When you launch your site online, it is exposed to various security risks. Hackers and other cybercriminals keep coming up with different ways to gain unauthorized access to websites or the data stored by them for personal benefit.
Hence, it is essential to understand the common risks faced by your site and how you can thwart them.
When you start looking for a web hosting service, there are many options. These include Dedicated Server Hosting, Cloud Hosting, Shared Hosting, and VPS Hosting.
Shared Web Hosting plans are popular since they are cost-efficient and easy to use, even for beginners. You can choose between Windows and Linux Web Hosting plans on a shared server based on your needs.
This article will discuss the top three security risks your site will be exposed to on a shared server and how you can tackle them.
Security Risk 01: The directory is shared
When you upload your site to a web server, the shared host stores it inside a directory on the server. It shares the directory with all the users of the server. The directory has multiple folders – one for each user – with the core files of all the sites on the server.
Therefore, it links all websites at their core due to being stored in the same directory. Consequently, it poses a security risk. If a hacker gains access to this directory, he can access all sites on the server.
The best way to mitigate and combat this risk is by using security tools and plugins that immediately inform you of any suspicious activity. It allows you to take corrective measures, remove malicious code, and prevent further damage.
Security Risk 02: Slow-loading websites
While slow-loading websites are a performance issue, it can also indicate a hacker in action on the server. When a malicious hacker gains unauthorized access to a web server, he can use it to perform a range of illegal activities that eat up the server’s bandwidth and resources.
It can impact the performance of all sites on it. Some such illegal activities are uploading illegal files, sending spam, launching DDoS attacks on other sites, etc.
Hackers can do this by accessing critical website files. You can prevent this by restricting access to these files within your folder on the directory.
Security Risk 03: Bad Neighbors
Since it shares the server and all its resources between multiple users, hackers can get in and disrupt all other sites on the server.
Worse still, hackers can open a Shared Linux Hosting account and work silently as your neighbors. So it exposes your site to security risks too.
To avoid this risk, make sure that you check the reputation of the hosting company and avoid the ones that have a history of such incidents.
Summing Up
As you can see, Shared Web Hosting has certain advantages and disadvantages. While the security of your site on a shared server is not as tight as on a dedicated server, the costs are also low.
Hence, following the tips mentioned above and keeping a close watch on any suspicious activities, you can easily protect your site against such online threats.
