What hardening technique can reduce the attack surface and ongoing patch management for a laptop?

Removing unnecessary software is a hardening technique that effectively reduces the attack surface of a laptop. By eliminating applications and services that are not essential for the user's tasks, the number of potential vulnerabilities decreases. Every piece of software can introduce security risks, such as unpatched bugs, insecure configurations, or exploitable code. When unnecessary software is uninstalled, it becomes more difficult for attackers to find weaknesses to exploit.

This approach not only decreases the potential for an attack but also simplifies ongoing patch management. With fewer applications to maintain and update, the burden of ensuring that each piece of software is properly patched and secured is significantly reduced. Thus, this technique streamlines security practices alongside reducing the overall risk profile of the device.