Having your business available online is vital in this digital world. Many people access the Internet to learn more about the products or services of a specific company. In order to reach out more potential clients, you must have an online presence. And this can be done through your website.
Once you have your website created, it must be available on the web for other people to see. First, you would need your domain name, which would be the address of your website. You then need to get web hosting service from a provider like NetHosting, in order to have a space for your site. This is where you upload files to make your website accessible for Internet users.
Since your web hosting server contains all your website files and information, it’s important to keep it secured. Hackers never stop in finding ways on how to gain access to these servers, which is why users must be extra vigilant. There are various ways on how to do this.
Determine if SFTP is Available
FTP or file transfer protocol is the protocol usually used for uploading files to your web hosting server or your cPanel account. While it’s generally a secured protocol, it can still be at risk of attacks. Determine with your web host provider if SFTP is available for you. SFTP or secure file transfer protocol is more secured as it adds an extra layer of protection. This prevents files from being interrupted or changed during transfer.
Use Firewall
A firewall can prevent unauthorized access to your web server. This is your first line of defense against hackers trying to get through your cPanel. Find a reliable firewall that is designed for protecting cPanel servers. There are firewall software that do not only block unauthorized access but also offers recommendation on how to better secure your server after running a system scan.
Install Anti-Virus Software
Anything that runs on the Internet is prone to virus infection. To protect your server from virus attack, installing an anti-virus for your cPanel is a must. One of the most popular anti-virus used for cPanel is ClamAV. It’s an open-source application that scans directories and e-mail for suspicious files.
Change Password Regularly
One of the easiest ways to secure your web server is to change your password regularly. It would be more difficult for hackers to figure out the password if you keep changing it. Choose a strong password that would be difficult for others to guess.
Keep cPanel Up to Date
Ensure that your cPanel is updated. This is because the latest version often has known problems from the previous version solved, including security concerns. It’s recommended that you enable automatic update by changing your settings on “Update Preferences” under “Server Configuration”.
Turn on cPHulk in cPanel
An exhaustive key search or also known as brute force attack is the systematic checking of all possible combinations of characters to get the right password. Even if the data is encrypted, if the key search was successful, unauthorized access can still be done. To prevent this from happening, you may enable cPHulk in your cPanel. Here are the steps on how to do this.
1.Go to WHM.
2.Click Security Center.
3.Click Enable under CPHulk Brute Force Protection.
4.To prevent yourself from being locked out, add your IP address on the white list if it’s static. Click the White/Black List Management tab for this.
Disable FTP Use by Unknown User
Unknown users can upload files to your web server if the settings allow them to. To make sure that only authorized users have this capability, disable “Allow Anonymous Uploads”, as well as “Allow Anonymous Logins”. To access this option, click WHM, go to Service Configuration then FTP Server Configuration.
Use a Rootkit Scanner
A rootkit is a malicious program that gains access to your server without being noticed. It can’t usually be detected by anti-virus applications. This is why a rootkit scanner must be installed to further protect your system.
Remove Accounts That Are Not Needed
Accounts in your web server must have the right privilege to make sure that users only have access to appropriate files and features. Since these accounts are vulnerable to hacking, it’s best to remove those that are no longer used or needed.
Make Necessary Backups
Even with the best protection and cautions, unexpected things can still possibly happen including server crashing or attack. To make sure that your system or site will be up and running in no time, backup your data regularly.
It’s vital that your web server is protected from malicious attacks as this is what makes it possible for Internet users to access your website and learn about your company. Practice these safety tips to prevent unauthorized access and virus infection on your server.
