The Internet allows us to reach an unprecedented level of global communication, enabling both product and service-oriented businesses to achieve an incredible range of new markets and target audiences. It also has the potential for malicious exploitation by unsavory people and organizations.
Many criminal organizations are trying to damage websites. The website is one of the most vulnerable parts of your IT setup. For a personal website or a large-scale business, security is of utmost importance.
Identity theft is the most common threat. The identity thief is an individual or an organization, who looks for an opportunity to gather information for personal gain. Also, a group of hackers can cause disruption. They want to breach your website and stay in access for as long as possible.
First, you need to be sure your web hosting is taking care of their servers to provide a secure environment. Next, they should provide the necessary tools to ensure you can secure your site and its functionality. When searching for a new web host or evaluating web hosting security, there are some points to consider.
SSL
Secure Socket Layer (SSL) is a protocol that provides security measures during the communication over a computer network between the client and the server. It includes various information, such as domain name, certificate validity period, Certificate Authority (CA) details, public key, public key algorithm, SSL / TLS version, thumbprint, and thumbprint algorithm. That means all the data that will be sent is under the protection of the SSL encryption.
SFTP
SFTP stands for Secure File Transfer Protocol, and it provides an additional layer of protection. SFTP gives you an important layer of encryption on the path data takes between the web server and the browser. It has the same concept as FTP (File Transfer Protocol), but it is more secure. It has no vulnerabilities that allow nefarious parties to intercept and alter files.
Backups
Site backups are essential because problems inevitably occur, and backups should be performed regularly to protect your site in case of a problem or disaster. Most hosts provide a tool for backup your site in the control panel.
Finally, you should also check if the host has a published security protocol, which is a good (though not guaranteed) indication that they are on top of upgrades and patches.