Security hardening reduces a server’s attack surface by removing unnecessary entry points and tightening access. For an API server, this limits unauthorized access and makes port scans, malicious traffic, and DDoS attacks harder to turn into system compromise or service disruption. section 9.3
A practical hardening checklist includes:
- Close unnecessary ports and disable or remove unnecessary protocols and services. section 9.3
- Remove or restrict privileged users and groups, create strict firewall rules, and secure remote-access endpoints. section 9.3
- Use specialized malicious-traffic protection for DDoS and port scanning, and evaluate how providers integrate with existing infrastructure. section 9.3
An exposed service
A port scan discovers an unprotected Jenkins server on port 8080. Hardening closes unneeded ports, restricts access, and applies firewall rules before an attacker can hijack the service. section 9.3
