What Is Server Security? Everything You Want To Know will be described in this article. Robust server security is essential to safeguarding your company since attackers are coming up with ever-more-technical ways to breach systems. Thankfully, it doesn’t have to be difficult. We’ll define server security, discuss its significance, and walk you through the process of setting up a completely secure server in this post.
What Is Server Security? Everything You Want To Know
In this article, you can know about What Is Server Security here are the details below;
What is Server Security?
Server security refers to the procedures and equipment used to safeguard the important information and assets stored on a company’s servers, as well as the resources of the server itself. Cybercriminals often target servers because of the sensitive data they store and try to take advantage of security flaws in order to profit financially.
Now more than ever, keeping your server secure is simple.Large numbers of people can access the same data or functionality, frequently remotely, thanks to servers, which are at the core of an organization’s IT infrastructure. They are typically utilized to host files, power the internet, and operate email services. The issue is that a user error, a weak password, or a lack of antivirus software could all result in significant losses for the company.
Layered security is the optimal configuration for servers. You must take care of any possible problems with your network, the operating system of the server, and any programs or software hosted on the server if you want the highest level of safety.An illustration of how server security is the focal point of IT infrastructure security, encompassing files, email systems, and the internet.
Should I be concerned?
Cybercriminals pose a serious threat to organizations, and the stakes are quite high. According to Juniper Research, the moderate cost of a data breach would rise to $150 million by 2020. In addition to the immediate financial loss, a security breach may give rise to bad press that harms a company’s reputation and brand. Small firms are not immune to the controversies surrounding massive data breaches, despite the fact that Yahoo and Marriott International are just two of the well-known names involved. Small firms are the mark of 43% of cyberattacks, according to an Accenture survey.
Common server security issues
Even while cybercriminals may be becoming more skilled, we shouldn’t give them an easier time. Make sure none of the following mistakes—which are frequently made and lead to server security issues—are being made by you or your staff.Icon_01Passwords. Passwords that are easy to crack or have inadequate security measures may be stolen and sold on the dark web. If you’re worried about the security of your passwords, you might want to use a password manager.Icon_02dated operating systems and software. Because pirates are always discovering new ways to exploit software flaws, using an out-of-date version of the program greatly raises your chance of exposure.Patch management for Icon_03. It is possible to guarantee that code modifications are obtained, examined, and applied by employing a patch management service.Icon_04Ports on the network are open. Servers with incorrect configurations are easily abused.Icon_05 Outdated and superfluous accounts. Accounts that are not in use give hackers another entry point.Icon_06inadequate safety measures in place. Not every threat exists online. Unsecured keys have the potential to be as harmful.
Server security hardening
Your server should be fully protected if you have finished the server security hardening process. To improve overall server security, that essentially involves addressing weaknesses in your operating system and server software by combining basic and advanced security measures.
Common techniques for hardening servers include:
- Making secure passwords confirming that data is encrypted during communications
- completing routine backups of the system Update
- operating systems and install security updates as soon as they are made available.
- Eliminating superfluous third-party applications installing antivirus and firewall programs.
- Bringing out penetration tests on a regular basis.
How to secure your server
Seeking advice on server security can yield an overwhelming amount of technical data. We’ve simplified things in this section by dissecting the primary web-server security best practices that you ought to adhere to for efficient security.
Use a secure connection
Brute-force attacks, in which hackers test a huge array of letter and number combinations using sophisticated algorithms, are a potential threat to password security. Using Secure Shell (SSH) to create a secure connection with your server is a more secure option for authentication than using a password. A pair of cryptographically secure keys, a public key and a private key, make up SSH keys. While the private key must be kept absolutely confidential by the user, the public key may be shared without restriction. All data transferred over SSH is encrypted.An additional coating of protection can be provided by using a proxy server. Proxy servers make it more difficult for pirates to target certain devices and grant access by hiding all users on your network behind the proxy’s IP address.
Connect via a private network or VPN
Using a private network or virtual private network (VPN) to guarantee secure data communications is another advised security technique. By using a private IP address, access to a private network is limited to specific users or servers. When contacting distant servers over a VPN, the same setting can be attained. This provides users with the same capabilities as if they were connected to a local private network while encrypting data to and from the server. Make use of SSL/TLS
What the experts say
Maintaining patch-adequate infrastructure is the most basic security countermeasure that defenders may take. Particularly for the infrastructure that faces the Internet. For infrastructure that is exposed to the Internet and is both internal and external, prevention should come first. Threat hunting specialist David Álvarez Pérez and Linux malware reverse engineer Jan NeduchalThreat Avast Labs Another strong defense is server security certificates. Cryptographic technologies used for encryption and authentication include TLS (Transport Layer Security) and SSL (Secure Sockets Layer). Server security certificates are a part of these protocols. To put it simply, they secure network connections by encrypting private information sent over the internet, including usernames, passwords, and payment card numbers, so that servers can verify the legitimacy of the entities.
Regularly update your operating system
Making sure you are constantly running the most recent operating system version is a crucial step in protecting your server. Hackers frequently find flaws in software, which engineers subsequently try to fix. Updates should be deployed right away, ideally automatically, and are published as security patches. Your operating system and any other software that runs on your server become vulnerable to known flaws if you don’t keep them updated. Also check How To Fix DNS Server Unavailable
Configure the OS based on best practice guidelines
Make sure your operating system is set up in accordance with server security best practices for the best protection. These consist of, but are not restricted to:
- Changing any installed third-party software’s default passwords
- limiting user privileges to the absolute minimum required for the person to perform their duties
- Disabling or deleting any unused accounts
- Setting strict password regulations and making sure all system passwords adhere to them
- Turning off any programs or services that are not needed.
Server security checklist
Now that you are aware of what constitutes good security, make sure you have everything covered by going through our helpful server security checklist. Everything you need to do, from initial setup to ongoing maintenance, will be guided by us.
- Note the server’s information. First things first, find and write down every crucial piece of information about your server, including the MAC address and server identification number.
- Think about taking physical precautions. Even though there is a virtual threat of attackers accessing the server, you should think about implementing physical protections to prevent unwanted access. As few persons as possible should be able to enter the server room, and keys should be kept safe.
- Configure the logging on the server. Keep an eye on things and set up event records to facilitate traceability. In addition to tracking account logins, authorization modifications, and system configuration changes, keep an eye on the remote access logs and investigate any questionable activities. Think about storing log backups on a different log server.
- Don’t try to fix flaws. Verify that the most recent versions of the operating system, any additional software, and any apps are installed.
- Limit software. Eliminate any operating system or software that is not in use or is not required. In a similar vein, all unused services ought to be turned off.
- Observe the hardware. Perform normal hardware maintenance and periodically check your server for any worn-out or broken parts that might require replacement.
- Maintain the integrity of the system. Use strong authentication techniques for all system administrators, such as two-factor authentication. Eliminate any accounts that are not required any more.
- Put backup plans into action. Make an effort to automate routine server backups and make sure everything is working as it should. You should periodically test recovery pictures.
Maintaining your server security is easier than ever
It may seem impossible to protect your company from the always changing threat posed by cybercriminals, especially when managing your company takes up so much of your time. Thankfully, Avast Business Antivirus Pro makes maintaining server security easier than it has ever been. Avast Server Antivirus is a safe solution that comes with built-in server security capabilities. It provides cutting-edge protection so you can concentrate on running your business. Regardless of the server you use, Avast helps you safeguard your business with antivirus software for Linux servers.
