An action that the administrator should take to harden the hardware of a new server is to set a BIOS password. BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) is a firmware that initializes the hardware components and settings of a system before loading the operating system. BIOS password is a security feature that requires a user to enter a password before accessing or modifying the BIOS settings or booting up the system. By setting a BIOS password, the administrator can prevent unauthorized or malicious users from changing the hardware configuration or boot order of the server.

Explanation:
Graphical user interface, application Description automatically generated

The best immediate actions to prevent unauthorized server access are to stop all unneeded services and block the ports on the firewall. Stopping unneeded services reduces the attack surface of the server by eliminating potential entry points for attackers. For example, if the server is not functioning as a web server, there is no need to run a web service on port 80. Blocking ports on the firewall prevents unauthorized network traffic from reaching the server. For example, if port 80 is not needed for any legitimate purpose, it can be blocked on the firewall to deny any connection attempts on that port.

Bare Metal OS installed directly on the server hardware
Traditional installation option
Resources not shared among multiple installations
Provides the security, reliability, and performance required by some industries May be more costly than virtualization