Security Strategies in Windows Platforms and Applications, 3rd Edition

Understanding the Hardening Process and Mind-set

Software vendors of all types, including operating system vendors, encounter a basic dilemma when deciding on default installation options. One school of thought is to install the most features possible to showcase what the product can do. This approach is the one that vendors generally select because it promotes the richness of their product’s features. The other approach is to only install the bare minimum of features to avoid increasing the product’s vulnerability to attack. Many vendors, however, end up showcasing more features. This raises the risk of making their product more vulnerable. The software a computer runs that is vulnerable to attack is called the attack surface. The primary ...