Three Security Areas To Incorporate As Web Hosting Requirements

As the Internet hosting market matures in terms of core features for many accounts, one of the most dynamic areas left for those looking to maximize their value is in security options that are standard or are available. With security becoming more important for many businesses, it is a good idea to put it on the same priority footing as your memory, processor, and space requirements.

Here are three security areas to look at when you go our to look for hosting and web design:

SFTP:

In most cases, whether you are starting out with a WordPress blog or a basic hosting account, one feature that providers forget to include is access to the website through secure file transfer protocol. Instead, you will be allow to upload your media and files to your website using a non-secure protocol. Curiously enough, most hackers that seek business information for profit actually already know this- and the automated software to run attacks against non-secure FTP is quite sophisticated and ubiquitous. The upshot is unless you include this in your requirements, you may end up with an account that has a fairly large and basic security hole.

Hosting Security Filters/Services:

Another type of security problem that new website owners can experience is having their accounts hijacked by a malicious script or a piece of malware. That malware can be introduced as part of an installation because a master file was uploaded by you- or because someone else managed to place a file or files in your account space directly. Just as you have virus scanning software on your local network, some hosting providers offer virus and malware checking for your website space. The net result is that by choosing a provider that incorporates security on their end, the chance of someone using your account to process your data and theirs for an extended time period are lessened.

An SSL Certificate:

If your website is used to interface with customers, having an SSL security certificate incorporated into your hosting space is a pretty good way of ensuring that your customers and lenders will feel confident with any transactions that you process on your site because they are encrypted at a level that cannot be broken without a lot of effort and expense on the part of a hacker. Some established providers like Network Solutions include an SSL security certificate as part of their professional hosting solution, making it easy to setup your website and make it completely https-compliant.

Security should a high priority for website owners regardless of the scope of the site that they are creating. By finding a hosting vendor that makes it easy to implement features like SFTP, virus, script, and malware checking, and SSL, it will increase the value of the service or product that you provide your customer because the overall client experience will be better.