A security audit of an application server reveals several findings. The server's OS has multiple critical security patches that are three months overdue. The server's BIOS/UEFI lacks a password, and several unnecessary software packages are installed. The host-based firewall is active but permits all outbound traffic. A server administrator must address these issues.
Which of the following actions should be prioritized to mitigate the most significant and immediate threat?
Apply the pending OS security patches.
Reconfigure the host-based firewall to restrict outbound traffic.
The correct action is to apply the pending OS security patches. Unpatched systems are one of the most significant and immediate threats to a server's security, as they contain known vulnerabilities that attackers can actively exploit to gain unauthorized access, introduce malware, or disrupt services. While the other options are valid server hardening techniques, they address risks that are less immediate in this scenario. Setting a BIOS/UEFI password protects against unauthorized physical access, but the more probable threat for an application server is a remote network-based attack. Uninstalling unnecessary software reduces the overall attack surface, but patching known vulnerabilities in the active OS is more critical. Restricting outbound firewall traffic is an important step to prevent data exfiltration after a compromise, but preventing the initial compromise by patching is the higher priority.