Question

When hardening a Linux system you should consider doing the following:

A) Disabling unnecessary services
B) Using weak and easily guessable passwords
C) Sharing root passwords with multiple users
D) All of the above
E) A and C only

Answer 1

The correct steps in hardening a Linux system include disabling unnecessary services and establishing strong, unique passwords, not sharing root passwords. These practices enhance security and reduce potential vulnerabilities.

Step-by-step explanation:

When hardening a Linux system, one should consider specific measures to enhance security. The correct answer to what should be considered is Disabling unnecessary services. These might include servers or services that are not needed for the system’s role, as they can be potential entry points for attackers. On the contrary, using strong and unique passwords is a crucial security measure, as weak passwords can be easily compromised. Also, sharing root passwords with multiple users is a severe security risk, as it may lead to abuse of privileges and makes it difficult to audit actions. The best practices for a secure system involve giving least privilege access — users should be given only the access necessary to perform their job — and using tools like sudo for privilege escalation when necessary. Therefore, the correct answer, which includes good security practices for Linux system hardening, is A) Disabling unnecessary services.