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While many businesses are known to overlook the need to keep their VPS servers secure, the truth is that this is absolutely vital for your business survival. So, when you sign up for a Windows VPS hosting plan, your immediate move should be to secure the server after you get your login credentials.
– Your hosting service provider will install the operating system for you and create what is default administrator accounts. However, this makes your account vulnerable to attacks and such attacks are often executed by bots which attempt to log in using brute-force. The best way to prevent this from happening is to disable this default account and create a new account having full administrative rights.
– You must also create a very strong password for this administrator account. The password should ideally be about 10 characters in length, using capital letters, small letters, special characters and even numbers. You should refrain from using the same password more than once or introducing variations of an older password.
– To access the Windows VPS, you will require a remote desktop and the default one is usually 3389. Because this port number is known by most, it is vulnerable to attacks. So, changing this default port can help you protect the Windows VPS servers from attacks. There are port scanners working round the clock and brute-force tools do the same which can both target your virtual server. So, it is advisable to deploy HIPS or Host-based Intrusion Prevention Systems.
– You need to alter the default port setting prior to restricting unknown IPs from gaining access to the VPS server. However, limiting IP addresses must be carried out carefully because there are chances of getting locked out in the process.
– You should consider installing anti-virus software in your virtual server. You are going to have to download and upload many files and you will also be surfing the Web. While doing such actions, chances of your server getting attacked are very high. The server can easily contract malware, spyware, viruses etc. So, the anti-virus will help to keep the server clear and protected.
– Your next step is to enable the Windows firewall which is usually provided with Windows operating system. This is known for doing its job optimally and it can filter data coming from the Web and prevent hackers and malware. Windows Firewall however is well suited for the more basic operations but for advanced functionalities, it is better to choose a third party firewall.
– You should also make it a point to keep the Windows OS updated on a regular basis. You will find that all codes are perfect till the time you can detect loopholes in these. So, when you buy a Windows VPS, it is recommended that you carry out updates as and when these get released. For updates to get installed automatically, you must choose the automatic update option. When you can keep Windows updated, you can benefit from a higher level of security, access bug foxes and vulnerability patches. These updates are designed to address all non-critical issues and improve the user experience. Optional updates can be downloaded as per your choice.
– While Windows may be one of the safest and most reliable software in the market, security may be threatened from time to time and this necessitates third-party software. But, security risks associated with such third-party software are often overlooked. Applications may pose threats regardless of their nature and the greater the numbers of apps deployed, the higher is the danger. So, it is very essential to keep the applications up-to-date.
– Since data encryption methods are excellent ways to secure any virtual server, Remote Desktop Gateway is your best bet in this situation. This tool will allow you to access the server through Internet across SSL/TLS.
– Besides, you can also install an intrusion prevention system and an intrusion detection system to detect loopholes and vulnerabilities. Such installation cannot be carried out by everyone and it is advisable to take the help of experts in this regard. There should ideally be software like a firewall which can assess the real-time traffic to your site. It should also be capable of detecting attack signatures.
– Finally, buying spyware protection may be a good idea to secure the Windows VPS as the server is likely to get infected with spyware. The spyware starts to show unwanted advertisements on the server and collects data without user permission. It is even capable of tweaking the VPS settings without permission to do so. So, the spyware can turn out to be quite dangerous, as it can even change the look of your home page or add links and pop-ups. There are a silent variety of spyware which operate stealthily and collect sensitive data. You can get spyware from apps which you may have downloaded and set up on your server. Even a visit to a site may inject the spyware into the server. By keeping the spyware protection updated, you can secure your server.
These are some easy ways you can try to keep your Windows VPS server secure from external and internal attacks. Leaving servers unprotected can be very risky as personal data can be stolen and misused. So, it is better to research on the protective measures that you can deploy independently instead of completely relying on your web host.
