The Three Biggest Security Threats to Your Dedicated Server Hosting Service

There are many reasons you may select a dedicated server hosting plan for your business, but a common factor is control. Unlike shared hosting, a dedicated server is yours to configure and maintain in a way that fits your business. But although a dedicated server comes with full remote desktop and console access, this level of control brings with it a lot of responsibility. If there are multiple accounts on a hardware server, such as in a shared hosting or virtual private server (VPS hosting) plan, your hosting provider should ensure the ongoing performance and security of your server. In the case of dedicated server hosting, it is your obligation to protect your server against a variety of online threats and take the necessary steps to remedy a security breach. To help you understand the security landscape that surrounds your dedicated server hosting service, JaguarPC shares our years of experience and expertise below. Read on to learn the three most common types of security breach on a dedicated server hosting plan, and what you should be doing to protect your server from these attacks.

Denial of service attacks can cripple your dedicated server hosting service

Some security threats your dedicated server faces are designed to steal data and, ultimately, facilitate other crimes, such as credit card fraud or black market data sales. However, one common form of attack is designed to do little more than cause large-scale disruption of your business. If you require a dedicated server, it is likely that your website has a growing online reputation. However, a growing reputation makes your server a prime target for denial of service (DoS) attacks. A denial of service attack causes server failure and unavailability by overwhelming the system with traffic. One type of DoS attack, the distributed denial of service (DDoS), has multiple malicious computers working together to flood your server with traffic, waste your hardware resources, and damage the experience of legitimate customers. The first line of defense against a DDoS attack is ensuring you choose a dedicated server that is deployed on the best possible hardware, with generous system resources. You should also do the following:

• 1. Make sure your hosting provider offers a quality perimeter firewall to stop malicious data before it reaches your server
• 2. Monitor your server for the first signs of unexpected traffic increases DoS attacks are one of the most common external threats to your server’s stability. But some of the most devastating security breaches are those that begin from within your server.

The threat of malware on your dedicated server

Since a dedicated server allows customers to install applications with ease, this type of service is prone to malware. Malware describes a wide range of software that is coded to create disruption or steal data from your server. The term is regularly used to refer to spyware, viruses, worms, and trojans. The functionality of these applications varies, but can include recording your every keystroke or copying your most sensitive and confidential databases. Sometimes, malware can be bundled with legitimate applications and scripts. As a result, you should always scan files before you run them on your server. You should also do the following:

• 1. Look for a hosting provider with ongoing vulnerability scanning
• 2. Routinely check your site for unexpected behavior, including invisible frames and unusual advertisements
• 3. Consider testing all software on a secure, isolated home device before uploading to your website Malware is software that is carefully designed and programmed to breach your dedicated server security. Unfortunately, some dedicated server hosting users make the work of criminals easier.

Do not forget the risk of a dedicated server hosting password breach

Hackers and criminals are becoming more sophisticated, with advanced tools and technology to help them destroy your data, and also your online reputation. However, many attackers can penetrate your dedicated server hosting account with the most effective tool of all: your password. Unfortunately, many dedicated server users do not implement a robust password policy and find that, with or without the help of software, hackers can obtain their passwords and gain access to their data. There are essentially two elements of a good password strategy. First, you should not use words, phrases, or terms that can be found in a dictionary for your password. A seemingly random combination of upper and lowercase letters and numbers is far more difficult for a criminal to deduce. Second, avoid keeping the same password for a long period of time. Every two weeks, change your password to an entirely new string. You should also do the following:

• 1. Implement different passwords for each element of your dedicated server. Choose one password for mail access, one for your control panel, one for your FTP account, and so on. This ensures that a hacker cannot gain complete access even in the event of a password breach.
• 2. Where possible, log in through a secure SSL connection.
• 3. Whenever you enter your password, check that the web address and page content is as you would expect, not a phishing website.
• 4. Never access your hosting control panel from a link in an email. Instead, enter the web address manually These are just three common security concerns in a dedicated server hosting plan. As with all online security topics, be sure to take the time to research new and developing risks regularly.

Secure dedicated server hosting from JaguarPC

Although control and security are two major selling points of a dedicated server hosting plan, too much control without experience often leads to gaps in the security of your server. To help, JaguarPC offers dedicated server hosting services, in addition to managed services to assist with your security. Customers can select from a range of dedicated server hosting services, all of which include free remote reboots, full root access, and a remote desktop facility. When your plan is set up, JaguarPC will also conduct free initial server hardening, protecting your server against potential attacks. For a nominal charge, JaguarPC can also provide managed dedicated server hosting services, including ongoing proactive server monitoring, security upgrades and patches, and alerting in the event of a suspected breach. These services all include an R1Soft license, allowing you to regularly back up your data in case of attack. For more information on dedicated server hosting from JaguarPC, call 1-888-338-5261 or visit jaguarpc.com.

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