Top 10 Web Hosting Security Best Practices
top 10 hosting security best practicess
The internet contains over 1.7 billion websites, and every one of them is hosted by at least one web server. A web server can host hundreds of sites on one physical machine, but depending on the way it’s hosted, just one hacked website can be the downfall for all sites on the server. Security for web hosters is more important than ever as more customers depend on your cybersecurity best practices and monitoring to find ongoing attacks. Web servers usually host several business sites, which store customer data, so they are common targets for attackers. So, we've put together a list of hosting security best practices and tips essential for web hosting security. This articles covers the following hosting security topics:
Shared vs. Deciared vs. Managed Hosting
Securing Web Hosting Servers
Install and Configure a Web Application Firewall
Distributed Denial-of-Service Attack Protection
Use SFTP Instead of FTP
Back-Up Data on Servers
Use Whitelisting for Maintenance IPs
SSL/TLS Connections
Antivirus and Antimalware Protections
Remove Unused Applications Not Used for Hosting
Force Password Changes
Configure the Host’s HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) Header
Conclusion
Shared vs. Dedicated vs. Managed Hosting
shared dedicated managed hosting
Web hosts come in all different sizes, shapes, and flavors. The three most common are: shared, dedicated, and managed hosting. The way providers host sites also determines the impact after a compromise, but cybersecurity responsibility differs depending on the hosting subscription.
Shared hosting is the most affordable for customers, but every site on the web host adds risk to other sites on the same server. When customers choose shared hosting, they share the same pooled resources on the server, so an attacker who gains access to critical server services (e.g., gains a shell access on the server, remote code execution, buffer overflow attacks) could inject their own code into every site hosted on the server. Shared hosters should take care to ensure that their shared hosting servers have advanced security applications and hardened operating system configurations to stop these attacks.