Questions to Consider
Think about the following questions to help define your security approach:Why do you want to secure your server?
Understanding your motivation helps determine the level of security you need to implement.
How much security do you want or not want?
More security often means more complexity. Find the right balance for your use case.
How much convenience are you willing to compromise?
Security and convenience are often at odds. Decide where your priorities lie.
What are the threats you want to protect against?
Consider the specifics of your situation:
- Is physical access to your server/network a possible attack vector?
- Will you be opening ports on your router so you can access your server from outside your home?
- Will you be hosting a file share on your server that will be mounted on a desktop class machine? What is the possibility of the desktop machine getting infected and, in turn, infecting the server?
Recovery Plan
Key Takeaway
These are just a few things to think about. Before you start securing your server you will want to understand what you’re trying to protect against and why so you know what you need to do.Take time to document your threat model and security requirements. This will guide your decisions throughout the hardening process.