CIS Hardened Images

CIS offers virtual machine (VM) images hardened in accordance with the CIS Benchmarks, a set of vendor-agnostic, internationally recognized secure configuration guidelines. CIS Hardened Images provide users with a secure, on-demand, and scalable computing environment.

They are available from major cloud computing platform marketplaces like AWS, Azure, Google Cloud Platform, and Oracle Cloud.

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Virtual Image vs. Hardened Virtual Image

Every day, more and more organizations are moving to the cloud. Shifting from on-premise systems enables greater flexibility and scalability in ever-changing computing workloads. And that can translate to significant fixed cost savings. As with any change, however, cloud computing presents its own challenges — including how to ensure your VM images are secure.

A virtual machine image is a snapshot of a virtual machine used to create a running instance in a virtual environment, and it provides the same functionality as a physical computer. Virtual images reside in the cloud and enable you to cost-effectively perform routine computing operations without investing in local hardware and software.

When operating in the public cloud, the security of your systems and data is ultimately your responsibility. CIS Hardened Images are designed to harden your operating systems in the cloud.

Hardening limits potential weaknesses that make systems vulnerable to cyber attacks. More secure than a standard image, hardened virtual machine images help protect against denial of service, unauthorized data access, and other cyber threats.


Enhanced Security and Achieving Compliance

CIS Hardened Images are configured according to CIS Benchmark recommendations, which are developed through consensus by a global community of cybersecurity experts.

These recommendations are recognized as a secure configuration standard by the DoD Cloud Computing Security Recommendation Guide (SRG), Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA), Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP), and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). This recognition also applies to CIS Hardened Images, as their configuration is based on the CIS Benchmarks.

For organizations and industries that want to achieve compliance with Defense Information Systems Agency Security Technical Implementation Guide (DISA STIG) standards, CIS offers several CIS Benchmarks mapped to STIG standards. CIS STIG Benchmarks note any DISA STIG recommendations not included in the CIS STIG Benchmarks. From these guidelines, CIS also offers CIS STIG Hardened Images.

Learn More about CIS STIG Hardened Images

Start Using CIS Hardened Images

CIS Hardened Images bring the globally recognized secure configuration recommendations of the CIS Benchmarks to the cloud. Securely pre-configured virtual machine images are available to deploy immediately from the major cloud provider marketplaces.

Check Availability

Overview

Virtual Image vs. Hardened Virtual Image

Every day, more and more organizations are moving to the cloud. Shifting from on-premise systems enables greater flexibility and scalability in ever-changing computing workloads. And that can translate to significant fixed cost savings. As with any change, however, cloud computing presents its own challenges — including how to ensure your VM images are secure.

A virtual machine image is a snapshot of a virtual machine used to create a running instance in a virtual environment, and it provides the same functionality as a physical computer. Virtual images reside in the cloud and enable you to cost-effectively perform routine computing operations without investing in local hardware and software.

When operating in the public cloud, the security of your systems and data is ultimately your responsibility. CIS Hardened Images are designed to harden your operating systems in the cloud.

Hardening limits potential weaknesses that make systems vulnerable to cyber attacks. More secure than a standard image, hardened virtual machine images help protect against denial of service, unauthorized data access, and other cyber threats.


Enhanced Security and Achieving Compliance

CIS Hardened Images are configured according to CIS Benchmark recommendations, which are developed through consensus by a global community of cybersecurity experts.

These recommendations are recognized as a secure configuration standard by the DoD Cloud Computing Security Recommendation Guide (SRG), Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA), Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP), and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). This recognition also applies to CIS Hardened Images, as their configuration is based on the CIS Benchmarks.

For organizations and industries that want to achieve compliance with Defense Information Systems Agency Security Technical Implementation Guide (DISA STIG) standards, CIS offers several CIS Benchmarks mapped to STIG standards. CIS STIG Benchmarks note any DISA STIG recommendations not included in the CIS STIG Benchmarks. From these guidelines, CIS also offers CIS STIG Hardened Images.

Learn More about CIS STIG Hardened Images

Start Using CIS Hardened Images

CIS Hardened Images bring the globally recognized secure configuration recommendations of the CIS Benchmarks to the cloud. Securely pre-configured virtual machine images are available to deploy immediately from the major cloud provider marketplaces.

Check Availability

Benefits

The main benefit of CIS Hardened Images is that the secure configurations have already been done for you.

But that's not all…


Configured to CIS Benchmarks

Configured to CIS Benchmarks

Conform to recommended cybersecurity best practices developed and reviewed by experts around the world.


Help you stay secure

Help you stay secure

Help mitigate common threats like malware, denial of service, insufficient authorization, and overlapping trust boundary threats.


Avoid Misconfigurations

Avoid Misconfigurations

We build these images with third-party automation. Utilizing these hardened VM images helps to avoid misconfiguration and other instances of human error that are common with manual hardening.


Offers Evidence of Compliance

Offers Evidence of Compliance

Each CIS Hardened Image contains the final CIS-CAT Pro Assessor report that illustrates its compliance with the CIS Benchmarks. It also includes any exceptions necessary for that Hardened Image to run in the cloud. This report is integral to providing evidence of compliance on the spot.


Regularly Patched for Vulnerabilities

Regularly Patched

Not only does CIS perform the initial hardening, but we also update our Hardened Images monthly.


Cost-Effective

Cost-Effective

You can eliminate upfront investments in hardware with a cost-effective option to harden your VM images at just $0.02 per compute hour.


Start Using CIS Hardened Images

CIS Hardened Images bring the globally recognized secure configuration recommendations of the CIS Benchmarks to the cloud. Securely pre-configured virtual machine images are available to deploy immediately from the major cloud provider marketplaces.

Check Availability

Marketplace

Virtual Image vs. Hardened Virtual Image


AWS Marketplace

CIS has partnered with AWS to offer CIS Hardened Images on AWS Marketplace, the AWS GovCloud (U.S.) region, and the AWS Intelligence Community. Learn more

Launch on AWS

Azure Marketplace

CIS Hardened Images are available in the Microsoft Azure Marketplace and are Azure-certified. CIS is a Microsoft Partner. Learn more

Deploy on Azure

Google Cloud Platform

Securely configured operating systems are available to spin up from Google Cloud Platform (GCP), where CIS is a partner. Learn more

Deploy on GCP

Oracle Cloud Marketplace

CIS is an Oracle Silver Partner, and CIS Hardened Images are available to deploy on the Oracle Cloud Marketplace. Learn more

Launch on Oracle Cloud



Start Using CIS Hardened Images

CIS Hardened Images bring the globally recognized secure configuration recommendations of the CIS Benchmarks to the cloud. Securely pre-configured virtual machine images are available to deploy immediately from the major cloud provider marketplaces.

Check Availability

Cloud Security Resources

CIS Benchmarks and CIS Hardened Images

Blog Post
CIS Foundations Benchmarks
Free configuration guidance to secure AWS, Azure, GCP, Oracle Cloud, IBM Cloud, and Alibaba Cloud accounts.
Learn more about CIS Foundations Benchmarks
CIS Benchmarks
CIS Benchmarks for Containers
Free configuration guidelines for Docker and Kubernetes to secure ACK, AKS, EKS, OKE, GKE, and Red Hat OpenShift.
Access free guidelines for Docker and Kubernetes
White Paper
The Beginner's Guide to Secure Cloud Configurations
Migration to the cloud isn't without its challenges. Chief among them is the need to ensure security and the protection of data in a cloud environment.
Learn how to secure cloud configurations
White paper
Cloud Security and the Shared Responsibility Model
The CIS Hardened Images are globally-recognized cybersecurity resources that can help cloud consumers meet a portion of the expectations of the shared responsibility model.
Learn about the shared responsibility model
White Paper
CIS Controls v8 Cloud Companion Guide
As community members continue to refine the CIS Critical Security Controls, the call for CIS Controls guidance for the cloud was identified as one of the high-priority companion documents to be developed.
Augment your cloud security with CIS Controls v8
Related Blog Posts
Stay current with the latest CIS Hardened Images updates.
View the latest Blog Posts

Start Using CIS Hardened Images

CIS Hardened Images bring the globally recognized secure configuration recommendations of the CIS Benchmarks to the cloud. Securely pre-configured virtual machine images are available to deploy immediately from the major cloud provider marketplaces.

Check Availability

 

CIS Hardened Images


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