Hey everyone! We're a small organization looking to enhance our endpoint hardening strategy, but we're unsure how to do it practically without creating too much overhead. We're two self-taught sysadmins with limited experience in this area. Currently, we're using Microsoft 365 (cloud-only, no on-prem AD) and managing about 10 Windows devices through Intune. Our goal is to establish a reasonable security baseline while minimizing maintenance efforts, especially to avoid disruptions after Windows updates. We've been following the CIS benchmarks but have faced challenges with troubleshooting and managing numerous configurations. We're curious if CIS is the right approach for a small organization like us. I have a few specific questions: 1. What's the most efficient way to achieve solid endpoint hardening in a small M365 + Intune environment? 2. Should we consider using Microsoft Security Baselines for better maintainability instead of CIS? 3. How do you keep hardening policies updated without constantly overhauling everything? 4. What would be your recommendations for a minimum viable hardening strategy that prioritizes the biggest risks? 5. If you've dealt with similar issues in a small environment, what worked for you and what didn't? I appreciate any best practices or real-world experiences you can share. Thanks!
4 Answers
You’re spot on with your struggles. Many small organizations find themselves caught in the 'secure enough' trap by focusing more on maintenance than on actual risk. I'd recommend starting fresh with maybe 15-20 high-impact settings, like MFA enforcement, BitLocker, and password policies, instead of trying to follow CIS benchmarks to the letter. Document why each setting is implemented in a shared space, so future admins aren’t left guessing. This way, if something breaks after an update, you can troubleshoot in a fraction of the time because you won't have tons of configurations to sift through. The core idea is to stop the most common attacks relevant to your organization.
Exactly my concern! Once you start applying too many settings, it’s like you’re building your own maze. If I were you, I’d focus on documenting as you go. It can save a ton of headaches later.
Definitely use CIS as a framework, but be cautious. Following it blindly can cause major issues for your environment. Check your Defender Security portal for recommendations targeting current threats, and use Intune baseline security templates to start small before scaling up.
I’ve relied heavily on HardeningKitty; it's been a lifesaver for me. The tool includes templates for both CIS benchmarks and Microsoft Security Baselines, helping you manage the hardening process. You can check it out here: [HardeningKitty](https://github.com/scipag/HardeningKitty).
Thanks for this! We’ll definitely take a look at it; it seems like a solid resource!
If you're thinking about using the Endpoint Security Microsoft baseline, that could be a good fit for your size. Pair it with a compliance tool to check your alignment, and once that’s in place, keeping up with maintenance should become a lot easier.
Thanks for your insight! I think we did implement too much without considering the risks. Could you share how I can identify which policy might be responsible for an issue quicker? How do you keep track of it all over the years?