Site security is one of the biggest concerns for site owners. With increasing competition online, and businesses trying to establish a presence on the internet, web hosting plans play an important role in the site’s success. There are many hosting options available like Shared Hosting, Cloud Hosting, VPS Hosting and Dedicated Server Hosting. Among these, Virtual Private Server or VPS Hosting has evolved as a popular choice since it offers the features of a Dedicated Server at marginal costs. Apart from all the benefits offered by a VPS, account isolation and dedicated resources ensure that your website is highly secure at all times. Today, we are going to share some tips to help you tighten the security of your website on VPS Hosting.
1. Do not use the default login ID and password
A VPS Hosting plan comes with a default login ID and password. It is temporary and web hosts expect site owners to change them at the earliest. Call it laziness or ignorance, but most site owners always keep pushing it for later and end up using the default login credentials for a long time. This is a dangerous security loophole as most hackers and cybercriminals can easily crack the default passwords and gain access to your website within no time. Ensure that you change these default credentials. Choose a strong password and regularly monitor failed login attempts.
2. Change the default SSH port
Like the login credentials, most web hosts provide a default SSH port with a VPS plan. While gaining access through this port is not simple, you make it easy for an experienced hacker by using the same port number. Ensure that you use a different port for SSH access, thereby creating another hurdle for cybercriminals.
3. Deactivate a port if you’re not using it
Talking about ports, it is important to always know which ports are open and being used for what purpose. Any open ports that are not being used are breeding grounds for hackers. You can use the ‘netstat’ command to identify all open ports and close the ones that you don’t use.
4. Run all updates
Most software updates carry important security patches that help keep your VPS secure. Hence, it is important to ensure that you install all updates as soon as they are released and only use the latest version of the software.
5. Use a Firewall
A firewall works as an excellent first line of defense against viruses, malware, and other online threats. Ensure that you configure a firewall to boost the security of your VPS-hosted website.
6. Take regular backups
A backup is the ultimate safety net that protects your site’s data in the event of a disaster. Regardless of the security measures taken by you, a virus or malware can slip through the cracks and cause havoc in your site. Hence, taking regular backups is essential to keep your VPS-Hosted website secure. You can take manual backups or purchase hosting that offers daily automated backups.
Summing Up
Remember, a VPS is designed to be more secure than most traditional hosting plans. The steps mentioned above can help you tighten the security further. Ensure that you assess the hosting requirements of your website, purchase the right VPS plan, and follow these tips to keep your website highly secure.
