STIGS provide guidance to lock down systems to prevent what?

• A. Data loss due to hardware failure.
• B. Malicious computer attack.
• C. Software version drift.
• D. Network congestion.

Answer: (B)

STIGs are about hardening systems by applying secure configuration baselines and controls that reduce the attack surface. By standardizing settings, enforcing least privilege, keeping patches up to date, and disabling unnecessary services, STIGs make it harder for attackers to compromise a system. That's why the intended outcome is to prevent malicious computer attacks. The other options fall outside this security-focused goal: data loss from hardware failure relates to reliability and backups, not security; software version drift is about keeping software aligned, but the main aim here is preventing exploitation; network congestion concerns performance, not security risk.