The revolutionization witnessed in computer networks has given birth to an essential class of computers called network servers. The main purpose of network servers is to provide computational and data services to other networks or computers.
Tactics and Methods that will Secure Your Web Server
Because of the criticality of their role, servers store sensitive and valuable organizational data. Servers are also deployed to give centralized abilities to the whole entity or organization. For instance, they necessitate electronic mail communications and user authentication. For these reasons, servers are prone to security breaches.
Security breaches to servers can lead to devastating repercussions for the entire organization. They might lead to critical loss of data and loss of capability. For this reason, server security should remain a critical and significant part of your cybersecurity strategy. Proper server configuration can help to prevent several problems. Usually, the servers come with a default configuration.
Server vendors do not mind your security; rather, they emphasize so much on features and functionality. The thing is, vendors are not concerned with your security needs. The important thing to do is to configure your servers so that they reflect your security needs. It would be best if you also reconfigured them as the requirements change. This article recommends nine security practices that will help you configure and deploy network servers that satisfy your organization’s security needs. So, without much ado, let us get started.
#1. Use Encrypted Information Transfer Protocols
The first step to securing your servers is by using encrypted communication protocols. Insecure communication protocols like plain FTP or telnet could lead you directly to the jaws of cyber attackers. The best protocol that you can use includes SSH, sFTP, FTPs, and HTTPS. If you resolve to use SSH, you must remember to change the port from the default port 22. Changing the port will be of great essence in securing your servers against threats such as brute force attacks. You should know that changing the default port 22 does not guarantee absolute immunity from brute force attacks. However, it will help to significantly reduce the chances of such attacks.
The HTTPS protocol is also a critical player in server security. To enable the HTTPS protocol, you will have to buy and install an SSL certificate. These days, SSL certificates are not as expensive as long ago when you purchased a different certificate for each subdomain. Today, all you need to secure your main domain, as well as an unlimited number of first-level subdomains, is a wildcard ssl certificate.
SSL certificates encrypt the communication between your servers and users’ browsers. Therefore, it will help to prevent attacks such as Man in The Middle attacks. The SSL certificate combined with the HTTP protocol results in the HTTPS protocol, which encrypts the communication. Encryption helps to protect online transactions and sensitive user data. You can have a look at the following video to know more about how an SSL certificate works.
#2. Adopt Complex Passwords
A 2019 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR) reveals that weak passwords cause over 80% of data breaches. Much has been said about passwords and how people should create passwords. However, much has not changed. For example, 65% of people reuse a single password across multiple accounts. If your server has to survive brute force attacks, you should avoid such simple mistakes and use strong and unique passwords.
Strong passwords are as effective as using encryption protocols. A password is classified as “strong” when it is over eight to ten characters in length. Strong passwords should also blend numbers, letters, and special characters. Plain letters could give a hacker an easy time.
It would be best if you also avoided the idea of using a single password for multiple accounts. If you operate multiple servers, you must ensure that each server uses different login credentials. When using one login credential, all a hacker will need to access all your servers is a single password. Thus, you better diversify the risk.
#3. Use Two-Step Authentication
Two-step authentication is also a crucial tactic that can help to protect your servers against unauthorized access. With the two-step authentication process, you will need your passwords and something you possess, such as a mobile device or biometric data, to complete the authentication process.
The benefit of two-step authentication is that, even if a brute force attack is successful, the hacker will not be able to access your servers because they will not have the second authentication factor. For instance, apart from using your password to log into your servers, you will need to have a unique code sent to your device. Without the code, you will not be able to access your servers. Other two-factor authentication elements include the use of biometric features such as fingerprint IDs and facial recognitions.
#4. Constantly Update Your Software and your Operating System
Ensuring that all your software and your operating system are up to date is vital in server security. Unfortunately, server networks, operating systems, and software technologies are usually very complicated to the extent that some of the security loopholes that they carry can be hard to identify.
Security vulnerabilities are common in old and new software and operating systems. With software updates, it is a cat-and-mouse game. The hackers try innovative ways to breach the security walls while the developers patch the vulnerabilities. Once the patching is done, they will release a new and secure version. For the sake of your servers’ security, you should ensure that you update the software and your operating system once a new version has been released.
Although most developers and software vendors move quickly to fix the vulnerabilities, there is a dangerous gap between the time it takes to fix the gap and the time it will take for users to install a new software update. Hackers can take advantage of this gap to carry out a security breach. Therefore, it is always crucial to know some of the security measures you can take to prevent the threats brought about by vulnerable software.
#5. Configure your Servers to File Backups
There is no fool-proof cybersecurity strategy. Hackers are clever and will always use sophisticated means to breach your data. No one knows the time nor the day when hackers will come visiting. The only savior that can liberate you from the havoc caused by a data breach is a backup file.
You must always carry out regular data backups to ensure that you restore your data in case the data is compromised. The backups file will act as a contingency plan in case things go wrong. When coming up with the data backup strategy, you must ensure that you do a thorough analysis of the cost of your data backup plan, the efficiency and speed it would take to restore the data, the storage source, and the amount of disc space that you require. Cloud storage can be an ideal source to store your backup files.
#6. Server Access Limitations
Most operating systems will give you an option to specify access privileges. However, for utmost server security, you need to be as restrictive as possible. Not everyone should be allowed to access your servers. Some of the worst server security breaches in the past have been as a result of insider threats. According to Verizon’s 2019 Insider Threat Report, careless and malicious staff were top contributors to insider threats.
With server security, you must apply the principle of the least privilege. Only those who have business with your servers should be allowed to access the servers. Server access controls play a significant role in reducing both deliberate and unintended security breaches. For the security of your servers, you need to limit server access to only the intended few.
#7. Use Virtual Private Networks
Virtual Private Networks are also emerging as crucial elements in server security. Best VPNs can play a significant role in securing your traffic against prying eyes and intruders who are after stealing or monetizing your sensitive data. All incoming and outgoing traffic will be routed through the encrypted tunnel, safeguarding all sensitive data from malicious intruders and hackers. The VPN will hide your actual Internet Protocol address, thereby masking your identity and location.
The VPN will also help you to establish a secure connection, especially when you are working remotely. The Virtual Private Network will connect to private servers and use encryption keys to prevent data leakages. You need a Virtual Private Network to protect your online activities and your servers from security vulnerabilities. Some of the best VPN services you can sign up for include; NordVPN, ExpressVPN, Surfshark, and ProtonVPN.
#8. Use Firewall Protection
For the safety of your servers, firewalls are must-have elements. Just like real firewalls that prevent fire from spreading to other regions, a firewall will filter incoming and outgoing traffic and only allow safe services into your network. Therefore, you must configure your servers with hardware and software firewalls to prevent unsafe traffic from reaching your network.
#9. Use Multiple Measures
As the adage goes, unity is strength, and in server security, you need all the measures mentioned above to work in unison to have a robust server security strategy. Hackers will avoid servers that have multiple security layers and instead go for those that have few layers. Therefore, for utmost server security, you must ensure that you implement all the above security measures.
Conclusion
After reading, understanding, and implementing the server security measures that this article has discussed, you should be more confident that your server is secure from security vulnerabilities. As a general rule, the more security layers you have, the more secure your server will be. As I mentioned earlier, SSL certificates are not expensive. There are cheap wildcard ssl certificate options that you can grab today and secure your servers. Ensure that you undertake regular data backups to minimize the extent of a threat if things go south.
