An administrator is preparing a workstation for deployment. Which of the following is the first step the administrator should take in this process?

Enabling the host firewall is a critical security step, but it usually follows OS updates to ensure the firewall itself has the latest security patches.

Installing OS updates should be the first step after a clean operating system installation. Updates patch security vulnerabilities and fix bugs, ensuring the system is secure and stable from the outset before any other configurations or software installations, which could expose a vulnerable system to risks.

Changing the default administrator password is an essential security practice, but it's typically done after initial setup and updates, or as part of a post-update configuration script.

Removing unnecessary software, often called "bloatware," is a good practice for performance and security, but it's a cleanup step that comes after the core OS is updated and secured.