The dev-sec/ansible-collection-hardening repository is an Ansible collection that provides a set of Ansible roles and playbooks for hardening various operating systems and applications. It is designed to help organizations improve the security posture of their infrastructure by applying best practices and recommendations from industry standards such as CIS, DISA STIG, and NIST.

Pros

• Comprehensive Coverage: The collection includes roles for hardening a wide range of operating systems, including Linux, Windows, and macOS, as well as various applications and services.
• Automated Deployment: The Ansible playbooks and roles allow for the automated deployment and configuration of security controls, reducing the manual effort required.
• Customizable: The collection provides a modular and flexible design, allowing users to customize the security controls to fit their specific requirements.
• Community-Driven: The project is actively maintained and supported by a community of security professionals, ensuring regular updates and improvements.

Cons

• Complexity: Implementing the full set of security controls provided by the collection may require a significant investment of time and resources, especially for organizations with large or complex infrastructures.
• Potential Compatibility Issues: The collection may not be compatible with all versions of the supported operating systems and applications, which could lead to compatibility issues or the need for additional customization.
• Ongoing Maintenance: Maintaining the security posture of the infrastructure requires continuous monitoring and updating of the security controls, which can be time-consuming and resource-intensive.
• Limited Visibility: The collection may not provide comprehensive visibility into the security posture of the infrastructure, which could make it difficult to assess the effectiveness of the implemented controls.

Getting Started

To get started with the dev-sec/ansible-collection-hardening repository, follow these steps:

1. Install Ansible on your control node.

2. Install the dev-sec.hardening Ansible collection:

   ansible-galaxy collection install dev-sec.hardening
   

3. Create an Ansible playbook that includes the desired roles from the collection. For example, to harden a CentOS 7 system, you can use the following playbook:

   - hosts: all
     become: true
     collections:
       - dev-sec.hardening
     roles:
       - os_hardening
       - ssh_hardening
       - mysql_hardening
   

4. Run the playbook:

   ansible-playbook playbook.yml
   

5. Verify the applied security controls and monitor the infrastructure for any changes or security incidents.