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HardenSys Documentation

A comprehensive security policy management and compliance checking tool for Windows & Linux systems.

Welcome! This documentation covers everything you need to know about HardenSys, from basic usage to advanced configuration.

What is HardenSys?

HardenSys is a unified system hardening tool that helps organizations and system administrators enforce, manage, and audit Windows & Linux security policies through both command-line and graphical interfaces.

Key Features

Comprehensive Coverage

121 windows security parameters across 7 categories

Dual Interface

CLI for automation and GUI for interactive use

Advanced Reporting

HTML and PDF compliance reports

Backup & Restore

Automatic policy backup and restore

System Requirements

Operating System

  • Windows 10 (version 1903 or later)
  • Windows 11
  • Windows Server 2019/2022

Software

  • Python 3.6 or higher
  • pip package manager
  • Required Python packages

Privileges

  • Administrator privileges (recommended)
  • Local security policy access
  • Registry modification rights

Hardware

  • 512MB RAM (recommended)
  • Network access for updates

Download HardenSys

Ready to get started? Download HardenSys and begin securing your systems today.

Download Options

CLI Tool

Command-line interface perfect for automation, scripting, and server environments. Lightweight and powerful.

~30 KB Python Script
Automation Ready
Server Friendly
Script Integration
Download CLI Tool

Dependencies: windows_tasks.py, windows_tasks.json in the same directory

GUI Application

User-friendly graphical interface for interactive security management. Perfect for desktop users and administrators.

~100 KB Python Script
Visual Interface
Easy to Use
Real-time Results
Download GUI App

Dependencies: windows_tasks.py, windows_tasks.json in the same directory

Installation Steps

1

Download

Download the complete package or individual components from the download page

2

Extract

Extract the files to your desired location (e.g., C:\HardenSys)

3

Install Dependencies

Command Line
pip install -r requirements.txt
4

Run

Command Line
python HardenSys.py
Important: Always run HardenSys with administrator privileges for full functionality. Some security checks require elevated permissions.

Installation

Prerequisites

  • Windows Operating System
  • Python 3.6 or higher
  • Administrator privileges

Quick Installation

Command Line
# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/AjeyVerma/HardenSys.git
cd HardenSys

# Install dependencies
pip install -r requirements.txt

Manual Installation

For users who prefer to install HardenSys manually or need to customize the installation process:

1

Download Python

Install Python 3.6 or higher from the official website

Download
https://www.python.org/downloads/
Note: Make sure to check "Add Python to PATH" during installation on Windows.
2

Download HardenSys

Download the complete package or individual components

Complete Package

Download the full ZIP archive containing all files

Download Link
https://github.com/ajeyverma/HardenSys/archive/refs/heads/main.zip
Individual Files

Download specific components as needed for Windows systems

3

Extract and Organize

Extract files to your desired location and organize the directory structure

Windows Command
# Extract to C:\HardenSys (recommended)
# Create the directory structure:
mkdir C:\HardenSys
cd C:\HardenSys

# Copy all downloaded files to this directory
4

Install Dependencies

Install required Python packages using pip

Command Line
# Install all dependencies
pip install -r requirements.txt

# Or install individually:
pip install PySide6
pip install reportlab
pip install PyPDF2
pip install Pillow
pip install python-dotenv
Important: Some packages may require additional system dependencies on Linux. Check the package documentation for specific requirements.
5

Create Virtual Environment (Optional)

Create an isolated Python environment for HardenSys

Command Line
# Create virtual environment
python -m venv venv

# Activate virtual environment
venv\Scripts\activate

# Install dependencies in virtual environment
pip install -r requirements.txt

Post-Installation Setup

Create Desktop Shortcuts

Create convenient shortcuts for easy access

Windows Batch File
@echo off
cd /d "C:\HardenSys"
python HardenSys_gui.py
pause

Add to PATH

Add HardenSys directory to system PATH for global access

Windows
# Add to system PATH:
# Control Panel → System → Advanced → Environment Variables
# Add: C:\HardenSys

Verification

Verify your installation by running:

Command Line
# Test CLI
python HardenSys.py --help

# Test GUI
python HardenSys_gui.py

Quick Start

CLI Quick Start

1

Run All Checks

Command Line
python HardenSys.py
2

Generate Report

Command Line
python HardenSys.py --output report.html
3

Filter by Category

Command Line
python HardenSys.py --heading "Account Policies"

GUI Quick Start

1

Launch GUI

Command Line
python HardenSys_gui.py
2

Select Category

Choose a security category from the dropdown menu

3

Run Checks

Click "Run Checks" to start the compliance check

Quick Start

CLI Quick Start

1

Run All Checks

Command Line
python HardenSys.py
2

Generate Report

Command Line
python HardenSys.py --output report.html
3

Filter by Category

Command Line
python HardenSys.py --heading "Account Policies"

GUI Quick Start

1

Launch GUI

Command Line
python HardenSys_gui.py
2

Select Category

Choose a security category from the dropdown menu

3

Run Checks

Click "Run Checks" to start the compliance check

File Structure

Project Organization: Understanding the HardenSys file structure helps you navigate and customize the tool effectively.

Main Directory Structure

HardenSys/

Root directory containing all project files

HardenSys.py Main CLI application
HardenSys_gui.py GUI application
windows_tasks.py Windows compliance engine
linux_tasks.py Linux compliance engine
windows_tasks.json Windows parameter definitions
linux_tasks.json Linux parameter definitions
requirements.txt Python dependencies
README.md Project documentation
LICENSE Apache-2.0 license

Directory Structure

docs/

Documentation and website files

docs/ Main documentation pages of Website
Assets/ CSS, JS, and image files

backup/

Security policy backups

secpol_backup_*.inf
Linux security policy backups

reports/

Generated compliance reports

html/ HTML compliance reports
pdf/ PDF compliance reports

Key Files Explained

HardenSys.py

The main command-line interface for running security compliance checks. This is the entry point for CLI operations.

Usage: python HardenSys.py [options]

HardenSys_gui.py

Graphical user interface built with PySide6. Provides an interactive way to run compliance checks and view results.

Usage: python HardenSys_gui.py

windows_tasks.py

Core compliance engine containing all security check functions for Windows systems. This is the heart of the Windows security checks.

Contains: 121+ Windows security check functions

linux_tasks.py

Core compliance engine containing all security check functions for Linux systems. Provides comprehensive Linux security hardening capabilities.

Contains: 89+ Linux security check functions

windows_tasks.json

Configuration file defining all Windows security parameters, their descriptions, and compliance rules.

Contains: Parameter definitions and metadata

linux_tasks.json

Configuration file defining all Linux security parameters, their descriptions, and compliance rules.

Contains: Linux parameter definitions and metadata

requirements.txt

Python package dependencies required to run HardenSys. Install with

Usage: pip install -r requirements.txt

Generated Files

Compliance Reports

HTML and PDF reports generated in the reports/ directory

Pattern: Compliance_Report_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS.html

Security Backups

Windows security policy backups created in the backup/ directory

Pattern: secpol_backup_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS.inf

Updates and Support

Need Help? We're here to support you with comprehensive resources and community assistance.

Getting Updates

Stay up-to-date with the latest HardenSys features and security improvements:

1

Check for Updates

Visit our GitHub repository to check for new releases and updates

GitHub
https://github.com/ajeyverma/HardenSys
2

Backup Current Setup

Always backup your current configuration before updating

Command Line
# Backup your current HardenSys directory
xcopy HardenSys HardenSys_backup /E /I
3

Update Dependencies

Update Python packages to ensure compatibility

Command Line
pip install -r requirements.txt --upgrade

Support Resources

Documentation

Comprehensive guides, tutorials, and API references

View All Docs

GitHub Repository

Source code, issue tracking, and community discussions

Visit GitHub

Bug Reports

Found a bug? Help us improve HardenSys by reporting issues

1 Check existing issues
2 Gather system info
3 Create detailed report
Report Bug

Feature Requests

Have an idea for improvement? We'd love to hear from you

Describe the feature clearly
Explain the use case
Consider alternatives
Request Feature

Community and Contributing

Join the Community

Connect with other HardenSys users, share experiences, and get help from the community.

Join Discussions

Contribute to Development

Help improve HardenSys by contributing code, documentation, or testing.

Contribute

Version Information

Current Version

v1.0.0

Latest stable release with full Windows and Linux support

License

Apache-2.0

Open source license allowing free use, modification, and distribution

Maintainer

ByteBender

Primary developer and maintainer of HardenSys