Security | Threat Detection | Cyberattacks | DevSecOps | Compliance

OS hardening refers to the process of enhancing the security of an operating system by implementing various measures and practices to minimize vulnerabilities and strengthen its resistance against potential cyber threats and attacks. This involves configuring the OS settings, applying security patches, disabling unnecessary services, and implementing access controls to create a more robust and secure computing environment.

NTLM has three versions - NTLMv1, NTLMv2 and NTLMv2 Session Security. NTLMv2 is supposed to offer better security than its previous version, and to some extent it does provides better defense against relay and brute force attacks, but does not completely block them. NTLMv2 Session Security is a session security protocol that can be used in conjunction with NTLMv1 or NTLMv2 to provide additional security.

Data Execution Prevention (DEP) is a Windows security feature that protects systems by preventing code from executing in memory areas designated for data storage. By ensuring only authorized programs can run in specific memory regions, DEP helps block malicious software, such as viruses, from executing harmful code. It operates at both hardware and software levels, monitoring memory usage to prevent exploits like buffer overflow attacks.

When a computer is connected to a network (domain), it is given a machine account that represents that computer on the network. This account is used to authenticate the computer allowing it to access network resources and do tasks. Each machine account, also known as a domain member. has its own unique password for each network. Disable machine account password changes controls whether domain-joined machines automatically change their machine account passwords with the domain controller (DC).

NIST 800-53B, Control Baselines for Information Systems and Organizations, offers security and privacy control baselines for the Federal Government. It serves as a companion to NIST Special Publication (SP) 800-53, Revision 5, which outlines security and privacy controls for information systems and organizations.

DFARS compliance involves following regulations set by the U.S. Department of Defense for contractors and subcontractors, focusing on cybersecurity, supply chain risk management, and protecting sensitive information like Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI).

The primary function of the HTTP trace method (aka trace or track verbs) is as a diagnostic tool used in web servers. It works by echoing back the received request so that the client can see what changes or additions have been made by intermediate servers. Essentially, when a client sends a TRACE request to a server, the server responds by sending back the exact request it received, including all the headers.

Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is a technology that encrypts data sent between a user's browser and a website or application on a server. The purpose of SSL is to secure the information preventing eavesdropping and tampering. Originally released in 1995, SSLv2 is a protocol used to encrypt data sent over the internet, ensuring that the information remains private and secure.

Transport Layer Security (TLS) is a cryptographic protocol designed to provide secure communication between web browsers and servers. It is used in almost every app nowadays. Many IP-based protocols such as HTTPS, SMTP, POP3, and FTP support TLS. Disable TLS 1.0 is a critical task for security and compliance.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is a US government agency that develops standards and guidelines for cybersecurity and technology. The purpose of these guidelines is to protect sensitive information, especially for those companies working with the government.