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security-hardening

Harden OS, container, cloud, network, and database layers using CIS Benchmarks and zero-trust controls.

1|Updated Feb 24, 2026
Search Tags:#compliance#kubernetes#infrastructure#container security#zero trust#security hardening#cis benchmarks
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/masermediagroup-stack/maser-media --skill security-hardening-masermediagroup-stack
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: security-hardening
Source: https://github.com/masermediagroup-stack/maser-media/tree/main/.cursor/skills/community/ai-design-components/skills/security-hardening
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/masermediagroup-stack/maser-media --skill security-hardening-masermediagroup-stack

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

💡 This Skill includes scripts (resource) and references (resource) components.

What problem does it solve? Production infrastructure ships with insecure defaults, and manually hardening every layer (OS, containers, cloud, network, databases) is error-prone and hard to verify against compliance requirements like SOC 2, PCI-DSS, HIPAA, and FedRAMP. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Five-Layer Hardening Guidance: Applies CIS Benchmarks and zero-trust principles across Linux OS, containers, cloud configurations (AWS, GCP, Azure), networks, and databases with concrete configuration examples. - Automated Verification: Integrates scanning tools like Trivy, Checkov, kube-bench, docker-bench-security, Prowler, and Lynis into CI/CD pipelines for continuous compliance verification. - Hardening Automation Scripts: Includes a Python script that applies sysctl parameters, SSH hardening, file permissions, and service minimization with dry-run and audit modes. - Use Case: Before deploying a Kubernetes application to production, use this Skill to generate hardened Pod security contexts, default-deny NetworkPolicies, and run kube-bench to validate CIS compliance. ## Quick Start Ask the AI to harden your production infrastructure by applying CIS Benchmark recommendations to your Linux hosts, Docker containers, and Kubernetes deployments, then verify the results with automated scans.

Frequently Asked Questions about security-hardening

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I harden a Linux server against CIS Benchmarks?▼

Run the included harden-linux.py script with sudo to apply sysctl kernel parameters, SSH hardening, secure file permissions, and service minimization. Use the --audit flag to check current posture and --dry-run to preview changes before applying them.

What tools scan containers and Kubernetes for CIS compliance?▼

Use docker-bench-security for Docker hosts, kube-bench for Kubernetes clusters, and Trivy for image vulnerability and misconfiguration scanning. Lynis and OpenSCAP cover Linux CIS benchmarks, while Prowler and ScoutSuite assess AWS, GCP, and Azure.

Which container base image should I use for production security?▼

Chainguard Images are recommended for production with near-zero CVEs and minimal size, followed by Distroless for compatibility. Alpine works well for development, while Debian slim or Ubuntu suit legacy apps needing debugging tools.

Does this hardening approach support SOC 2 and PCI-DSS compliance?▼

Yes, the references map CIS Controls to SOC 2, PCI-DSS, HIPAA, and FedRAMP requirements. Hardening outputs include audit logging configurations, encryption at rest and in transit, and least-privilege access controls that satisfy these frameworks.

Why does SSH hardening break my remote access?▼

Hardening disables password authentication and root login, so you must have key-based authentication configured for a non-root user before applying changes. Always test with sshd -t and keep an existing session open when reloading the SSH service.

When should I not apply all hardening controls at once?▼

Avoid applying every control blindly; prioritize by exposure, starting with internet-facing systems, then sensitive-data systems, then internal systems. Test hardening changes against application functionality, since settings like read-only filesystems can break apps that write to disk.

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