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Web Server Security – Mind it before you hacked

Web servers are one of the most targeted platforms for hackers because of the sensitive data
that they host. The security of the web server is as important as the security of a website or web
application. In current time, web server security is an intimidating task for server experts. If you
have a security for a website or web application, but not having security for web servers, then
your business is at risk. Many hackers are using advanced techniques to steal user data without
their awareness. We use antivirus software or firewalls for protection of our PC, but we usually
forget to secure web server that can cause damage to online data. Data security has become
crucial for any web server and securing a web server is a relief against data theft and other
online frauds. This article focuses on some significant measures on web server security.

Security for Web Application: The web server is
always sensitive to attacks due to an open access
platform. Any vulnerable script on the server can
cause an attack on the server; therefore, it is
necessary to make them secured. A mere firewall
cannot protect online attacks so a proper network
security is necessary for the web server. Even turn
off all unused ports on the server will reduce the
risk of online attacks. Always set up your server
offline, and upload patches through an external
device. This ensures that your web server is more secure. Before placing your server online,
make sure that it has vigorous protection.

Monitor: Monitor your web server, database server or any imperative systems for any potential
warnings and attacks. You can use the system logs for monitoring and scan tools for finding
vulnerabilities. Many tools will send you a text message for any occurred problem. With
monitoring, you can notice threats and potential attacks before they create troubles. Any strange
log entry should be observed to prevent such attacks.

Get help out: Get the support of forums, blog, video tutorials, for server security solutions. It is
advisable to get premium support services, but if you cannot; then go for the free service. If you
can pay then it will act as a better security consultant. Web hosting provider also provides a
variety of a managed server alternatives.

Remove needless Service: In case of default installation, many needless services like remote
registry service, print server service, RAS, etc. will be installed on your server, which left more
port insecure to be abused by malicious hackers. To prevent malicious attacks, you must close
all needless services so it may not start automatically after rebooting the server, and this will
enhance the performance of the server.

27 Cyber Warnings E-Magazine – November 2014 Edition
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