Embarking the era of digital landscape, every business needs a website. A website need to be hosted. Without web hosting it is not at all possible to get the web space. Among all the available options of hosting, most of the business opt for cloud hosting. It is efficient, convenient, and affordable.
But with its scopes comes the challenges too. Cloud servers has a high risks of security threats. Overlooking them can be the greatest mistake you may be doing.
If you are wondering how to prevent those cyber-attacks through hosting service, well read this blog. Consult with your cloud web hosting provider to apply these steps.
Understanding Common Threats
The significant one that comes first on the list is the data loss. In these threats, your website data would be deleted or get corrupted that alters the website’s objective. It can occur due to data breaches too.
Besides DDoS attack is another one that affect the website performance. It is the threat of excessively high traffic to the particular website that result in crash down.
Other security threats include the insufficient access management along with insider threats. This is all about accessing and managing the server. There are many unwanted users who are in the server that may call upon the threat.
The root solution to all of them is to choose a reliable cloud web hosting provider.
Top 10 Strategies for Web Hosting Security
Strategy 1: Strong Password Management
We all use our smart phone and thus are quite aware of password importance. But what mistake we do is set a guessable password. Passwords using name, date of birth, age, country, last digit of phone number are some of the options that are not preferred.
Passwords should always be something unique. It should be a combination of alphabets of small and capital letters, numeric characters and special characters too.
Opting for two factor authentication works the best. They can literally stop any malicious attempts to logins.
Also make it a point to change the password frequently. It is a common practice in web hosting security.
Strategy 2: Regular Software Updates
Software is updated for giving extra security to the network. Installing the software updates make your website up-to date. They impart highest level of security to the website and also optimize the site’s speed and performance too.
You can opt for auto-update option. This would take the updated automatically. Or you can switch on the notifications when there will be updated available. Install them as you find it suitable.
Also, it is always suggested to remove any unused application. They are highly vulnerable for hackers to get a chance to gain the unauthorized access. Audit the website to gain knowledge about such unused themes or plugins.
Strategy 3: Implementing SSL/TLS Encryption
SSL stands for secure socker layer and TLS stands for Transport layer security. They are the encryption protocols that take cares of security. Their main function is to encrypt the data transferred from user to website and vice versa. The main objective of implementing them is to maintain the integrity and confidentiality of the website and web browser.
You need to install the SSL/TLS in the web host manager or WHM. Login to your WHM and go to homepage. Click on the SSL/TLS button. Click on the installation button. You will need to input the domain name, certificate files and private key. Once done you get it installed.
Strategy 4: Firewalls and Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS)
Firewalls acts like a protective layer or wall which would allow only authorized content. It can also detect the traffic whether it is safe or not.
Web hosting service providers apply the IDS for their server. IDS monitor each and every process that are running in your server.
Enabling firewall is an extra protective layer for prevention.
Strategy 5: Backup and Disaster Recovery Plans
Backing up data is like data insurance. In any case of cyber-attacks, even if you get some data loss, you can retrieve it back easily.
Most of the cloud web hosting provider offers automatics backup after a certain period.
Strategy 6: Access Control and User Permissions
Every server has a root user who is the king of that server space. The root user has the most power. Hackers mostly target to crack the root password as it can impart them the access control.
So, it is a common way to prevent is to disable the root access. Create a account with trusted and limited set of users. Also enable the user permission that it can keep a track on user’s accessibility too.
Be wise about sharing the access of the server.
Strategy 7: Website Security Scanning
Website security scanners are tools that check the vulnerabilities of the website. But they can scan only the links and Ips that are not behind the firewalls.
Get your website checked with the website security scanning tool to get an overview.
Strategy 8: DDoS Protection
Huge and unexpected traffic to your website may not be a sign of good news. It can be DDOS. Denial of service attacks is pattern attack where the hackers send packets of traffic from a particular location or IP. In case of Dedicated Denial of Service attack, the hacker uses multiple sources too.
Mostly with the DDoS, the attack is targeted at Application layer. So be alert about normal and abnormal traffic. Deploying firewalls would help a lot.
Strategy 9: Secure File Transfer Protocols
File transfer protocol is a set of instruction that aids in transferring a file to and from a server through encryption. But it must be noted that the FTP encrypts the file only when it is transferring. Just after the successful transfer, the file gets in original version.
So, adding an extra level of security with the secure FTP will save the file from hacking. Encrypting the file at the origin is best advised.
Strategy 10: Monitoring and Logging
It’s an overall task. You need to check the server users, about the data back-ups, enabling firewalls. Also make sure the performance of the website is stable and is maintaining the desired Uptime.
List out the key metrics of web hosting and starting checking them one by one. It is one of the easiest way to monitor.
Conclusion
All these 10 strategies will make your server highly secure. Be confident and run your business. Always focus on the security updated. Make a note that a secure website builds the trust among the customers. Thus overall it will bring in sales and profit for you.
