Last updated on Jul 8, 2024
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Update your system
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Configure your firewall
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Use antivirus and anti-malware software
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Secure your accounts and passwords
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Encrypt your data
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Monitor your system
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Here’s what else to consider
Operating system security is a crucial aspect of system administration, as it protects your data, applications, and network from unauthorized access, malware, and other threats. However, keeping your operating system secure is not a one-time task, but a continuous process that requires regular updates, monitoring, and maintenance. In this article, we will discuss some of the best practices and tools to ensure your operating system is always secure.
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- Naeem Dal Information Technology Specialist | System Administration | Public Servant | Higher Education | Consultant
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- Max Leon SysOps/DevOps at Edify Software Consulting
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1 Update your system
One of the most important steps to secure your operating system is to apply the latest patches and updates as soon as they are available. Updates often fix security vulnerabilities, bugs, and performance issues that could compromise your system's stability and functionality. You can use the built-in update manager of your operating system or a third-party tool to automate the update process and schedule it at convenient times. You should also update your applications, drivers, and firmware regularly to avoid compatibility issues and security gaps.
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- Naeem Dal Information Technology Specialist | System Administration | Public Servant | Higher Education | Consultant
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Maintaining a consistently secure operating system involves a structured approach to updates. But, testing updates and patches in the testing environment is always recommended. Schedule automatic checks for updates using the built-in update manager, but avoid unverified third-party tools for OS updates & patches. Schedules at convenient times to ensure minimal disruption to daily operations; monitor the update process for failures or errors.Also, perform Application, Driver, and Firmware Updates to prevent compatibility & security issues.More Importantly, Backing up before deploying major updates and maintaining a secure system by consistently updating OS to ensure system stability, reduce vulnerabilities, and optimize performance.
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- Max Leon SysOps/DevOps at Edify Software Consulting
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Having a patching strategy and take the time to automate the system hardening. A good tool for that is Ansible.The patching strategy usually involves having a testing environment to apply the patches or updates and test that has no ill effects and then deploying the patch or update to the actual servers in production.The patching strategy should have a define schedule and consider as well zero day vulnerabilities that may require a more agile process.
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System,s update and enable firewall and strong password Always use secure softwares and configure your searching browser security
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- Kolade Komolafe IT Infrastructure Engineer | Security Engineer | Cloud Engineer | Energy Enthusiast
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Install patches for the operating system and upgrade outdated operating systems. Give the least privilege access to users to perform their duties. Have a security operations centre team looking out for outliers in the logs.
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Being intentional and following best practices such as keeping software updated, use strong authentication, install and automatically update antivirus software, back up your data in a frequent and routine manner, limit privileges, encrypt data at rest, use secure protocols and use a firewall to control ingress/egress points.
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2 Configure your firewall
A firewall is a software or hardware device that controls the incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predefined rules. A firewall can prevent unauthorized connections, block malicious packets, and filter unwanted content. You should configure your firewall according to your network needs and security policies, and review the rules periodically to ensure they are still relevant and effective. You can use the default firewall of your operating system or install a custom firewall that offers more features and flexibility.
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- Naeem Dal Information Technology Specialist | System Administration | Public Servant | Higher Education | Consultant
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Implementing and configuring a Firewall, either Hardware or Software-based, is vital to ensure OS and application security.Selecting a firewall solution that suits the organization's needs, whether OS default or a custom firewall with advanced features. Define network security policies, specifying protection needs, potential threats, and access control rules.Set up rule-based filtering for both inbound and outbound traffic (TCP/UDP). Regularly update firewall rules to adapt to network changes and potential threats. Configure it to filter and block unwanted content and malicious packets. Enable logging and monitoring to track network activity.Keep your firewall software up-to-date with the latest security patches and updates.
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- Álvaro Martins Service Delivery Manager
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Firewall must be configured to each infrastructure.Basics firewall will do most of defense from bots and hackers, advanced configuration will give power and performance to the firewall, establish IPsec in most connections, blocking undesired traffic and web scans.
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- Желязко Златев Master of Business Informatics
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Enforce policies. Do not use personal hardware in your company. Wireless is usually not a good option. Secure physical access to the network. Use paper shredder in case you want to get rid of documents which contain sensible data.
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- Thiago A. Administrador de Segurança da Informação e Privacidade de Dados
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The layered approach in information security is crucial to mitigate cyber risks. Next-generation firewalls, though crucial, should not be seen as the sole line of defense. By adopting the onion theory, we recognize that a holistic approach, encompassing advanced technologies, user education, and robust security policies, is necessary to tackle constantly evolving threats. It's crucial to alert executives about the illusion of single-security provided by a lone solution. Investing in diversified and balanced measures, considering the human factor, ensures more effective protection against cyber threats. Security is an ongoing journey that requires constant awareness and adaptation to the complexities of the threat landscape.
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3 Use antivirus and anti-malware software
Antivirus and anti-malware software are programs that scan, detect, and remove viruses, worms, trojans, ransomware, spyware, and other malicious software from your system. These programs can protect your system from infection, data loss, identity theft, and other damages. You should use a reputable antivirus and anti-malware software that is compatible with your operating system and update it frequently to catch the latest threats. You should also perform regular scans and enable real-time protection to prevent malware from running in the background.
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- Naeem Dal Information Technology Specialist | System Administration | Public Servant | Higher Education | Consultant
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By employing reliable antivirus and anti-malware, staying updated, conducting regular system scans, and practising safe online behaviours, you significantly enhance your operating system's security against various threats.Select the reputable vendor's antivirus and anti-malware according to your requirements by ensuring the regular latest virus database definition updates for new threats. Keep the software updated for security patches to effectively detect and combat new threats. Permanently activate real-time scanning to monitor files and system activity. Choose and train people for Safe Browsing practices. Enable Email Security filters and caution when handling email attachments or links to prevent malware from spreading.
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- Álvaro Martins Service Delivery Manager
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Antivírus companies deliver major trojan scans daily, and are the best way to protect systems. The continuous scan will keep the system safe and up to date.Don't forget to configure AV to get the latest security updates.
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4 Secure your accounts and passwords
Your accounts and passwords are the keys to access your system and its resources. Therefore, you should secure them with strong and unique passwords that are hard to guess or crack. You should also change your passwords periodically and avoid using the same password for multiple accounts. You can use a password manager to store and generate passwords securely and conveniently. Additionally, you should enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) for your accounts, which adds an extra layer of security by requiring a code, a token, or a biometric factor to log in.
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- Dhanumjay Akula Azure Administrator | FinOps Practitioner
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Password policies should require users to create strong passwords and change them regularly. A password manager can help users to create, store, and manage strong passwords. MFA adds an extra layer of security by requiring users to enter a code from their phone or another device in addition to their password. System administrators can monitor user activity to identify suspicious activity, such as multiple failed login attempts or unusual access patterns. Finally, system administrators should educate users about security best practices, such as how to create strong passwords, how to identify phishing emails, and how to report suspicious activity.
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- Álvaro Martins Service Delivery Manager
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The wrong use of passwords with common words or dates that could relate to your private info, can work with MFA. Authentication with two devices will add an extra account login. Only an hacker with access to both devices will successed.
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- Thiago A. Administrador de Segurança da Informação e Privacidade de Dados
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Proteger suas contas e senhas é essencial em um mundo digital interconectado. Elas são chaves para seus sistemas, exigindo medidas de segurança robustas. Use senhas fortes, altere-as regularmente e evite a reutilização. Considere um gerenciador de senhas para armazenamento seguro. Adote a autenticação multifator (AMF) para uma camada extra de segurança, exigindo código, token ou fator biométrico. Evangelize essa prática no âmbito profissional e pessoal, promovendo o uso consciente de cofres de senhas e gerenciamento de acesso.
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5 Encrypt your data
Encryption is a process that transforms your data into an unreadable format that can only be decrypted with a key or a password. Encryption can protect your data from unauthorized access, theft, or tampering, even if your system is compromised or stolen. You can encrypt your data at different levels, such as your disk, your partition, your folder, or your file. You can use the built-in encryption features of your operating system or a third-party tool to encrypt your data according to your needs and preferences.
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- Gokul Nath.K.P IT Operations (ITOps) Lead at Zycus | CCNA | CISSP | Cybersecurity | Microsoft SC-900 | TryHackMe
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Here are some more tips and tricks to keep your system secure.• Physically clean your system.• Keep your battery health in check.• Avoid charging your laptop battery to 100% or draining it to 0%.• Keep the system shut down when not in use.• Perform disk cleanup regularly.• Minimize unnecessary settings on the laptop.• Always install stable OS versions or releases.• Keep your system software updated.• Regularly perform virus checks.• Always connect to a trusted network or Wi-Fi.• Do not connect untrusted devices to the system. Always connect trusted or genuine devices to the system.• Restart your systems regularly.• Do not overload system performance or application usage on the laptop.• Always maintain data backups.
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6 Monitor your system
Monitoring your system is a way to keep track of its performance, activity, and status. Monitoring can help you identify and resolve issues, optimize your system's resources, and detect and prevent security breaches. You can use various tools and methods to monitor your system, such as logs, alerts, dashboards, reports, audits, and scans. You should monitor your system regularly and proactively, and take appropriate actions based on the results and feedback.
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- Yvette R. CSA ServiceNow Developer | ServiceNow Technical Trainer | Pioneering ServiceNow Solutions for Tomorrow | Scrum Master | TechEdu | ITIL | CIS-ITSM | RiseUp Alumni Success Advocate
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In design phase, integrate OWASP principles like threat modeling and encryption to mitigate risks early.Validate inputs, parameterize queries, enforce authorization in code to prevent injection.Leverage platform tools like encoded passwords and hashing Limit dependencies and access scopes to minimize attack surface.Include security testing in sprints. Scan for vulnerabilities in each release. Remediate findings prior to deployment.Enable logging and monitoring in production to detect issues like elevated error rates.Use runtime application self-protection to detect and block threats.Collaborate cross-functionally to apply best practices like OAuth and SAML.Stay current on risks like XSS, CSRF through training and research.
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- Rasheed Jimoh Cloud Security Engineer dedicated to safeguarding digital environments and ensuring regulatory compliance through best practices| CCNA | Azure ×7 | NSE3 | Google | CompTIA ×4 | LPI: Linux |
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Automate UpdatesAutomating updates is essential for maintaining a secure operating system. Ensure that your system is configured to automatically download and install security patches and updates as soon as they are available. This reduces the risk of missing critical updates that could leave your system vulnerable. Additionally, use automation tools to regularly check for and apply updates to all software and dependencies. This proactive approach helps maintain security without relying on manual processes, ensuring your system stays protected against known threats and vulnerabilities.
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7 Here’s what else to consider
This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?
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- Naeem Dal Information Technology Specialist | System Administration | Public Servant | Higher Education | Consultant
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Implementing honeypots/Honeynets security mechanism creates a virtual trap to lure attackers. Learn attacker's patterns and mitigate against them. Also, add the Intrusion Detection and Prevention System. Also, consider the user perspectives; they can also be the unintentional part of comprising the system.Also, educate the non-technical end-users by conducting basic security trainings and sessions.
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- Alan Vezhbitskis Lead System Engineer at Nord Security
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Server 100% secured when he stopped and disassembled. In real life you can only apply different security layers and make hacking process too complicated and not relevant. Antivirus, updates, firewalls, network segmentation, correct users and authorization/authentication management, WAF, proxy... Huge and expensive topic.
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- Saviour Akatugba Group Managing Director/CEO | Business Management @ QED Technologies Limited
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Ensuring the security of the operating system is crucial for the protection of the computer from potential threats. However, it is necessary to implement collectively all measures such as keep the system updated, use strong and unique passwords, enable a firewall, install and update antivirus software, be cautious when downloading or installing software, regularly back up data, enable automatic updates for applications, be mindful of phishing attacks, disable unnecessary services, and continue to educate yourself.Stay active, always.
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