How to secure my vps server: Web hosting security seems to be a hot topic these days, being debated by both large corporations and regular people who have an online presence.
And with good cause. Cyber risks are very real and shouldn’t be taken lightly because of the loss of client data, the theft of personal and financial information, and the destruction of website content.
In this post, we’ll talk especially about virtual private server (VPS) hosting security precautions and how to make sure yours is exceptionally safe.
What Is A Virtual Private Server?
Knowledge Of Virtual Private Server’s Advantages
Are you trying to preserve and make the most of your business data? A virtual private server (VPS) can be the ideal option for you if this is the case. Here are a few advantages of utilizing a Virtual Private Server:
Enhanced security: Secure firewalls, antivirus programs, and other security measures are used to protect your company data on a Virtual Private Server. In the event that your Virtual Private Server is compromised or infected with malware, your company is still safeguarded.
Excellent scalability: With a Virtual Private Server, you may grow or shrink your business as necessary without worrying about software or hardware constraints. Additionally, you have more control over how much storage space and bandwidth your Virtual Private Server needs. This is especially crucial if you need a variety of internet services to function properly.
Increased adaptability: You can tailor your Virtual Private Server to meet your own demands and specifications. This implies that you have complete control over the apps and websites you host on your Virtual Private Server and their configuration. By VPS hosting your own programs and websites on a Virtual Private Server rather of using hosted services from outside providers, you also have more control over pricing.
Set a different default SSH Sign In
To connect remotely from one computer to another, or SSH, many virtual private server users utilize Secure Shell to log on to their servers.
You run the danger of falling prey to a brute-force attack if you connect into your server via SSH. A “brute-force attack” is typically when multiple popular passwords are used to attempt to access your SSH server. We advise changing the default SSH 22 port login password to a personalized one specifically for this purpose. Strong passwords typically combine letters, numbers, and non-alphanumeric characters in both upper- and lowercase.
Use the most recent software releases
It goes without saying that your virtual private server gets more vulnerable the older the software version. Fortunately, running the required updates for your operating system only requires a few mouse clicks (OS).
Perhaps you might think about automating this procedure. You’ll most likely use apt-get for Debian and Ubuntu or yum/rpm for CentOS to do system updates, depending on the Operating System you use. Cron jobs, a Linux-based tool that sets a command or script on your virtual private server to execute at a specific time and date, or your control panel can automate this.
If you use a content management system (CMS), we advise watching for updates and installing them as soon as they become available in addition to updating server-side software.
Check the logs on your virtual private server server.
Maintaining control over what’s happening with your virtual private server is made easier by managing your server logs. You’ll be more ready if problems arise if you keep track of your virtual private server systems and software.
You are more equipped to manage the problems at hand when you actively monitor events, resource utilization, traffic levels, user activity, and software-generated faults. Being aware of the problems at hand may only assist to handle them more quickly, whether it be through prevention or resolution.
a good hint? Set up email alerts for any faults and warnings to enable real-time event monitoring.
Install a Firewall
Right, you don’t want any unnecessary traffic? Therefore, a firewall is important.
Many Linux-based operating systems come with firewalls already installed (think iptables, firewalld, ufw, DebianFirewall). Consider installing the cost-free ConfigServer Firewall, also known as CSF, to make managing iptables and integrating other control panels easier. By improving security for your virtual private server, this firewall configuration script also gives you a cutting-edge, user-friendly interface for controlling your firewall settings.
Searching for more security? Your primary firewall can be enhanced with ModSecurity, which enables you to monitor HTTP (Hyper Text Markup language) traffic, injections into the code of your website, databases, etc. Whether you select an already-installed firewall or a custom firewall, the following still needs to be configured:
- Filtering traffic according to the stated patterns
- Access control for specific IP (Internet Protocol) addresses
- Blocking ports not in use to prevent scans
- Regularly reviewing the rules to ensure they are still applicable and introducing new ones
- Updating the current regulations to prepare for emerging security issues
Be certain that your server is malware-free.
You should think about watching the files that have already been posted to your virtual private server and those that are now being uploaded in addition to setting up a firewall to protect incoming traffic in case any vulnerabilities arise.
For this reason, you need reliable antivirus software on your virtual private server because its signatures need to be updated frequently. This helps you quarantine unwanted files and is a fantastic approach to spot any questionable behavior.
Defend against brutal attacks
Brute-force attacks take place when hackers find weak passwords, as we previously discussed, giving the attacker total access to your virtual private server. Unfortunately, having a strong password is no longer sufficient. Additionally, you need tools that can identify brute-force attempts and prevent unauthorized logins.
Fortunately, there are many anti-malware software programs accessible; the two most well-liked ones are ClamAV and CXS. Although there may occasionally be false positive results, it is always better to be safe than sorry, as the adage goes.
A prime example is the functionality called cPhulk that is included into cPanel. After multiple unsuccessful tries, cPhulk assists in blocking logins and blocks not just cPanel logins but also WHM, FTP, and email-based ones.
We also advise using the Login Failure Daemon, or LFD, a component of the aforementioned CSF that routinely scans for risks to your virtual private server. LFD looks for brute-force login attempts and blocks the IP address that is attempting to attack your server if it is discovered. LFD will also notify you if a login attempt succeeds or fails. Now that’s extra mental security.
Limit user access
You can select the distribution of control that best suits your preferences in the pursuit of virtual private server security. The regions that your users can use, in other words.
In addition to changing the various file permissions, you might want to look into tools like SELinux (available with Red Hat Enterprise), which enables you to govern user-management access as well as process initializations, network interfaces, files, and file systems.
Imagine, for the sake of argument, that numerous users access your virtual private server. Here, you might want to restrict their access in order to safeguard sensitive data and stop them from altering how you use your resources. Search for file systems like CageFS (CloudLinux) or VirtFS to accomplish this. Both enable you to keep your users segregated within a particular set of files and resources.
Maintain Your Cool and Make Backups
Backups, or better yet, automatic backups, are essential for all hosting types, not only virtual private server hosting.
In case your server experiences a problem, backups should ideally be made somewhere other than the server. The Email Shop includes server backups for all forms of management, unlike some companies who charge extra for backup capability. We advise Full Management for virtual private server Hosting if offsite storage is something you’re interested in.
Use SSL Certificates Throughout The Board
To protect your privacy, SSL certificates enable you to establish an encrypted connection between the server and the client.
SSL certificates are essential for every type of hosting, whether you’re sending files, emails, or inputting login information, in order to keep your critical data secure.
However, a certain level of technical expertise is needed to successfully implement SSL certificates. A system administrator can set things up for you in this situation, giving you more piece of mind.
In conclusion
regardless of the type of hosting you employ for your website—shared, virtual private server, or dedicated server—security should always be a top priority. This includes using complex passwords, turning on 2FA authentication whenever possible, avoiding the use of unapproved software, and not opening email attachments from strangers.
Particularly with a virtual private server, more freedom entails greater accountability. Because of its proprietary systems, The Email Shop exclusively provides Linux-based OS with virtual private server Hosting, which is thought to have the highest level of security when compared to other OS.
Although our helpful advice won’t shield you from every internet danger lurking out there, it will make you and your virtual private server more informed, vigilant, and ultimately better off.
