Updating Windows

Like any operating system, Windows regularly ships security patches for vulnerabilities discovered in the OS and its bundled components. Keeping a host current on Windows Update is one of the most basic — and most effective — hardening measures, since it closes off publicly known vulnerabilities that attackers actively scan for and exploit.

Check for and install updates via Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.

Tip

Treat Windows Update the same way as the Linux apt/dnf update-and-upgrade cadence covered in the Linux hardening guide — patching on a regular schedule, not only when something breaks.