The first step in security hardening that a CISO and the IT team must take is identifying all vulnerabilities and reducing the organization's attack surface exposure. Vulnerabilities can range from outdated or vulnerable software and systems. The first step in security hardening that a CISO and the IT team must take is identifying all vulnerabilities and reducing the organization's attack surface exposure. Vulnerabilities can range from outdated or vulnerable software and systems to trivial access controls to weaknesses engineered into the design of the network. And unfortunately, this. It's always important to begin any discussion by agreeing on terminology. Different vendors use the term "security hardening" when marketing their niche products. For example, if you're in software orchestration or something similar, you may say that security hardening involves activities calculated to protect applications. Or, if you're in the net. Every environment will have differences, both subtle and not so subtle. However, several vulnerabilitiestend to be common across many organizations, including: 1. Default and hardcoded passwords 2. Passwords and other credentials stored in plain text files 3. Unpatched software and firmware vulnerabilities 4. Poorly configured BIOS, firewalls, port. Below are some guidelines on how your organization can begin hardening your systems against security threats:.