How To Secure Your Server?

October 4, 2010 by Garen
Filed under: Website Talk

secure server ( The Best Web Hosting Service )- There are various reasons to move into a dedicated server. These are high volume of traffic, complex requirements of application, a database with numerous transactions, or even a combination of those as well as other requirements. Whatever the purpose, the dedicated server allows both growing and highly established businesses access to more powerful capabilities.
With power comes additional responsibilities. By all means, you have to protect your server from being hacked. Sure, you’re going to need help doing that, and since you carefully chose your server provider, you expect that help from them, right?
When you have to secure an application server or a network attached web, it could be quite complicated. You want it to be accessible to legitimate users, but not so to malicious, unknown ones.
We can compare it with a large theatrical production or sporting event. We want to have the large crowd of happy watchers, but each time steps are taken to strengthen security, there seems to be a negative part to the experience: there are long queues for inspections, or bags or carry-alls are not allowed, etc. Just as with emails that are secure, the purposes of access and security seem to have opposing results, but having a solid server protection plan could work out to safekeep both.
To achieve this, there is a two-layer “bullet-proof vest” in the form of a firewall and an intrusion-protection feature. Firewalls are there to help deter brute force, and attacks that come about with denial of service. Often coming from multiple unsecured servers from other countries, a DoS attack is one where useless traffic is sent your way, which overwhelms your resources, and renders the server unusable for its real users.
A good firewall employs rules-based access to block the malicious traffic from coming in, while letting the legitimate users in. This is done while minimizing slowdowns, which is made clear to users.
Intrusion protection involves more complicated schemes of blocking dangerous traffic from where they come from. Compromised hosts are placed in quarantine, while qualified user traffic is quickly routed where these should be. If the firewall is like front-line defenders, the intrusion protection service or IPS are those who attack behind the enemy lines. This allows you to shift security steps from being reactive, to proactive.
Having firewall and IPS protection is not enough. You have to stay ahead of the malicious elements, hackers and corporate saboteurs who just have to disrupt even the smallest user’s operations. This needs watchfulness, as well as regular updates to blacklists, filters and patches. Buying security appliances to install can be expensive enough, but properly managing them is another thing. So get back to your service provider.
If your dedicated service provider offers “managed” services, you can have more than 24/7 staffing. With their massive hardware and network resources, and their team of highly trained and certified engineers who can help you stay fully protected, utilize that along with their firewall and intrusion protection services. Unless they do not even offer these, then perhaps it’s time to find another service provider.

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