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Whether you’re a small business owner or the manager at a reasonably large company that relies on an online presence, it’s essential to know what an internet server is and how critical it is to protect yours.
Here are some things you need to know about servers and how to protect them.
What is a server
A server is a program or device that provides various functionalities to software systems, such as data sharing and computation. Servers help process data quickly and, in turn, provide high-speed internet access to computers, freeing up memory so individual PCs can perform faster.
Why is it essential to protect your server
A poorly protected server is vulnerable to security threats and data breaches. Hackers and other malicious third parties could try and overload a server with requests so that they break down. An e-commerce business could lose a lot of money and potential customers if its servers could not properly handle requests.
A compromised server could also lead to data breaches and the loss of other important information that could impact the company and its business.
How to protect your servers
Besides having a strong server system in place, companies can do loads of other things to protect their servers and ensure that their cybersecurity systems are robust.
1. Bug Bounty Programs
Big tech companies such as Google, Apple, and Meta have bug bounty programs that encourage tech enthusiasts and ethical hackers to test out their software, apps, and services to find bugs. These bug bounty programs usually provide impressive bounties to reward ethical hackers for their work.
ExpressVPN’s Bug Bounty program, for example, is offering a new bonus award of US$100,000 to the first person who can find a critical bug in their VPN server technology, TrustedServer. This is one of the highest VPN bounties offered on Bugcrowd, a platform that hosts bug bounty programs.
It’s apparent then how important protecting servers are for software companies and more.
2. Always keep your software and operating systems updated
Various software and operating systems can often be affected by bugs and other vulnerabilities over time. By updating your software and operating systems, you’ll help patch up publicly known security issues and maintain the efficiency of your servers.
Each time a developer releases software updates, they publicly share release notes and information about patches in the update. This information makes it easy for hackers to know precisely what sort of vulnerabilities to look for and might use it to target users who might not have updated their software.
3. Always back up important files
While this isn’t necessarily a preventative measure, backing up important files and data can make it easier to restore things if your server ever gets compromised by hackers.
Always make it a point to back up your files and determine where the best place to store them is. There are plenty of legitimate third-party applications like GoodSync and iDrive that help you automatically backup files and other important information on a cloud. Alternatively, you can store your data on external hard drives.
Backing up your data on a cloud is great for easy access and redownload.
4. Restrict access to certain files
Try to be mindful with whom you’re sharing access to files and software services as much as you can. By restricting access to software, apps, and files, you reduce the numberof targets hackers could have. You’ll also reduce the number of people who might accidentally compromise servers.
A 2019 Verizon Insider Threat Report has found that careless or malicious workers are key players in cybersecurity threats. By limiting access, you’ll be protecting your servers from insider cybersecurity attacks.
5. Develop proper passwords for servers and other applications
Besides restricting access, you’ll want to ensure that your entire organization practices good password hygiene. By creating strong passwords, employees make it harder for hackers to access important information and documents. Getting employees interested in having strong passwords doesn’t have to be difficult either.
Companies can start by first requiringemployees to have passwords ofat least 12 characters, with a mix of upper and lower case letters and numbers or special symbols. This should apply to all accounts created.
Alternatively, adopt the use of a password manager to help generate secure passwords and manage stored passwords that can then be shared with a select number of employees.
6. Install firewalls
One of the best ways to protect your servers is to install various firewalls that filter incoming and outgoing traffic. Through firewalls, webmasters or cybersecurity engineers can monitor the traffic from firewalls and report on any anomalous behaviors that could potentially prevent hackers and other malicious third parties from acting.
In conclusion, it’s highly vital to take care of your server, mainly if your company generally relies on the internet for business. As a precautionary measure, make sure you have good security measures in place when you first set up a server for your company. As your company grows, you might want to implement new security measures as well.
