Centos Stream 9 Hardened to Security Baseline Level 1

CentOS Stream 9 – Security Baseline Level 1 (Azure Optimized)

This Azure Marketplace image provides a CentOS Stream 9 virtual machine configured to a Level 1 security baseline, optimized for Microsoft Azure. The image applies prescriptive operating system security controls designed to reduce attack surface while maintaining usability for enterprise workloads and cloud-native applications.

CentOS Stream 9 serves as the upstream preview of future RHEL minor releases. This image combines modern Linux capabilities with a standardized security baseline suitable for production, development, and regulated environments that require consistent and repeatable system hardening.

Security Baseline Configuration

• Operating system security controls aligned with a Level 1 baseline
• Secure configuration of authentication, authorization, and access controls
• Password policies and account lockout controls enforced
• SSH hardened using modern cryptographic algorithms and key-based authentication
• Unnecessary services, packages, and network listeners removed or disabled
• Firewall enabled with restrictive inbound rules by default
• System logging, auditing, and time synchronization configured
• Kernel and network parameters tuned to mitigate common attack vectors

Azure Integration & Optimization

• Azure Linux Agent (waagent) installed and enabled
• Cloud-init support for automated provisioning and configuration
• Compatible with Azure Monitor, Azure Serial Console, and VM extensions
• Optimized for Azure VM performance and reliability

Use Cases

• Security-baselined application servers
• Enterprise and regulated development environments
• DevSecOps and CI/CD pipeline infrastructure
• Kubernetes and container host nodes
• RHEL-compatible workloads requiring standardized OS hardening

Target Audience

• Security and compliance teams
• Cloud and platform engineers
• DevSecOps practitioners
• ISVs deploying secure Linux workloads on Azure

This image does not include any operating system license fees. Customers pay only for Azure compute, storage, and networking resources consumed.

We understand that reliability and continuity are critical when choosing an AMI provider, especially for production environments. That’s why we want to assure you that we are in this for the long run.

Our team is dedicated to building and maintaining secure, production-ready, and compliance-aligned AMIs that your business can depend on. We have no intention of discontinuing operations or ending support for our hardened images. In fact, we are actively expanding our portfolio and reinvesting in innovation to meet evolving customer needs.

When you choose our AMIs, you’re choosing a trusted partner committed to your long-term success for today, tomorrow, and years from now.

Deploy with confidence on a hardened, production-ready Centos Stream 9 image that delivers the reliability your workloads demand

Disclaimer: Sedetos is an independent third-party. Our offerings are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to The CentOS Project