Read the tech news on any day. You will find that security breaches are common. Millions of people’s information is taken from them. Often, sites that do not lock down their web hosting are susceptible. In 2017, there are a lot of security tips floating around. You can get lost in the sheer number of results that come through google. To make sense of all of the best, the following security tips will help your hosting account. These are derived from the best security tips that professionals speak of on a regular basis. Use these to ensure that your website is not targeted by hackers.
Be Careful With Plugins and Apps
The first of many security tips to come is simple, use plugins and applications wisely. Just because someone says that their app can do what you want, or you see it getting popular, does not mean it’s good. Take your time reading reviews, and information about applications. Do not bog your site down with third party plugins, either. Take your time, and explore trustworthy options. If you use WordPress or another content management system, extensions and plugins are good. But remember to look at who is publishing the options.
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Edit Scripting Off The Server
A big mistake you can make when using a hosting account is editing scripts in your backend. One of the biggest security tips that has come in 2017 is simply to edit code away from your page. Back up your files, and edit files on your desktop, instead of in real time on the server. If you must test scripts in a real-time environment, then do so on a separate file, not on your live pages or WordPress account. Editing JavaScript, and other encoding, could lead to XSS attacks and more.
Change Your Password Often
Reading through the most popular security tips from 2017, you will see that passwords are still a problem. People do not use strong passwords. If you are guilty of this, change things. Do not use common words, or any personal information. Use a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols. Write down your passwords, and make them complicate. This will help you avoid getting hacked. Not only should you create a different password for your hosting, update it every month with a new solution. This is not about convenience, it’s about security, after all.
Update Your Software
Do not rest on the laurels of your past software. No matter what you use your web hosting for, make sure that you update all files and software as soon as you can. This is very critical for content management systems. Do not have an old software system in place. This could lead to security problems. Often, security tips mention updating software because programmers patch holes often. If there’s a security issue in your content management system, you’ll need a patch before hackers exploit it. Leaving it alone could cause serious issue.
Report Errors
Web hosting companies are not perfect. You may pay a monthly or annual fee. But there are issues that can plague a server. If you encounter any problem, tell someone. Do not just let it hang there. Call your hosting provider, and describe to them the issue. Also, if you see any bugs or errors with a number associated to them, report it. Reporting problems, even if it’s a simple code error, is important. That will help your site stay up, and the host provider block attacks. Reporting errors is not complex, and should not be something you forget about. Tell someone if you see anything go awry with your account.
Choose Different Passwords
This is not like the tip mentioned above. When you look into security tips, ensure that you choose different passwords for everything you do. That includes a separate username and password for your host. Then a separate solution for content management systems. Do not under any circumstances use the same password for your hosting, your CMS, and your databases. Change everything. Leaving default passwords, even on MySQL could lead to hackers jumping in and screwing up your hosting and content.
Keep Up To Date On Security Tips
At the end of the day it is up to you to stay current with security trends. If you are going to purchase web hosting, read about security tips often. The options mentioned here are just a starting line. They are current, but things could change in a few months. Staying abreast of what is changing, and current, will help you overcome attacks, and prevent them outright.
