What is Server-Side Security?
Server-Side Security refers to a collection of defense mechanisms, including sets of technologies, policies, and different practices implemented to protect backend infrastructure, databases, and applications from attacks, unauthorized access, and data breaches. You can read more on other cybersecurity threats you should be aware of in our Guide to Cyber Security.
Understanding Server-side security is not just for high-level IT professionals, but also vital for any small business owner and even freelancers to understand how their website backend is protected.
Why is Server-Side Security Different from Client-Side?
It is common for Site-side security, also known as client-side security, to be easily confused with Server-side security. Client-side security involves components like SSL certificates on the site, CAPTCHA, and form honeypots, and even securing the admin login page. While these practices and tools are vital for the site, they are only securing the “front door” to the entire server. This implies that even if the client side is implemented perfectly, a vulnerability in your servers’ operating system or even databases can still allow hackers to access server data and resources.
Server-side security is about securing the whole “house and the foundations it’s built on.” Think of the Client-side security as a lock on the front door of your house, and Server-side security as the perimeter walls around your house, the alarm systems, and the security personnel patrolling your house.
Also read: How to Run a Security Audit in WordPress
Why is Server-side Security Important?
When there is unauthorized access to the backend of the site, a site owner tends to lose:
- Sensitive user data: User data can range from payment card information from customers, passwords, personal information of users, and any other information a site requires from its users.
- Resources: Hackers can also be interested in your server’s processing power to perform crypto-mining.
- SEO and GEO reputation: Search engines such as Google blacklist compromised sites, affecting SEO ranking.
What Makes a Server Secure?
For a desirable server, you must focus on different layers. If this feels overwhelming, our WordPress maintenance services can help bridge the gap.
Access Control and User Authentication
This is the first line of defense. It controls who can enter your server, and what they can see and edit. As a website owner or professional, it is important to implement the “Principle of Least Privilege” (PoLP), ensuring that users are granted only the minimum access needed for their roles.
On the other hand, user authentication must be included here. Use multi-factor authentication for all server logins, such as SSH, and ensure session tokens are unique, encrypted, and have an expiry time to prevent session hijacking.
Patch Management and System Hardening
Software is never complete or perfect, and that is why updating server software helps fix identified bugs and issues that pose a security risk to the software users. That single missed update might be the reason you lose root access to an attacker. Always remember to back up when performing updates.
System hardening involves “reducing the attack surface” by:
- Disable any services or ports not in use
- Removing any software not needed for the server to function
- Removing default guest accounts and any users who no longer need access
Network Security and Data Encryption
Since your server communicates with the world, network security is needed to filter outgoing and incoming traffic. Network security involves the use of software-based or hardware-based firewalls to block all traffic, allowing only specific traffic through, such as HTTP/HTTPS.
Moreover, data on your server must be protected. This is done through data encryption to both data “at rest” (in your database) and “in transit” (data being shared with other devices querying your database). With the current existing advanced data encryption standards, a hacker can’t read your data if they do not have the decryption key. You can read more about these standards under the NIST Cybersecurity Framework.
How do you Manage the Technical Details?
Effective server-side security is a long-term process, and not a sprint. Technical details focus on file and folder permissions, sanitizing and validating data, ensuring APIs endpoints are secure, among other technical sectors to consider. This section mainly covers those seeking to be experts. For business owners who are not sure about what to do here, it is better to seek an expert, such as WebProGeeks, to help audit or set up your technical server security side. Let us discuss the three main technical areas to focus on:
Input Validation and Sanitization
Over the years, “injection” has been one of the most common server attacks. This occurs when a user submits malicious code into a field on the site, such as a form field, and the server executes it. Proper validation ensures that the server only accepts data that is supposed to be picked. For example, a zip code can only be numbers.
On the other hand, sanitization removes any hidden crips before the data reaches the database.
Secure API Endpoints
Modern websites depend on APIs to communicate with other software. APIs are like digital bridges between software. If the endpoints of these APIs are not secured, they are backdoors for attacks. Be sure your APIs require authentication tokens and use rate limits to counter any brute force attacks.
File Permissions Management
On a server, each of the files and folders has permission levels. For example, 777 in Linux allows any user on the server to write and delete your files. With properly configured permissions, the server can only execute the files it needs, while unauthorized configuration remains unrestricted.
Taking Action on Your Security Plan
Building a compact server-side security system can be challenging for small business owners. However, the cost of a server attack, both financially and to your reputation, surpasses the effort put into the prevention of these attacks. By focusing on the areas discussed above, you are already more than 90% ahead of possible attacks and competitors.
If you find these technical requirements needed for hardening your server complex for you, you do not have to do it alone.
- Need immediate help? If you suspect your server has been breached or you need a security audit, visit our Security Help page.
- Do you seek an expert to take over? Having an expert handle your server ensures long-term peace of mind with a totally secure server. Our Fractional CWO Services will provide you with a dedicated Chief Web Officer to handle all your security management.
Related: What To Do When Your WordPress Site is Hacked
Frequently Asked Questions
Having an SSL Certificate only protects the data moving between the user and the server. This means the user can still manipulate the data once stored on the server, or even exploit unpatched updates and weak passwords.
As soon as they are released. Most professionals use various tools to notify on new updates and even implement new patches safely.
Not entirely. The provider handles most of the server hardening. However, there are some settings that are still available, such as file permissions setup, passwords, and multifactor authentication on some server areas. For total control of your server-side security, a VPS or Dedicated Server is recommended.
