how do i harden a web server

Web server hardening best practices

• Disable the signature. ...
• Log server access. ...
• Disable the HTTP Trace and Track requests. ...
• Create non-root users. ...
• Restrict IP access. ...
• Disable SSLv2 and SSLv3. ...
• Disable directory listing. ...
• Eliminate unused modules. ...
• Install Mod_evasive and Mod_security. ...
• Constantly check for patches. ...

Full Answer

How do you harden a server?

Usually, a hardening checklist for securing this type of server would include the following steps: Disabling guest accounts and implementing a strict password policy for all users. Installing updates, hotfixes, and patches for the operating system regularly. Restricting access to administrator accounts and instituting account lockout policies.

What is network hardening and how do I do it?

Network hardening spans beyond the server and often includes additional network devices. However, on the level of the server that you are managing, there is already a lot that you can do to improve network security. To harden the network connections on your server:

How do I harden the IIS?

Inbuilt features in IIS can be enabled to harden the IIS, and this is a continuous process. You can learn more about web hosting security in HostAdvice's guide to hosting security .

How to harden your web applications?

Therefore, this is the most important step. To harden your web applications: Regularly scan all your web applications using a web vulnerability scanner. Eliminate all vulnerabilities as early as possible. The best way to do this is to scan applications at the development stage, for example, using Jenkins.

How do I harden a Windows web server?

IIS Security: How to Harden a Windows IIS Web Server in 10 StepsAnalyze Dependencies and Uninstall Unneeded IIS Modules After Upgrading. ... Properly Configure Web Server User/Group Accounts. ... Use IIS 7's CGI/ISAPI Restrictions. ... Configure HTTP Request Filtering Options. ... Use Dynamic IP Restrictions.More items...

What does it mean to harden a website?

Website hardening means adding layers of protection to reduce the risk of website attacks, a process known as “defense in depth.”

How can I make my web server more secure?

Below is a list of tasks one should follow when securing a web server.Remove Unnecessary Services. ... Remote access. ... Separate development / testing / production environment. ... 4 . ... Permissions and privileges. ... Install all security patches on time. ... Monitor and audit the server. ... User accounts.More items...

How do I harden a Linux server?

A few basic Linux hardening and Linux server security best practices can make all the difference, as we explain below:Use Strong and Unique Passwords. ... Generate an SSH Key Pair. ... Update Your Software Regularly. ... Enable Automatic Updates. ... Avoid Unnecessary Software. ... Disable Booting from External Devices. ... Close Hidden Open Ports.More items...•

What is a way you can both harden your site's security?

2.1 Set strong passwords. 2.2 Require the use of strong passwords. 2.3 Implement least privilege permissions. 2.4 Install SSL.

Why hardening is done?

Metal Hardening Hardened materials are usually tempered or stress relieved to improve their dimensional stability and toughness. Steel parts often require a heat treatment to obtain improved mechanical properties, such as increasing increase hardness or strength.

How do I secure my server from vulnerabilities?

Server Security Best PracticesConstantly Upgrade the Software and the Operating System. ... Configure Your Computer to File Backups. ... Set up Access Limitations to Your Computers files. ... Install SSL Certificates. ... Use Virtual Private Networks (Private Networking) ... Server Password Security. ... Use Firewall Protection.

How would you maintain server's security?

Server security hardeningUsing strong passwords.Ensuring that communications are data encrypted.Completing regular system backups.Keeping operating systems up to date and applying security patches as they are released.Removing unnecessary third-party software.Installing firewalls and antivirus software.

Are secure servers really secured?

A secure server is a Web server that guarantees secure online transactions. Secure servers use the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol for data encryption and decryption to protect data from unauthorized interception. Secure servers are used by online retailers and any organization with a Web presence.

What does hardening a server mean?

Server hardening is a general system hardening process that involves securing the data, ports, components, functions, and permissions of a server using advanced security measures at the hardware, firmware, and software layers.

What is hardening in Linux?

Operating system (OS) hardening, a type of system hardening, is the process of implementing security measures and patching for operating systems, such as Windows, Linux, or Apple OS X, with the objective of protecting sensitive computing systems.

How do I harden my Ubuntu server?

The following tips and tricks are some easy ways to quickly harden an Ubuntu server.Keep System Up-To-Date. ... Accounts. ... Ensure Only root Has UID of 0. ... Check for Accounts with Empty Passwords. ... Lock Accounts. ... Adding New User Accounts. ... Sudo Configuration. ... IpTables.More items...•

What does IIS do when two web application pools are running?

It means that when two web application pools are running, IIS prevents conflict by introducing a pool configuration. It allows complete isolation to ensure that any malicious site will not infect another site hosted in your server environment.

Is a website secure?

A website cannot be secure enough unless security measures are taken to protect the web server from security breaches. Inbuilt features in IIS can be enabled to harden the IIS, and this is a continuous process. You can learn more about web hosting security in HostAdvice's guide to hosting security. Special Note: If you are concerned about ...

How to harden web applications?

To harden your web applications: Regularly scan all your web applications using a web vulnerability scanner. Eliminate all vulnerabilities as early as possible. The best way to do this is to scan applications at the development stage, for example, using Jenkins. Perform further penetration testing.

Why is it important to harden a server?

You should perform regular system hardening check-ups to make sure that your security configuration is up to date, all the security measures are still in place, and there are no new threats to your information security. Such new threats may come from other users of the server, the developers of web applications, or simply due to vulnerabilities found in existing software.

What is web application hardening?

Web Application Hardening. If you already know a bit about web security in general, you know that most web vulnerabilities are a result of errors in web applications, not in underlying software (such as web servers or operating systems). Therefore, this is the most important step. To harden your web applications:

What is network hardening?

Network Hardening. Network hardening spans beyond the server and often includes additional network devices. However, on the level of the server that you are managing, there is already a lot that you can do to improve network security. To harden the network connections on your server:

What does it mean to harden a computer?

To harden a computer system means to make it more difficult for a malicious hacker to attack. In formal terms, system hardening means reducing the attack surface – the attack surface is the combination of all the points where an attacker may strike. Many computer systems by default have a very large attack surface.

What is the base level of system hardening?

The base level of system hardening is taking care of operating system security. A hardened operating system lets you avoid a lot of security threats. To harden the operating system of your server: Uninstall all unnecessary software.

Why is my computer's attack surface so large?

Many computer systems by default have a very large attack surface. This is because a lot of software is installed with too many permissions and as many functions as possible. System hardening, therefore, is basically all about skimming down options. In this short hardening guide, we will look at 5 hardening process steps ...

What is System Hardening?

System hardening is the process of configuring an IT asset to reduce its exposure to security vulnerabilities. That exposure is commonly referred to as an attack surface, and it is the sum of all the potential flaws and entry points that attackers can use to compromise a system.

Why is System Hardening Important?

The increased dependence on IT infrastructure has also led to an increase in the number of hackers looking to infiltrate these systems for nefarious purposes. Over a decade ago, studies showed that a hacking attack occurred every 39 seconds, and in the years since, that rate of attacks can only have gone up.

What are the Benefits of System Hardening?

Improved security posture is the goal of system hardening, and if done correctly, it significantly reduces the risk of you becoming a victim of common security threats. This is because cybersecurity experts constantly update system hardening best practices to match emerging threats and vulnerabilities.

7 Steps for How to Harden Your Server and System

While information technology infrastructure varies based on organizational requirements and use cases, the technologies used to build these systems are common across industries.

5 System Hardening Best Practices

Across the different checklists and benchmarks for system hardening, a few procedures appear consistently regardless of the technology you’re securing. Whether it’s a desktop operating system or a networking hardware firewall, the best practices below have proven their efficiency in reducing system vulnerabilities:

Get a Hardened and Secure Cloud With Liquid Web

We’ve established the importance of system hardening, but the reality is that not all organizations have the technical capacity to effectively implement a system hardening checklist for their infrastructure. This is why switching to a cloud-based solution can be the perfect solution, since a fully managed provider can help with system hardening.

Marho Atumu

Marho is a Community Support agent at The Events Calendar and enjoys helping people discover how information technology can provide great solutions to their everyday problems. His career in IT can clearly be traced to his love for all things science fiction.

Why are servers hacked?

Most servers are hacked through the software running on them and never because of the server security itself. This is because the vulnerabilities are in your application, not necessarily your server.

What is firewall in a server?

Firewalls are to control access in and out of your server. Quite simply, they are literally the mechanism that blocks packets from going in or out of your server. You can think of them as the security guard at the front door.

What does it mean to expose a web server version?

I would say this is one of the first things to consider, as you don’t want to expose what web server version you are using. Exposing version means you are helping hacker to speedy the reconnaissance process.

Why is Apache Web Server important?

Apache Web Server is often placed at the edge of the network hence it becomes one of the most vulnerable services to attack. Having default configuration supply much sensitive information which may help hacker to prepare for an attack the applications.

What is server side include?

Server Side Include (SSI) has a risk of increasing the load on the server. If you have shared the environment and heavy traffic web applications you should consider disabling SSI by adding Includes in Options directive.

Can you override Apache?

In a default installation, users can override apache configuration using .htaccess. If you want to stop users from changing your apache server settings, you can add AllowOverride to None as shown below.