Securing dedicated servers

At no given time should you think that having a dedicated server solves all your web hosting security threats because it doesn’t. Dedicated hosting gives you the advantage of not being exposed to security threats because of the carelessness of someone else, but it doesn’t mean that you won’t have security threats and breaches. To keep your dedicated hosting safe from intrusions and breaches, you will need to be careful yourself. Below are some of the activities that you can engage in to keep your website safe from threats.
Get the right protection
First, you will need to install security software on your server to keep your website safe because security is the one most important aspect of web hosting. You should discuss with your service provider and ensure that the server they offer you also has some level of in-built protection. For instance, the best of Australian dedicated servers come with DDOS protection.
The presence of DDOS protection is just one layer of security that needs to be added upon. You should find out from your service provider if there is any way you can improve on the available security features without inflating cost beyond what you can afford. In some cases, dedicated web hosting providers offer additional website security services at an additional cost. You should discuss with your provider security options that are available to you before you make any decisions.
Maintain and secure databases
Databases usually present one of the easiest routes to a website that is most often exploited by hackers and cybercriminals. Hackers are always on the lookout for areas of a website that contain sensitive financial data and customers’ private information. That is why it is important that you provide your website with the highest level of security you can offer. You should always follow best practices so as to render your databases resistant to SQL injections. If possible, you should always restrict areas where users interact with databases to avoid creating loopholes that hackers can exploit. In case the database has any unnecessary data, it should be deleted while user privileges should be kept to a bare minimal.
You should also use the various database administrative tools available to you to keep your databases as secure as possible.
Establish an emergency protocol
Since security breaches are to be expected any time, it is important to always have an emergency plan in place. An emergency plan will help you to handle any data breaches in an expedient and efficient manner. There are several tips for emergency protocols that you can use to keep yourself ready to deal with any kind of emergency cases. As part of an emergency protocol, you should have a pint of contact at your data center together with their contact information. Create scenarios that tell you exactly how you expect your customers to be impacted in case a data breach happens. You should also have a pre-written statement that can be dispatched to customers through email if a breach happens.