How Secure is Your Web Host?
January 10, 2018 No CommentsFeatured article by Calvin Paige, Independent Technology Author
With so many unique tasks and challenges to juggle while owning and managing a website, it should come as no surprise that various elements often get neglected. In some situations, content may not be published on a regular schedule; in others, maybe a mediocre web design isn’t renovated when needed.
One area in which there is no room for laziness or procrastination is site security. Even small websites can find themselves the target of would-be hackers and other criminals looking for potential vulnerabilities and opportunities within your website.
There are many ways to ensure that any website is secure, but the choice of web host matters more in this situation than you’d think. Let’s take a look at some factors that might be impacting the security of your web hosting services.
Backup Guarantees
One of the biggest vulnerabilities to any website or blog comes not in the form of a prominent hacker striking, but in the loss of valuable data. Whether it is a partial or total loss, a sudden disappearance of data can wreak havoc on any blog or website.
It is up to you to verify whether or not you have protection if such a situation happens. Contrary to popular belief, many basic web hosting packages do not guarantee data backups if the worst-case scenario strikes you or the company. Through sources such as Hosting Kingdom, you can compare various hosting companies against one another to ensure that backup guarantees are provided and that they are iron-clad.
Secure Data
Exactly how secure is your data at its source? While a variety of things could go wrong that would allow somebody to gain unrestricted access to your website from anywhere in the world, local security at the hosting provider’s data center itself is just as important.
This not only impacts the direct security of your website but can also affect factors such as uptime as well. What happens in the event of a hurricane, flood or another natural disaster at the hosting provider’s data center? Is your data protected and therefore guaranteed to remain online? These are important questions and ones you should definitely have answered before agreeing to any hosting plan.
SFTP & SSL
Additional security measures can help keep your website secure – if your hosting provider provides them or allows them. One such example is SFTP. Most people who have uploaded files to their websites are familiar with FTP. The difference between FTP and SFTP is the added layer of security that the latter provides, helping to ensure your files are not tinkered with during the upload process.
Another valuable addition to site security is an SSL certificate. You’ve probably noticed these before whenever you’re browsing a website and see a secure emblem (usually a lock) next to the URL. SSL certificates provide plenty of value, including protecting your customers’ personal information and details from falling into the wrong hands.
Does your hosting provider currently offer all of these features? If not, then you may want to consider finding a new web host that does. Ultimately, your website, its content and your information are all at risk if not properly backed up, secured and protected.