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.