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Servers are essential to enterprises. Their main duty is to offer computational and data services. Servers keep private corporate data and information due to the crucial role they play. Nowadays, information is worth its weight in gold, and hackers are the miners.

Any number of security risks and data breaches can affect an unprotected server. Vulnerabilities in security can result in the loss of vital data, as well as a reduction in capability and control, endangering the entire enterprise. You are walking a fine line if your servers are not secured.

Your servers might not be properly secured if you don’t know how. Some server security advice that you may use to protect your servers is explained in this article.

Should I be concerned?

Businesses face a very real and serious risk of being attacked by cybercriminals. According to a Research, the average cost of a data breach would exceed $200 million by 2022. In addition to the immediate cash loss, a security breach can bring about bad press, which can harm a brand’s reputation.

While large companies like Marriott International and Yahoo have been at the centre of controversies involving significant data breaches, small businesses are not exempt. A study by Accenture found that 44% of cyberattacks target small enterprises.

Common server security issues

Even if cybercriminals may be becoming more clever, we shouldn’t make it simple for them. Make sure you and your staff are not doing any of the typical mistakes listed below that can compromise server security.

Passwords.

Weak passwords are simple to crack, and lax security measures can result in password theft and sale on the dark web. If you’re worried about the security of your passwords, you might want to use a password manager.

Old software/operating systems

Old operating systems and applications. As a result of the ongoing discovery and exploitation of software flaws by cybercriminals, operating an outdated version dramatically raises your risk of exposure.

Patch management

By utilising a patch management service, you can make sure that all code modifications are obtained, examined, and applied.

Open network ports.

Misconfigured servers are simple targets for hackers.

How to secure your server?

Finding instructions on how to safeguard a server can turn up a bewildering amount of technical data. We’ve simplified it in this section by outlining the key web-server security best practises you should adhere to for reliable security.

Make use of a secure connection

Passwords are susceptible to brute-force attacks, in which online thieves test a huge number of letter and number combinations in an effort to break passwords. Creating a secure connection with your server using SSH (Secure Shell) is a more secure option than password-based authentication.

The public and private keys for SSH keys are a pair of cryptographically secure keys. While the private key must be kept completely secret by the user, the public key may be freely distributed. All data exchanged when using SSH is encrypted.

Another security technique is the usage of a proxy server. It is more difficult for hackers to target certain devices to get access when all users on your network are hidden behind a proxy server’s IP address.

Connect via a private network or VPN

Utilizing a private network or virtual private network (VPN) to enable secure data communications is another advised security technique. A private IP address is used to limit access to a private network to specific users or servers.

When establishing a VPN connection between distant servers, the same environment can be established. Users get the same functionality as if they were connected to a local private network thanks to the encryption of data going to and coming from the server.

Employ SSL/TLS

Another strong defence is server security certificates. Server security certificates are cryptographic technologies like TLS (Transport Layer Security) and SSL (Secure Sockets Layer), which are used for encryption and authentication.

In layman’s terms, they protect network communications by encrypting private information sent over the internet, like passwords, usernames, and credit card numbers, enabling servers to authenticate users.

Regularly update your operating system

Making sure your operating system is always the most recent version is a crucial part of securing your server. Hackers frequently point out software flaws, which engineers then fix. Updates should be deployed right away, ideally automatically, and are published as security patches.

Any software running on your server that is not kept up to date, including the operating system, is effectively vulnerable to known security flaws.

What are Server security checklist?

Working through our helpful server security checklist will help you make sure you have everything covered now that you are aware of what excellent security looks like. Everything you need to do, from initial setup to ongoing maintenance, will be covered by our instructions.

Save server information- First, identify and note all the crucial information pertaining to your server, such as the MAC address and server identification number.

Consider physical safeguards- Even though the server is virtually vulnerable to attackers, you need also think about physical security measures to thwart unwanted access. As few persons as possible should have access to the server room, and the keys must be kept safe.

Set up server logging- By establishing event logs, you can keep an eye on what’s happening and provide traceability. Follow up on any strange activities in the remote access logs, and keep track of account logins, system configuration modifications, and authorization changes. Think about using a different log server for log backups.

Restrict Software -Remove any programme or operating system components that are outdated or obsolete. Likewise, any pointless services ought to be turned off.

Observe the hardware- Perform periodic hardware maintenance, and regularly check your server for any worn-out or broken parts that could need to be replaced.

Ensure system integrity- Employ strong authentication techniques for all system administrators, such as two-factor authentication. Any accounts that are no longer required should be deleted.

Put backup plans in place- Aim to automate regular server backups and to check frequently that everything is running as it should. You should periodically test recovery pictures.