Question

Difficulty: EasyWorkstation Hardening and Best Practices

A desktop technician is preparing to deploy a newly imaged Windows computer for a standard corporate user. To follow workstation hardening best practices and minimize the system's attack surface, which of the following actions should the technician take?

  1. Disable the built-in Guest account and unnecessary system services.Answer
  2. B
    Keep the default Guest account enabled to facilitate emergency administrative access.
  3. C
    Use Event Viewer to manage local password policy enforcement and account lockout thresholds.
  4. D
    Attach a privacy filter to the monitor to prevent local software malware infections.

Answer

Disable the built-in Guest account and unnecessary system services.
Disabling the built-in Guest account and terminating unnecessary background services are core workstation hardening steps. They restrict unauthorized access and reduce the number of running processes that could contain unpatched vulnerabilities.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the primary goal of workstation hardening.
Workstation hardening aims to minimize security risks by reducing the overall attack surface of the operating system.
Default OS installations often include unnecessary services, features, and default accounts that can be exploited if left active.
2
Evaluate the recommended security controls for built-in accounts and services.
Disabling the Guest account and turning off unused background services eliminates unneeded access points.
This enforces the principle of least functionality and minimizes entry points for unauthorized users or malicious code.

Key Concept

Workstation Attack Surface Reduction and Account Hardening
Estimated Time:45s
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