Which practice involves disabling unnecessary services and applying patches for security?

The practice of hardening focuses on improving the security posture of a system by reducing its vulnerability. This is achieved through various measures, including disabling unnecessary services that are not required for the system's operation. By eliminating these services, the attack surface is decreased, making it more challenging for attackers to exploit potential weaknesses. Additionally, applying patches is a critical part of hardening, as it ensures that known vulnerabilities in software or operating systems are addressed promptly, thereby preventing potential unauthorized access or exploitation. Hardening is an essential practice for maintaining the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of systems in a secure environment, particularly in response to evolving threats.