The most common kind of web hosting service is known as shared hosting. It is perfect for beginners. It is affordable, reliable, and scalable. However, shared hosting security is always a problem.
In this article, we will review some security tips for shared hosting. First, let us define shared hosting.
What exactly is shared hosting?
There are no complete web hosting services without hosting servers. A server is needed to run a website, so every website requires at least one. The server gives them access to some of the internet’s storage space for their websites. Sometimes, one server hosts more than one website. This is called “shared web hosting servers.”
Shared hosting servers only give the websites already on them enough room to store their files. These websites use all of the server’s resources in the same way. It costs money to keep the server up and running, and all the websites that shared hosting services pay their share. So, a shared hosting service is a better option for website owners who want to save money. Shared hosting servers are ideal for websites run by small businesses, startups, and other organizations that only receive a few visitors per day. We may easily switch to more expensive services.
cPanel’s integration into the shared hosting platform makes the service’s user interface and general usability easier to understand and use. The best shared hosting server service provider gives us access to several different operating systems, so we can choose the one that works best for our needs when we see the choices. Linux and Windows are available to users of the best shared hosting server service so that they can choose the best operating system for them. The CPU, hard drive, and Random Access Memory (RAM) on shared hosting systems are the same as in personal computers. These are the exact parts that are on personal computers and safe shared hosting servers.
Would it be possible to hack a shared hosting account?
As a general rule, anything that is stored on the internet can be hacked. You can also attack or reveal internal resources. Anyone with an internet link can access publicly hosted apps, which makes them more likely to be hacked. Every app has at least one bug, and even one bug could be used to hack into the computer and steal data or put malware there. When you use shared hosting, the risk of a security breach is higher because hundreds of sites share the same computer.
WordPress is often put on websites that use shared hosting, which makes the server a target for attacks and vulnerability checks. The main difference between VPS, dedicated servers, and shared hosting is how sites are stored. If someone breaks into a VPS or dedicated server, it’s not likely that the exploit will affect any other users. For instance, if a hacker puts malware on a VPS or dedicated server, only the stored sites on that server would be harmed. Sites that use the best shared hosting share the server’s resources. The same malware could infect the server, which would then infect hundreds of customer sites that are stored on it.
Tips for secure shared hosting
In order to avoid shared hosting, here are some helpful hints:
Update your security methods often
Even the best security steps won’t work if they aren’t updated. Make sure that all of your security software and apps are always up-to-date so that they can successfully fight new threats. The same goes for your website’s apps, themes, and other add-ons. Updates add new features and make the software easier to use. Still, they also include significant security changes that close up holes and other places where hackers could get in.
High uptime
Web hosts that promise a lot of service also care about keeping their servers safe. To give you an example, we can promise 99.9% uptime because we keep an eye on our computers all the time. The software and hardware on our servers are constantly being checked, and broken parts are replaced before they can cause problems.
DDoS defence
A DDoS attack, or distributed denial-of-service attack, is a type of cyberattack in which someone sends a lot of traffic to your server, using up all of its resources and stopping valuable resources from getting to your website. This will always cause downtime.
One weakness of shared servers is that websites already share server resources, which means that resources are limited. Another disadvantage is that if even one website is attacked, it could affect all the other websites on the server.
It is essential to find a web hosting service that has DDoS attack protection technology that can spot the start of an attack and stop it.
SSL Certificates
They won’t be able to read your data even if hackers get their hands on it because it has been encrypted with an SSL certificate. You can’t even take credit card numbers online without an SSL certificate because they are essential to website security.
Need an SSL certificate? Your search engine ranking will go down, among other things.
Pick a web host whose own website is set up with an SSL certificate. Ensure that your host can give you SSL certificates for your website and that all their hosting plans, even the most basic shared hosting plans, work with SSL certificates.
To keep your website safe, make sure that your SSL certificate is installed once you have one.
Scan for viruses and malware
Malware is software that was made with bad intentions in mind. Malware can do many bad things, such as changing your website’s look and sending people to sketchy websites. When malware attacks your website, your reputation and income go down. This is especially true if you run an eCommerce site or depend on your website for payment. Do you want to protect your website from malicious software? Choose a web hosting company that offers regular malware scans and a strong antivirus that can protect against the most common ways hackers try to weaken your site.
Firewalls
A firewall is software that decides what kinds of communications it will allow and not allow. If you set up your firewall correctly, it can do amazing things to keep your website safe. One great thing about firewalls is that they immediately block hackers trying to find a weak spot.
For this reason, firewalls are a great sign that a web host cares about keeping its servers (and your website) safe.
Domain name privacy
Reliable web servers offer WHOIS domain name privacy, so hackers can’t get your personal contact information by looking in the public domain name registry. Pick a web hosting provider that provides this level of safety.
Take regular backups
Making backups is the best way to protect yourself from cyber dangers. If someone attacks your website and it goes down, you can quickly get it back up and running using the most recent backup. For this to work, you must make and keep regular copies of your website. The better it is for your website, the more often you back it up. Also, make sure you keep your savings in a safe place away from your main computer.
Avoid untrustworthy sources
Security can get pushed to the back burner when people hurry to add new features or just cut costs. There is a good chance that software you download from a source you don’t trust or run is a “free” version of paid software with a virus or some other type of malware. Even though it may be very tempting, stay away from free stuff and sources you can’t trust.
Website, network, and server monitoring
A web host who monitors the safety of your website, their networks, and their computer wants to keep your website safe.
Good web hosts will monitor their servers 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to ensure they’re not having any speed problems. They’ll also fix things right away if they notice something is wrong. We respond so quickly to even the smallest hint that something is wrong that you probably won’t even notice that something is wrong!
Great customer support
If you think something fishy is happening with your website, pick a web hosting service with great customer service. You can tell a customer service rep about it and get help if you notice something.
Select a reputable web hosting provider
Even though it might not be clear initially, the server company you choose has much to do with how safe your website is. Not every server company has a great name or provides the same level of service. Do some research before making a shortlist. Please learn about all their plans’ safety features, like free SSL and the option to switch to a paid SSL. Make sure you choose a company you can trust that puts your safety first.
Conclusion
Shared hosting is ideal for small organizations and websites with minimal traffic. However, shared hosting services have a security issue. We can avoid it by establishing a firewall, upgrading security software, selecting a reputable web hosting provider, installing an SSL certificate, and taking other measures.