Before migrating previously isolated systems to the cloud, it is essential to perform patching and hardening. These systems may have been neglected while isolated, so updating them with the latest security patches and applying hardening measures (such as disabling unnecessary services and implementing strict access controls) is crucial to reduce vulnerabilities. This ensures that the systems are secure before they are exposed to the wider cloud environment. CASP+ emphasizes the importance of securing systems through patch management and hardening before integrating them into more exposed environments like the cloud. References: * CASP+ CAS-004 Exam Objectives: Domain 2.0 - Enterprise Security Operations (Patching, Hardening, and Cloud Migration Security) * CompTIA CASP+ Study Guide: Securing and Hardening Systems Before Cloud Migration