I like to play, make jokes, and say silly things in an attempt to keep this blog relatively light.\u00a0However, I think for this post, we need to buckle down and get serious for a second.\u00a0 Do not run off!\u00a0 I am not going to bore you, I just think we need to take a second and talk about site security.<\/span><\/p>\n

Working at a hosting company, we deal with hacked accounts on a daily basis.\u00a0 Hackers are sophisticated individuals with expert knowledge in the internet and computers, something not all site owners have.\u00a0 Hacks and Denial of Service Attacks happen all over the world, every day, taking down sites, servers, even entire networks with shocking efficiency.\u00a0 In headlines this month, we see huge websites like the New York Times, Twitter, The Washington Post, and The Financial Times becoming victims of hackers.<\/span><\/p>\n

So, how do you protect your site?\u00a0 Like any security measure, there is no absolute guaranteed way to keep your website safe, but I have a few suggestions that will tighten up the security on your hosting account.\u00a0 It is important to understand that the security of your website and hosting account is in your hands.\u00a0 Like any hosting provider, we offer a high level of security on the network and server, but in regards to your account, you have the most power to prevent unwanted access.<\/span><\/p>\n

1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Keep everything on your server up to date.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

It does not matter if you are not using that software or theme currently, if you have it on your server, you need to keep it updated because even inactive subscriptions could open up vulnerabilities to your account.\u00a0 The most common reason for updates is to install security patches to current versions of software, so take advantage of that.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you are not using something, uninstall it.\u00a0 This will prevent the risk of someone accessing your account through something you do not actively monitor.\u00a0 The bonus to this is that you will be able to reduce your overall resource needs by ridding your account of extraneous software.\u00a0 If you are using it, or plan to use it in the future, be sure to update it regularly.<\/span><\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Use and rotate complex passwords.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Remembering passwords can be annoying, but it is necessary.\u00a0 For the security of your account, you need to use complex and unique passwords and rotate them regularly.<\/span><\/p>\n

To make your password memorable, but complex, try using a phrase you can easily recall.\u00a0 For example, I will use, \u201cIt is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done\u2026\u201d because I can always remember the last line of A Tale of Two Cities <\/i>by Charles Dickens, but you can use whatever phrase you like.\u00a0 Take that phrase, and abbreviate it with the first letter of each word:<\/span><\/p>\n

iiaffbttidtihed<\/span><\/p>\n

Then capitalize some letters in a way that you will remember:<\/span><\/p>\n

IiaffbTTIdtIhed<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, add some numbers and symbols:<\/span><\/p>\n

I!a55bTTIdtIhed<\/span><\/p>\n

BOOM. Secure password with a pneumatic built in.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you cannot remember your passwords, do not<\/i> store them in an unprotected document on your computer.\u00a0 If someone hacks your computer, they will find your passwords.\u00a0 If you want to store your passwords so you don\u2019t have to remember them, try an application like KeePass (http:\/\/keepass.info\/<\/a>) which will store all your passwords in an encrypted file.\u00a0 The only password you will have to remember will be the master password.\u00a0 Just make sure you aren\u2019t using a simple password as your master password!<\/span><\/p>\n

Also, don\u2019t use the same password for everything.\u00a0 Keep a variety of passwords.\u00a0 That\u2019s where tools like KeePass will be really helpful in keeping you organized.<\/span><\/p>\n

3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Consider an upgrade.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Please don\u2019t take that to mean that shared hosting is not secure, because all servers at Host Town USA are secured to the same high standards.\u00a0 However, VPS or Dedicated hosting packages will offer you more separation from other accounts and more control over the server itself.<\/span><\/p>\n

That can be a double edged sword, because it means that your access level could compromise the site, so if you are not confident, or are not working with an experienced developer, make sure you don\u2019t make too many changes to anything server-side.<\/span><\/p>\n

4.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Check your code.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

Checking your code means more than just updating your HTML for site changes.\u00a0 It also means testing any changes you make prior to making them live.\u00a0 You want to ensure that there are no holes written into any custom coding.<\/span><\/p>\n

While you are reviewing new code, take the time to review old code as well.\u00a0 If you see any unfamiliar code, it is possible someone has hacked your account and is using it without your permission.\u00a0 By keeping up with your website\u2019s code you can ensure that you know when changes are being made to your files.<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition to the coding, check your access logs to ensure that the only IP address attempting to log into your server is your own.\u00a0 If you notice something askew, update your passwords and block that IP address.<\/span><\/p>\n

5.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Check your file permissions.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

When you create a file, it will at times open the access to the world.\u00a0 Yep, the entire <\/i>world.\u00a0 Ok, that\u2019s a bit of an exaggeration, but if your permissions are set to 777, that means that anyone can access and change your file permissions.<\/span><\/p>\n

This is just enough of a crack to let a hacker through, so make sure that you have everything set properly.\u00a0 Ideally, you want your permissions set to 755 (or 644 depending on the purpose of the file) which means that you can access and change the file, but others can just see and use it.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019d like some more details on file permissions, our Support Center has a basic explanation of them as well as some details on changing them.<\/span><\/p>\n

The above suggestions are just to get you started in securing your site.\u00a0 There is a lot of information out there, and diligence is required to keep your hosting account secure.<\/span><\/p>\n

While you may not have the resources to have someone monitoring your account 24\/7 like our Systems Team monitors our servers and network, it\u2019s not a bad idea to get in the habit of checking in on your account daily, even when you aren\u2019t updating any of its information.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I like to play, make jokes, and say silly things in an attempt to keep this blog relatively light.\u00a0However, I think for this post, we need to buckle down and get serious for a second.\u00a0 Do not run off!\u00a0 I am not going to bore you, I just think we need to take a second and talk about site security. Working at a hosting company, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1096,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[26],"class_list":["post-1093","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-security","tag-security"],"yoast_head":"\n