The correct answer is To decrease the system's attack surface by applying secure configurations and removing unnecessary services.

Server hardening is about reducing the number of potential vulnerabilities that an attacker can exploit. It involves applying secure configuration settings, removing or disabling unnecessary services and software, installing patches, and enforcing strong access controls.

These practices directly reduce the attack surface and limit the pathways an attacker can use to gain access or escalate privileges. The focus is on secure configurations and service reduction rather than physical protections or simplifying operations.

Google Cloud Armor is a cloud based service that helps defend against distributed denial of service attacks and provides web application firewall features, and it is not the definition of server hardening.

To strengthen physical safeguards around the server hardware describes physical security measures. Physical security is important but it is not the main objective of server hardening which focuses on software configuration and reducing exposed services.

To reduce operational complexity and make routine maintenance easier is not correct because hardening often increases administrative controls and oversight. The primary goal is improved security by shrinking the attack surface and enforcing secure settings.

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