Authors: Ekaterina Morozova, Ivan Petrov, Natalia Smirnova, Alexey Volkov
Abstract: Biomedical computing environments face a unique set of challenges in securing critical infrastructure while maintaining the high availability, performance, and regulatory compliance required for sensitive healthcare and research workloads. From electronic medical record (EMR) systems and genomics data pipelines to real-time telemedicine platforms, these systems demand adaptive and resilient security architectures. Traditional static hardening techniques—based on fixed baselines, manual patching, and predefined firewall rules are increasingly insufficient in the face of dynamic threat landscapes, complex workloads, and ever-evolving compliance mandates like HIPAA, HITECH, and 21 CFR Part 11. This review explores the concept of adaptive server hardening, a modern, behavior-driven approach that dynamically adjusts server configurations, access controls, and security policies based on real-time telemetry, system state, and threat intelligence. It examines OS-specific strategies across Red Hat, Solaris, and AIX platforms, highlighting tools like SELinux, SMF, Trusted AIX, ZFS ACLs, and live patching utilities. Key technologies include behavior-based anomaly detection, AI-assisted rule tuning, and integration with SIEM and EDR platforms such as Tripwire, Splunk, and OSSEC. Furthermore, the paper addresses runtime configuration drift, automated remediation, privilege management, and audit automation for compliance readiness. Through detailed technical analysis and real-world case studies, the review demonstrates how adaptive hardening improves security posture, supports continuous compliance, and ensures operational continuity in biomedical settings. It also considers challenges such as overhead management, multi-platform complexity, and tuning of dynamic policies. Finally, the article discusses future trends including autonomous compliance agents, AIOps integration, and adaptive security in hybrid and cloud-based biomedical infrastructures.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15847766
