Site security is a crucial aspect of web hosting. Unfortunately, in recent years, while there has been an increase in the number of people turning online for services, there has been a corresponding rise in the number of security breaches too.
Hackers and other cyber-miscreants keep developing innovative ways to gain unauthorized access to a server or sensitive data for ulterior gains. So when you start looking for a web hosting server for your site, there are many options, including shared hosting, cloud hosting, VPS hosting, and dedicated server hosting.
Dedicated server hosting is the most potent option since an entire web server is dedicated to your site.
When you buy dedicated hosting, you can choose between Windows and Linux dedicated server hosting, HDD and SSD dedicated web hosting servers, and Unmanaged and Managed dedicated hosting plans. Dedicated servers are known to be highly secure since you can make configuration changes and install any third-party applications to keep the server protected.
Unfortunately, even the best Dedicated Server Hosting can be compromised by a brute-force attack. In these attacks, hackers use trial-and-error to guess the login credentials of an administrative user of the server.
This old online attack method is still highly effective against weak passwords. This article will look at ten ways to protect your dedicated server from such attacks.
- Use a firewall
A firewall is your site’s first line of defense against online threats. It identifies malicious codes and programs and blocks them before they can harm your server and site.
Hence, before you make your site live on a dedicated server, ensure that you have the latest firewall installed.
- Create strong passwords
Make sure you create a password policy that forces users to create a password that is at least eight characters long, includes at least one number, one capital letter, and one unique character, and does not contain the user’s name or date of birth.
- Use two-factor authentication
Make it mandatory for users to enter a one-time password sent to their mobile phones to boost security further.
- Grant administrative access to users carefully
Ensure you don’t give the admin login to all your employees.
Select the employees needing admin rights and be selective about the number of users with this access.
- Monitor login activity
In a brute-force attack, the hacker makes multiple login attempts to find the correct password for a specific user ID.
Make sure you monitor the login activity closely, as it can help identify any suspicious attempts and give you time to take adequate action.
- Use Captcha
Using a captcha is an excellent way to prevent automated login attempts, which is the preferred tool for hackers attempting a brute-force attack.
- Change the default SSH port
The default SSH listening port is number 22.
However, many site owners still need to change the port number, providing hackers with a headstart since they don’t have to look for the correct port number. Instead, they use the SSH port to launch a brute-force attack.
- Scan for malware
A dedicated server allows you to install any third-party application or software.
Install the best malware detection tool and make sure that you check for malware regularly.
- Use a VPN for accessing the VPS
The login credentials are transmitted across an encrypted network when you use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to access your VPS server.
This situation makes it impossible for hackers to crack it and gain unauthorized access.
- Always have a site backup
If everything fails and the hacker gets access to your server, he can cause any damage. Hence, it is necessary to have the latest working copy of your site backed up at a remote location.
Also, you will need a plan of action to inform your customers and manage any negative impact on your brand.
Summing Up
Remember, if a site faces common security issues in today’s competitive times, customers tend to abandon it. Also, search engines rank them lower.
These issues can tarnish the brand’s reputation and impact its revenue. Hence, make sure that you follow the tips mentioned above and protect your server from brute-force attacks. Good Luck!
