Always keep your server secure by using these essential server security software installed on your hosting server. While we have been on a managed VPS Hosting for quite some time, after our server got hacked, I realized that there was an urgent need to install anti-virus and anti-malware tools which could protect our server from unauthorized access and prevent server infection.
This article shares the three useful security software which we then installed on our Apache server and that helps to keep our server secure. If you manage your own hosting, you might not have any security software on your server, and there is an urgent need to get it right away.
1. ConfigServer Security & Firewall
Commonly known as CSF, ConfigServer Security & Firewall is a useful security application that provides a powerful server firewall, with login and intrusion detection for Linux servers. This is a very useful tool to detect possible intrusions into your server and stop them in their tracks. It meticulously logs all activity happening on your server and prevents unauthorized access, thereby preventing hacking. Remember you have to be careful with what you block using this software, as it might block valid server traffic as well as block your own IP sometimes!
It’s incredible how it blocks hundreds of intrusion attempts on our server every day, and we get a detailed log in our e-mail everyday like this.
2. Linux Malware Detect
Commonly known as Maldet, Linux Malware Detect is an useful tool to detect malware on your server. It also works in the background, and actively generates signatures to protect against detected malware. It uses data from network edge intrusion detection systems and user submissions and proactively works protect against malware.
This is the kind of e-mail we get everyday
3. ClamAV Antivirus
ClamAV is an essential antivirus software for your server. It works in the background and helps to detect viruses, trojans and other malware which might be affecting your files and helps to protect your server against common issues like slow server or other security issues. It features an open source antivirus engine and is regularly updated with new antivirus definitions. It can screen files across a large range of common formats like EXE, PDF, ZIP etc.
This is the kind of e-mail we receive every day
Ask your hosting provider – what security software they have installed on your server. On shared hosting servers mostly the hosting provider would have activated security software to protect the server, but you would be surprised to know that in most cases of self managed hosting, you yourself are responsible for the security of your server. You can always ask your hosting provider to install the software on your server… better safe than sorry.