Shared Hosting is the most cost-effective web hosting service plan available. It is the most preferred choice among new bloggers and small businesses who are looking for an affordable solution to host their website. However, it comes with its own set of limitations. One major limitation is the security concern which looms high with Shared Hosting. This article deals with the best practices you can opt to address or minimize some of the security issues with Shared Hosting. However, it is necessary to first have a brief idea of the mechanism underlying Shared Hosting.
What is Shared Hosting?
Unlike Dedicated Hosting, where the whole physical server is dedicated to one particular website, in Shared Hosting, a server hosts multiple websites. All the resources are partitioned and allocated to multiple clients, who are not aware of each other. The cost is thus divided among the clients on the same server. However, this set up is not an ideal scenario from a security point of view. All being on the same IP, if one of them gets spammed, it may have adverse effects on all other websites on the same server. Also, it is more vulnerable to cyberattacks and other malicious attempts.
Ways to ensure Shared Hosting security
- Regular backups: There are times when all your data may be wiped out in the event of a disaster. Creating regular backups can help you restore and take your website online in no time. The next question that arises is, how frequently should you create a backup? The answer depends on the size of your data and the criticality.
- Install anti-virus and anti-spam software: Cyberattacks are on the rise and is growing at a much faster rate. Investing in good anti-virus software with frequent updates, especially if your website stores confidential information like monetary transactions and credit card details, can alleviate some of the problems.
- Two-factor authentication: The advantage of two-factor authentication is that if one steals or guesses your login password correctly, even then they would have to prove their identity via OTP sent to your mobile or by any other means. This would prevent your website from going into the wrong hands. There are many free and paid plugins for WordPress websites which can help you set up two-step authentication process seamlessly.
- Ask your provider for RAID protected disk storage: Redundant Array of Independent Disks, or RAID, is a data-storage technology based on virtualization which provides a buffer against hardware failures. It is vital to select a web hosting service provider which has RAID feature built-in with their sharing plan.
- Always use trusted sources: It is imperative to take themes, plugins or any other applications from trusted sources. Installing applications from a third-party source can compromise with the security of your website, as they may contain codes to steal your data and passwords.
- SSL security: SSL secured websites follow the HTTPS protocol, which encrypts the information before enabling communications between the browser and the server. It is important for e-commerce websites to have an SSL certificate to make the user feel confident for making transactions.
- Stronger passwords: Anyone having little knowledge about your personal life may easily guess your password. It is essential to set a strong password for all your logins, jut having long passwords may not be enough.
- Update regularly: Update all your plugins and installed software frequently. New updates are released to fill in the void or loopholes in the older version. You can easily set for automatic updates through your cPanel to avoid the task of checking every time for updates.
Conclusion
Shared Hosting is the best way to host your first website if you are a blogger or just entering the hosting arena. Choosing a good web hosting service provider is crucial as they can ensure redundant security features within the Shared Hosting environment.