Which two actions are part of hardening a server?

Hardening a server is a crucial process aimed at enhancing its security by reducing vulnerabilities and minimizing potential attack surfaces. One of the primary actions involved in this process is uninstalling unnecessary features and disabling unnecessary services.

Uninstalling unnecessary features directly reduces the number of potential vulnerabilities that could be exploited by attackers. If a feature is not required for the server's intended function, removing it eliminates that potential entry point for threats.

Disabling unnecessary services plays a complementary role in hardening a server. Many servers come with default services enabled that may not be needed for their specific purpose. Each enabled service can potentially be exploited if it has vulnerabilities, so disabling those that aren't in active use helps in preventing unauthorized access and reduces the risk of exposure to attacks.

By focusing specifically on these actions, server administrators effectively create a more secure environment, making it harder for attackers to find opportunities to exploit weaknesses in the system. This approach is foundational to a robust security posture and is widely recommended in best practices for server management.