines the scope of what needs to be hardened.
This discovery process mirrors how an attacker views the organization, ensuring that hardening efforts address all potential entry points.
External Assessment: Pinpointing Vulnerabilities
ThreatNG's external assessment modules provide detailed information on specific vulnerabilities that hardening should address:
Web Application Hardening: The "Web Application Hijack Susceptibility" assessment identifies weaknesses in web applications, such as outdated software, missing security headers, and input validation flaws. Hardening these issues (e.g., updating software, implementing security headers) directly reduces the attack surface.
Domain and DNS Hardening: The "Subdomain Takeover Susceptibility" assessment highlights vulnerabilities in DNS configurations that could lead to subdomain takeovers. Hardening DNS settings (e.g., proper configuration, DNSSEC) mitigates this risk.
Network Hardening: ThreatNG identifies open ports and services, revealing potential attack vectors. Hardening involves closing unnecessary ports and restricting access to necessary ones.
Code Security Hardening: The "Code Secret Exposure" module discovers exposed credentials and sensitive data in code repositories. Hardening practices include removing these secrets and securing code repositories.
Mobile App Hardening: The "Mobile App Exposure" assessment identifies vulnerabilities within mobile applications, such as hardcoded credentials. Hardening involves removing these vulnerabilities from the app.
Positive Security Indicators: Validating Hardening Efforts
ThreatNG's "Positive Security Indicators" feature validates the effectiveness of hardening measures.
It identifies the presence of security controls that indicate a hardened posture, such as adequately configured Web Application Firewalls (WAFs), multi-factor authentication (MFA), and strong encryption.
This feature provides objective evidence that hardening efforts have been successful.
Reporting and Continuous Monitoring
ThreatNG's reporting capabilities communicate hardening needs and progress.
Continuous monitoring ensures that hardening is maintained over time and new vulnerabilities are quickly identified.
Investigation Modules and Intelligence Repositories
ThreatNG's investigation modules provide detailed information for hardening. For example, the Domain Intelligence module offers insights into DNS configurations.
Intelligence repositories provide context. For example, vulnerability data helps prioritize hardening efforts.
Working with Complementary Solutions
ThreatNG's hardening insights can be combined with other security tools:
Vulnerability Management: ThreatNG's external vulnerability assessments complement internal scanning for a more complete hardening strategy.
SIEM: ThreatNG's data can be fed into a SIEM to correlate external vulnerabilities with internal events, improving threat detection.
ThreatNG is a valuable tool for security hardening. It identifies vulnerabilities, validates hardening measures, and provides continuous monitoring to maintain a strong security posture.
