Webhost Security- What Role Do Web Hosts Play in the Protection of Webpages?

If you are the owner of a thriving business, you are aware that things are continuously changing, and the year 2020 brought about at least a few things that were different. When the pandemic struck, it had a negative impact on businesses of all sizes and types. If anything, the pandemic made cyber hacking worse since people were unable to defend their businesses when they worked from home. This, in turn, made cyber hacking more prevalent. The COVID-19 epidemic has nearly caused a 200 per cent increase in the amount of cybercrime that has occurred. Not only does this encompass theft and fraud, but it also encompasses hacking and the destruction of data. Due to the fact that they were forced to, almost every company has been forced to adapt fast in order to discover new methods of doing things. 

In terms of data loss, disruption to business operations, and income loss, the long tail of cyberattacks can be detrimental to enterprises over an extended period of time. It is also important to consider the damage that could be done to the reputation of the brand.  

One would not be under the impression that there is a scarcity of products or services that are capable of being utilized to control cyber-attacks. However, the fact that it has increased makes it even more essential to make certain that the tools, procedures, and strategies that are being utilized are impregnable.  

The purpose of this essay is to explain to you why it is essential for your website to have a secure web hosting service, as well as the relevance of providing such a service with regard to the data of your company and website. Please continue reading if you are interested in learning more about this topic.   

Because it is your company, you are obligated to safeguard it. 

You need to make sure that you are devoted to the job that you are playing in your organization, regardless of the level or designation that you hold within the context of your organization. This understanding also applies to the security of your website, as it is possible that the security of your website might be the key to a great deal of things that are essential for your company. Information, data that cannot be altered, or even documentation of a brand could be included in this category. Consequently, guaranteeing the safety of your website and ensuring its protection has to be among your highest concerns.  To begin, the following is a list of some major areas of web hosting security that are worth considering.  

Websites are susceptible to damage from malware, viruses, and other types of threats; however, secure web hosting ensures that websites remain safe. It is necessary for every website owner to be aware of and address the issue of malware and bugs. A website that has been hacked or infected with malware might be difficult to repair after it has been compromised. Web hosting firms that provide secure web hosting services ensure the safety of their customers’ websites in two ways: by being proactive and by being responsive. Security features that are considered standard include SSL certificates, web application firewalls, the detection and elimination of malware, and the prevention of distributed denial of service attacks. 

Protecting the data on a website, as well as the information about its users, is the responsibility of secure web hosting.

Passwords and credit card numbers are examples of private information that cannot be accessed by hackers because they are stored on a server. One more advantageous aspect of web hosting that is risk-free is that it is safe. If a thief were to obtain this information, they could use it to commit a variety of criminal acts, such as making purchases with credit cards that have been stolen and stealing money from those who are unaware of what is taking place for them. A company runs the risk of losing a significant amount of money or possibly going out of business if someone manages to obtain the credit card number of a customer. 

The information does not go lost when using secure web hosting. 

One of the most devastating outcomes that can occur as a result of a hacker attack is the accidental loss of vital information. In the event that there was only a minor breach, this is still a possibility. This may result in a loss of money for a company as well as damage to its reputation, which may, in turn, have a negative impact on future sales or gifts. In the event that a company decides to use secure web hosting for its website, issues such as these will not occur.  It is a wonderful thing to have safe web hosting because it prevents your information from being lost. In addition, the fact that you can retrieve information from files that have been damaged or destroyed is a wonderful feature. Because of this, it is of the utmost importance for organizations to always ensure the safety of their data by performing backups and taking other precautions to ensure its safety. The provision of encryption and authentication services is another component of secure web hosting. These services scramble sensitive information before transmitting it over the internet in order to ensure its safety. When it comes to the sharing of sensitive information such as bank records or client databases as email attachments, this is especially important because even hackers will not be able to access them if they are caught while they are being transported across networks. People will have a more positive attitude towards using the internet if they are aware that their information is being protected by robust protection technology. This is because secure web hosting will make this possible. 

When you have websites that are hosted securely, the network is stable. 

A website could fall offline at any moment if it does not have secure web hosting, which would halt the flow of revenue. For a company that relies on its website to generate revenue, even a few hours of downtime can result in lost sales and customers who are unable to locate the information they are looking for, which can result in financial losses. Businesses never have to worry about losing consumers due to poor load times, data loss due to hardware failure, or network difficulties such as distributed denial of service attacks because the safest web hosting companies have reliable networks and high uptime guarantees. 

In order to safeguard your website hosting and ensure its safety for good, here are some things you may do.

Make copies of your Files on a regular Basis:

When you have files, it is possible to swiftly fix a website that has been hacked, or that has other issues running. You may either manually back up your data on a regular basis, or you can schedule automatic backups to take place. Maintaining additional copies of your files on your computer or hard drive is another recommendation that we have. In the event that the website server only stores backups for a limited period of time, this is an important consideration.

Make use of encryptions through SSL:

SSL is essential if you want to guarantee the security of your website and safeguard critical information pertaining to your customers. In the event that your web server does not provide you with a free SSL certificate, you have the option to purchase one from an SSL certificate authority. In the event that your website is equipped with an SSL certificate, the browser will display a lock icon next to the URL of the website. If visitors want to learn more about the certificate, they can do so by clicking on the emblem.

If you want to use FTP, use SFTP instead.

It is recommended that you make use of the Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) rather than the File Transfer Protocol (FTP). All of the data that is being sent, including login information and files that are being moved, is protected using Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP). Because of this, intruders are prevented from listening in on your conversations, altering your data, or taking it themselves. By utilizing a different port than FTP, Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) makes it more difficult for malicious actors to target SFTP transactions.

Eliminate Applications that you do not use

If your web applications have issues, such as errors in the code, web servers that aren’t set up correctly, poor design, or no form validation, then cybercriminals and hackers will be able to gain access to your websites. In light of this, it is essential to maintain a close eye on your applications and remove any that are not being utilized or that are not secure. The elimination of outdated and pointless plugins and themes will also contribute to an improvement in the security of WordPress.

Change your passwords on a regular basis:

Attackers are able to simply break weak passwords, which puts your website and any sensitive information available on it at risk. Changing your password at least once every three to six months is something that we recommend. To generate and save all of your passwords, you should make use of a password manager. As a result, the procedure will be simplified. There is also the possibility that this will prevent you from becoming bored with your password or from using it for more than one account.

Create and install an application for the web.

Web application firewalls, also known as WAFs, are designed to monitor and filter the traffic that flows between a web application and the internet. Requests that appear to be malicious or suspicious are refused, and alarms are sent out so that additional investigation can be carried out. Threats such as cross-site scripting (XSS) and SQL injection are prevented from entering web applications as a result of this precaution. Due to the fact that not all web hosting services have a web application firewall, it is possible that you may be required to purchase one on your own. The Web Application Firewall (WAF) offered by Cloudflare is an excellent option. In addition to the advantages in terms of safety, it is simple to set up, and there is a free plan available. 

Do not allow persons who are not authorized to access your website:

It is possible for someone to steal information or engage in other illegal activities if they get access to a website without authorization. For the purpose of preventing unauthorized access to data, follow these steps:

The use of two-factor authentication, in which a second form of identification is required in addition to the first, provides an additional layer of protection. 

It is possible to control what each user can and cannot do by creating user jobs. This prevents individuals who are not permitted from entering and carrying out activities. 

Use an access manager: If you operate in an agency or with other freelancers, you may set up and regulate access using the hosting account sharing function on cPanel. This feature allows you to share servers with other people. 

IP listing – Create a URL blocklist in order to restrict access to the website to just those IP addresses that have been reviewed and approved. 

Conclusion:

If you want to protect sensitive information as well as the reputation of your organization, you need to be sure that your web host has been strengthened in terms of security. Based on what you’ve learned from reading this article, the first thing you need to do is look for a web hosting company that provides a variety of security features. These features should include software security, SSL certificates, backups, and DDoS protection. 

The data on a website ought to be backed up on a regular basis, applications that aren’t necessary ought to be removed, passwords ought to be changed on a regular basis, malware ought to be scanned for, and software ought to be kept up to date on a regular basis. Additionally, it is of the utmost importance to adhere to the best practices for the protection of web hosting. 

We are confident that this post will assist in protecting your website as well as the websites of your clients. WebhostingWorld , a reputable provider of domain names, web security, and hosting services, guarantees an uptime rate of 99.9%, assistance that is available around the clock, and exceptional scalability and performance. Should you have any questions, concerns, or comments regarding this post, please feel free to express them in the comments box that can be found below.