How to Secure a Server
Server security is essential. To ignore it is to leave a large, exposed target on your data for cybercriminals to exploit.
Secure servers are the first line of defense against DDoS attacks, data breaches, and more.
In this article, KnownHost defines exactly what server security means and why it’s useful and offers a step-by-step guide on how to secure a server for peace of mind.
What Is a Secure Server?
Secure servers – also referred to as Secure Sockets Layer servers – use secure socket layer (SSL) protocols to encrypt all communication over the internet. This acts as a shield against unidentified users trying to access that server.
Secure servers communicate between web servers and web browsers using end-to-end encryption to keep commands secure. While most servers offer some level of security in the form of login details, SSL servers take that security a step further by scrambling data into a code only decipherable by a digital decrypting key – usually available at the data’s intended destination.
SSL servers require client authentication when connecting to the server – and this is how informational cryptography takes place.
For example, if a customer tried to access an e-commerce website operating on a server without an SSL, their credit card information would travel across the web completely unprotected when they purchased an item.
Now imagine that the server has an SSL. The user must first authenticate who they are to access the server. Their credit card information is then sent to the server encrypted, and the server is the only point at which a digital decryption key can be used to interpret that information for processing. This makes the act of site-to-server communication secure.
Why Are Secure Servers Necessary?
Secure servers are necessary to protect confidential information from data breaches that can open both the company and users to the risk of fraud.
Server security is especially important when handling sensitive information like money, personal identification, and medical records, or any data that could be used to blackmail or extort a user.
Below is a list of advantages that a secure server infrastructure can provide:
- Less chance of server failure.
- Protects against cyberattacks (DDoSing, data breaches, etc).
- Protects against fraud.
- Prevents hardware crashes.
- Protection against the loss of data.
KnownHost provides secure website hosting services to give you complete peace of mind over data confidentiality and compliance for your website and its visitors.
How to Install an SSL Certificate
An SSL certificate is a form of digital identification that authenticates a website’s identity and allows a user to form an encrypted connection.
SSL certificates are especially important for any website that requires financial transactions, as the use of a secure socket layer keeps precious financial information secure from cyber-attacks.
Here, KnownHost explains how to install an SSL certificate:
Step 1: Generate a CSR
An SSL certificate is purchased through a web hosting service. A certificate signing request (CSR) then needs to be generated for the user’s domain name.
Step 2: Request an SSL Certificate
The next step is to request an SSL certificate from a web hosting provider using a CSR.
There are different types of SSL certificates depending on the type of website being hosted and the hosting provider. Options provided by web hosting providers vary and it’s best practice to research a web hosting provider before requesting an SSL certificate.
Step 3: Install the SSL Certificate
Next, simply download the SSL certificate files and install them via any available web tools (cPanel, Apache, Microsoft ISS).
Once the new certificate is installed, use a web tool to redirect users toward the new secure HTTPS domain.
Step 4: Check Settings
Once the SSL certificate has been successfully installed, it’s best to test the website connection to ensure that the web address is being directed toward the correct secured page.
How To Secure a Server
Here, KnownHost offers additional tips on securing a server to prevent unauthorized access and compromised data:
Step 1: Create a Strong Password
The first step to creating a secure server involves choosing a strong password.
Secure passwords should be a minimum of 12 characters long and include lowercase letters, uppercase letters, numbers, and special characters like question marks or exclamation marks. This makes it difficult for any password-hacking software to correctly guess the right password.
While many people use passwords with memorable words, this is best avoided as it makes it possible to guess a potential server password by knowing personal information.
Instead, the password should ideally be a string of random characters and no two passwords should be the same. It’s best to use a password manager if remembering passwords becomes unmanageable without writing them down.
Change the password regularly for additional peace of mind.
Step 2: Implement Two Factor Authentication
Two-factor authentication is another essential tool in mitigating the risk to server security.
This requires a user to provide a second layer of authentication in addition to a password – usually in the form of an input code sent to a verified device that changes every thirty seconds. Other types of two-factor authentication include fingerprints and retinal scans.
Two-factor authentication provides an additional hurdle that any potential security threat must overcome to gain access to the server or its data.
Step 3: Set Up an SSH Key Pair
A secure shell key pair (SSH) helps a user maintain a secure connection to a server and mitigate the threat of cyber-attacks.
An SSH is a pair of private, encrypted keys that are used to authenticate and establish a connection between a client and a remote machine.
Step 4: Update Servers
Server updates always include a set of hotfixes, patching recent security flaws that bug testers have uncovered.
It’s essential to keep the server updated so new fixes can be applied to avoid weaknesses that could be exploited by malicious actors.
Step 5: Apply a Firewall
A firewall is a security system that acts as a barrier to a private network, allowing only authorized users to gain access while unauthorized IP addresses will be blocked.
Any trusted IP can be manually granted access to the server, but malicious hackers can use all server ports to gain access, so as an additional layer of security, be sure to close all unused ports.
Firewalls are the perfect protection against DDoS attacks, as they immediately refuse access to unauthorized IP addresses preventing a surge in unauthorized server traffic.
Step 6: Limit Root Access
Also known as server ‘admin’ access, root access is a set of credentials that grant the most privileges possible on a server. If root access to a server is compromised, the entire system may be put at risk.
This is why it’s important to avoid using a root access profile whenever possible, and instead, grant superuser access to individual profiles.
This means, if the new superuser profile is comprised, admin rights can be taken away from that profile without permanently compromising the entire system.
Step 7: Use VPNs and Private Networks
Open networks are more vulnerable to cyber-attacks, so ensure a server has a virtual private network (VPN).
VPNs help restrict access to certain users, further narrowing down the window of attack for most online fraudsters.
Step 8: Set Up a Multi-Server Environment
One of the best ways to secure a server is to turn it into a multi-server environment by isolating applications on separate servers and reserving some of these environments for the storage of sensitive data.
This means that, if the application server is compromised, for example, hackers still cannot access sensitive data.
Step 9: Use a Dedicated Server
Dedicated servers are isolated from other servers, which increases their security in comparison to shared servers.
They’re essential for protecting sensitive data and increasing the effects of server optimization, with the added ability to configure and customize the environment.
Looking for secure web hosting services without the hassle of manually configuring a server? KnownHost web hosting provides the best industry uptime, with 24/7 support for complete peace of mind.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What are the types of secure servers?
A: There are three main types of network security – ‘physical’, which focuses on tangible assets like the hardware and company data policies, ‘network’, which is a type of security that covers an entire network range, and ‘host’, which sees security solutions installed directly onto the host server/computer.
Q: What makes a server secure?
A: A server is usually secured by a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), which acts as a medium of authentication between the client and the host server, providing end-to-end encryption to keep sensitive data from being accessed during transfer. Secure servers will also have up-to-date and state-of-the-art firewalls, and information handling policies for maintenance staff.
Q: What is the safest server in the world?
A: The most secure servers in the world are the HPE ProLiant Gen10 Rack Servers, which provide end-to-end encryption. The HPE ProLiant has Silicon Root of Trust technology, which prevents the server from booting if it’s running on compromised firmware. Likewise, it has firmware threat detection and runtime firmware validation.
Q: How do I know if I have a secure server?
A: When attempting to visit a domain online, a secure server URL should start with ‘https’ – the ‘s’ standing for secure, which means the website is hosting a server with an SSL. Many server operating systems (OS) also have server security scanners, and any worthwhile OS would be able to detect the most obvious security risks.