documentation_complete: true

title: 'Disable Unused Interfaces'

description: |-
    Network interfaces expand the attack surface of the
    system.  Unused interfaces are not monitored or controlled, and
    should be disabled.
    <br /><br />
    If the system does not require network communications but still
    needs to use the loopback interface, remove all files of the form
    <tt>ifcfg-<i>interface</i></tt> except for <tt>ifcfg-lo</tt> from
    <tt>/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts</tt>:
    <pre>$ sudo rm /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-<i>interface</i></pre>
    If the system is a standalone machine with no need for network access or even
    communication over the loopback device, then disable this service.
    {{{ describe_service_disable(service="network") }}}