No matter what purpose you use your dedicated servers for – whether you are storing your business’s information, hosting your company website, or even for gaming and entertainment purposes – they play an important role in keeping your information safe from any threats or breaches, and all in one physical location. Since security is one of the most important features in a dedicated server, it is critical to take every measure to maintain it. Protect your server and the information it keeps by following some of these dedicated server security tips.
Update Software and Security
As with most technology, your dedicated servers should operate with the newest components available. One of the easiest steps you can take in maintaining the security of your servers is by installing any software and security updates and patches. A frequent mistake that many server owners, and computer users in general, make is ignoring or procrastinating on the installation of these updates.
You should perform a check for these updates at least a few times each week. Additionally, if you have any outdated components or plug-ins, you can delete them to reduce the potential for vulnerabilities. If you see these recommended updates, install them as soon as you can. Usually, software companies and other reliable sources provide these updates, so you can trust them without any hesitation. If you have trouble remembering to install the updates, you should consider choosing a managed server.
Only Use Trusted Networks
Another common mistake server owners make is using public, unknown, or untrustworthy networks when logging in and out of their hosting accounts. These networks may contain weaknesses and risk factors that leave your server vulnerable to an access breach to your private information or a cyber-attack against your system. You should always use a reliable, secure, and trusted network when logging into your server account. This is more important if you have customized the account to grant an increased degree of control. If you have more than one admin user of the server account, make sure you let him or her know about exclusively using trusted networks as well.
Maintain Databases
In addition to updating your software and security systems, you should also spend some time maintaining your databases. Updating and caring for your data can protect you from numerous attacks. One of the most common attacks on databases is an SQL injection, which is an attack vector that uses harmful SQL code to access private information, placing it in danger of deletion or alteration. The attacker may also gain control of the database. The consequences of an SQL injection will hurt you, if you store sensitive client data, such as payment information.
One of the additional steps you can take to protect your databases includes restricting the access privileges of the users. The more you reduce overall access to the data, the more you also lower the risk of compromising it. In addition, make sure you delete any unwanted, outdated, or unnecessary information you may find, as it can also leave you vulnerable and needlessly take up space.
Choose a Server with DDoS Protection
DDoS attacks are a constant scourge that many websites must deal with. As these attacks grow more sophisticated and adapt to security measures, you must make sure to secure your information with the latest in DDoS protection. A functioning protection system will filter the traffic of your website, blocking any suspicious or harmful traffic and leaving the regular traffic alone. DDoS protection is a sound investment for the security of your information. In fact, some hosting providers offer built-in standard DDoS security with their dedicated servers, free of charge.
Create Strong Passwords
The use of strong passwords is one of the oldest and best-known security measures for any computer user. However, some server owners still fall into the trap of using basic passwords to protect their systems. A weak password is one of the easiest ways a hacker can access your data. When you first receive your dedicated server, make sure you change the default password as soon as possible, as the host does not generate it for long-term use. Create a password that is composed of a random combination of numbers, uppercase or lowercase letters, and symbols. Stay away from words that have a connection to you or any other user. Also, make sure you regularly change your password, as it is the first line of defense against hackers.
Back Up Data Constantly
Security breaches can occur at any point and to any kind of server environment. Even with all the security you can establish, no one is entirely safe from compromising or losing information. Get into the habit of constantly backing up your data by saving copies in multiple locations. If you are backing up data off-site, make sure you can verify and access it, and keep it as physically distant from the original site as possible. Ask your hosting company whether they offer servers on multiple locations, which will allow you to have a main server and a backup. By backing up your data on a regular basis, you can simply retrieve it when a hard drive malfunction or breach occurs, rather than lose it entirely. The more sensitive that information is, the more back up measures you should establish around it.
Establish Security Protocols
If you run a business, take the time to establish security protocols and an emergency plan if your dedicated servers undergo a security risk. Specifically, you should have a plan for data restoration, a chain of command among your staff, a contact list, and other steps you and your staff need to take in case of a breach.
Once you have instituted these simple dedicated server security tips, you will have made significant progress toward keeping your servers and your data secure. After all, the ability to customize your security is one of the main attractions of a dedicated server, so it makes sense to maintain maximum security by following these recommended procedures.
Sources:
https://www.reliablesite.net/hosting-news/dedicated-server-security-tips/
https://www.reliablesite.net/hosting-news/dedicated-server-security/
https://www.connectioncafe.com/ways-to-add-security-to-your-dedicated-server/
https://serverguy.com/dedicated-server-security-tips/
https://www.incapsula.com/web-application-security/sql-injection.html
