What is required regarding vendor-supplied defaults and unnecessary default accounts before installing a system?

What is required regarding vendor-supplied defaults and unnecessary default accounts before installing a system?

• A. Ignore vendor defaults; only focus on encryption.
• B. Change vendor-supplied defaults and remove or disable unnecessary default accounts.
• C. Delay changes until after deployment.
• D. Change only account passwords.

Answer: (B)

Hardening begins with eliminating vendor-supplied defaults and unnecessary default accounts. Devices and software often ship with standard usernames and passwords or default service settings that are widely known. If those defaults remain, attackers can gain easy access long before any defenses are in place. Before installing a system, you should replace vendor defaults with unique, strong credentials and remove or disable accounts that aren’t needed. This creates a secure baseline and reduces the attack surface from the moment deployment starts. Merely changing some passwords after deployment isn’t enough, because other default accounts may still exist and default configurations (like enabled services or open ports) can still be exploited. By configuring the system to not rely on defaults and by removing unused accounts, you align with the expected secure configuration practices.

Hardening begins with eliminating vendor-supplied defaults and unnecessary default accounts. Devices and software often ship with standard usernames and passwords or default service settings that are widely known. If those defaults remain, attackers can gain easy access long before any defenses are in place. Before installing a system, you should replace vendor defaults with unique, strong credentials and remove or disable accounts that aren’t needed. This creates a secure baseline and reduces the attack surface from the moment deployment starts. Merely changing some passwords after deployment isn’t enough, because other default accounts may still exist and default configurations (like enabled services or open ports) can still be exploited. By configuring the system to not rely on defaults and by removing unused accounts, you align with the expected secure configuration practices.