In an increasingly perilous web environment, server-level security is an imperative. Your server and IT infrastructure are vulnerable to numerous threats on the web, and thus, comprehensive security is a must. Neglecting security may come with detrimental consequences. It’s a costly risk that can hurt your brand and its stakeholders. As most business transactions are now done electronically, prioritizing server security ensures that your data and your customers’ information are protected. To keep your servers in tip-top condition, here are some recommendations on how you can effectively address the security needs of your server infrastructure:
Create unique passwords composed of at least 8 characters. The rule of thumb is to combine uppercase and lowercase letters, and at least one number and special character in the password. A strong password ensures that the login credentials in your server are effectively controlled and managed.
To prevent hackers from guessing or stealing your password, it’s essential to update it frequently. It’s recommended to change your password every quarter to limit its utility to hackers.
Although it’s a bit of a hassle, two-factor authentication provides an additional layer of security. Most Internet-based services like Google, Facebook, and Twitter use two-step verification to protect their users from hackers. Two-factor authentication requires another form of verification in addition to passwords. For example, you can connect your mobile number to the server, and it will send you a unique code that you can use to log in on top of the password that you’re using.
Protecting your users’ passwords and information is one of the most important aspects of server security. To avoid data breach, one of the best ways to secure credentials securely is to employ password hashing. Essentially, to hash a password means to transform it into a unique value before storing it in your database. The algorithm is one-way, which means it’s impossible to turn the hashed password to its original form. Additional security measures can be taken to provide extra security to hashing.
To prevent unauthorized access to your server, make sure to regularly check your server and immediately remove or delete inactive users and unused groups.
Regularly scan your servers for viruses to immediately detect malicious files that can threaten your security. Make sure to update your antivirus software as well to ensure that it’s equipped with the right tools and information to combat new threats and viruses.
Similar to antivirus software, make sure that you update your infrastructure packages and operating systems. An updated system improves not only your security, but also your system’s speed, reliability, and efficiency. Regular updates fix your software’s bugs and guarantees that there are no holes in the security of your system.
A firewall is crucial to your server infrastructure. It provides extra protection in addition to the built-in security features of your system. Through a firewall, you can control the pieces of software or services that you need to expose to the network. This significantly reduces your vulnerability to attacks, as exposing only a few components of your software means there’s less material for hackers to exploit.