5 Ways to Find a Secure Web Hosting Plan - Internet
With the increasing use of internet for daily activities, the chances of websites being attacked by malicious content such as malware, spyware or hackers has increased. As a business, one may need to take extra precautions to determine if the website is secure from different threats, and select a web hosting plan which comes with many security options.
Website owners generally believe hacking as the worst kind of attack to business security as it puts at risk important customer information such as credit card numbers and contact details. This is why website managers running online stores should consider the following things while finding a hosting plan.
1. Select a Secure Hosting Option:
If your website is prone to security threats, you might end up losing valuable customers as people do not like to shop from places which do not offer maximum protection of their credit card information. Therefore, while making a selection, conduct a thorough research on available web hosting options and their advantages. For example, shared hosting is affordable, yet prone to security threats. On the other hand, dedicated hosting is secure to the extent you may select your own software, however, it is expensive.
2. Look for SSL Certification:
Look for a hosting plan which offers SSL Certification as it will allow you to encrypt all cost related data, such that the credit card information of customers will be protected from hackers.
3. Be Aware of the OS:
While selecting a web hosting plan, find out what operating system the hosting plan will run on. If you are looking for the most secure hosting, you need to be aware of every little detail of the operating system offered by the hosting company. Know the differences between security options offered by Linux operating system and Windows operating system. Even if you run a small online store, you will still manage databases and the security of these databases is very important.
4. Look for Firewalls:
While finding a hosting plan for your website, you will have to ensure the company has in place a reliable firewall system to protect their servers and your website from security threats.
5. Get Automatic Software Updates:
Make sure you get automatic software updates as these updates or patches allow you to protect the software or your website from potential bugs. Also, when you run your website on open source software, you risk the security of the website. Since open source software such as Joomla is free, hackers can easily find methods to breach the security of websites running on such software. However, these breaches might be avoided by using latest versions of the software. Similarly, if your web hosting plan is based on Windows operating system, make sure it gets automatic software updates from Microsoft.
Therefore, if you run an online store, it is highly imperative you find a secure web hosting plan which comes not only with the above mentioned things but also includes spam protection. It is always wise to look for hosting companies which promise to monitor your data and the website to ensure maximum security.