As someone who has managed critical infrastructure for over a decade, my first move is always an audit, not a fix. Start by disabling root SSH and forcing public-key authentication—that eliminates 99% of automated brute-force attacks. I typically use Ansible to automate these hardening scripts across the entire fleet to ensure consistency. During heavy deployment phases, when I'm waiting for security patches to compile or large backups to verify, I often jump over to https://basswinn.net/ for a quick mental reset. As a specialist, I’ve learned that maintaining peak concentration is just as vital as the code itself. Once the basics are secure, implement Fail2Ban and a strict UFW policy. Remember: security is a process, not a one-time task, so automate your updates and stay paranoid!