Dedicated Server Security: Tips you must know

Today, nothing is safe. It’s warranted to be concerned about security. The frequency of data breaches is increasing, and one of the primary sources of concern is dedicated server security. Investing in it in addition to DDoS protection, firewalls, as well as other features will help you better withstand these threats.

Why is Dedicated Server Security important?

Dedicated servers are entirely yours, and it’s up to you to configure them. Having full control over your server is one of many dedicated server benefits, and it’s why they’re so popular.

However, that also means setting up your dedicated server security system is your responsibility. Here’s why cyber security is so important and what you can do to protect your servers:

• Protecting your server from malware: Malware is a type of software that is used to steal data. It’s usually hidden and passed along with legitimate applications or scripts. Once it’s on your server, it will try to collect your information. The best way to protect your hosted apps from malware is by choosing a hosting provider that offers continuous vulnerability scanning and real-time server monitoring.
• Avoiding password breaches: Short, weak passwords are one of the main reasons why hackers can break into dedicated servers. Creating passwords that contain a random combination of letters, numbers, and symbols won’t allow them to break in in the first place. You should use different passwords for the control panel, the FTP account, and your mail services. And of course, it’s also good practice to change them regularly.
• Protecting your server against software vulnerabilities: Hackers can exploit the software that runs on your server and gain access to it. To avoid such security breaches using such vulnerabilities, you should only install software that gets regular updates and make sure you run it with the latest security patches.
• Avoiding DDoS attacks: A denial of service attack is used to overwhelm your server by flooding it with traffic and spam. This is a serious cyber threat that can cost you time and money if you fall suspect to it. To avoid damage done to your hosted site due to a DDoS attack, choose a dedicated server package with included DDoS protection.

Tips for Dedicated Server Security

Installing updates and security patches

Older software is one of the most vulnerable vulnerabilities exploited by hackers. Most application developers release regular security patches that address potential security issues with their software. If you skip downloading any of these fixes, someone may benefit from an undiagnosed vulnerability. Never rely on outdated programs and services.

Even the slightest delay in updating the latest security fixes can be detrimental. Therefore, you should always check for software updates regularly. If you find that installing security updates and patches regularly is too much, you should consider choosing a managed dedicated server.

Dedicated Server Security tips: Backup Regularly

Anything can go wrong at any given point and you can lose all of your data due to a technical fluke or worse a cyber assault. As aforementioned, there have been numerous companies that have succumbed to a security breach by cybercriminals.

If you’ve been outsmarted despite all of your efforts at implementing security measures, you want to have a full backup of your entire website, company files, and any other crucial data all saved in a cloud backup service.

This ensures swift restoration of spammed or lost website content while letting you reinforce vulnerable areas. Experiencing prolonged downtime or having your site offline can radically affect your business and its reputation in a negative way.

What’s worst is losing all of your data with no recovery copy, including all of the content like blog posts and videos you’ve created, along with your confidential and important files to a hacker’s malicious attack.

Encrypted Data Transfer

You can choose secure protocols instead of unsecured protocols for communication over the network. You should also prefer changing the default port settings so it will be challenging to get into the brute force attacks and make your server vulnerable. It may not wholly ensure safety, but it can stop attacks to much extent. In case you are dealing with a third party, the communication will be encrypted. You can also ensure that you have installed an SSL certificate for your website to encrypt the online transaction. Also, you can integrate phishing detection applications for real-time alerts.

Dedicated Server Security tips: Use DDoS Protection

A distributed denial of service attack is used to bring down websites or even entire servers. A sudden burst of traffic is sent to your server making it eventually buckle and crash. Often, the intention behind them is to bring financial loss to the targeted business. DDoS attacks make your website or web apps inaccessible to users, so it’s crucial to prevent them.

The only way to protect yourself from these attacks is to opt for a DDoS-protected dedicated server. These servers come with an integrated DDoS shield that will monitor all incoming traffic. When malicious traffic is detected, the connection requests are diverted from your server. At the same time, legitimate traffic is allowed to pass, so your users won’t experience any interruptions.

Always use trusted networks

Another important security checkpoint is to use your login credentials and always use trusted networks when logging in to your dedicated hosting service.

A local area network connected to your computer can be a quick security point if there are security vulnerabilities. Anyone in your business can pose a risk by logging on to a public network server. Therefore, implement procedures that require the network to be a reliable and secure network to log on to the server.

Be careful and decide who has access to the server, and change your credentials regularly to gain an extra layer of security.

Dedicated Server Security tips: Use private networks and VPNs

Open networks are easily accessible from the people outside your network making them vulnerable to attacks. You should implement a secure and virtual network with restricted access and have authorization in place for proper users. A secured network comes with a private IP that helps you establish personal communication and work for multiple servers under the same private network.

Conclusion

Like any other hosting solution, dedicated servers require multiple layers of security to protect the server, the website, the company’s brand awareness, and its client’s data and safety. Securing your dedicated server’s security does not have to be a heartache. If you follow our tips, you will see that the process is pretty simple. Consequently, it helps you to make informed choices on the best servers for your business.