Are you concerned that someone may hack your VPS? I can relate. I’ve looked at my server and thought, “Is someone messing with this right now?” Fortunately, using a few helpful tools will allow you to secure your VPS. Here's what I use.
• CSF Firewall: Blocks repeated failed login attempts.
• UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall): A simple and easy way to set up a firewall
• iptables: This is powerful, and great if you want to control everything.
I simply mix CSF with a few custom rules. It just makes me feel better knowing my server is not the easy target.
• ClamAV - Scans files and emails for viruses.
• Linux Malware Detect (Maldet) - Detects bad files and bad scripts on Linux servers.
I run the scan on my server weekly and am amazed at how many times I find something early.
• Backups with Rsync: You can back up to some other server or the cloud without any extra effort.
• Nagios: Monitors the health of your server and alerts when something is wrong.
It's having a security guard and a doctor for your VPS.
Firewalls: Block Bad Traffic
Ever wonder why some servers never seem to get hacked? Most of them have a proper firewall in place. I personally use CSF (ConfigServer Security & Firewall), because it’s easy to use, and it blocks suspicious traffic automatically.• CSF Firewall: Blocks repeated failed login attempts.
• UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall): A simple and easy way to set up a firewall
• iptables: This is powerful, and great if you want to control everything.
I simply mix CSF with a few custom rules. It just makes me feel better knowing my server is not the easy target.
Malware Scanners: Detecting Viruses
Malware is totally annoying, especially when hackers slip it onto your VPS server. Few things are more painful than discovering that you're infected. I use ClamAV and Maldet to detect malware.• ClamAV - Scans files and emails for viruses.
• Linux Malware Detect (Maldet) - Detects bad files and bad scripts on Linux servers.
I run the scan on my server weekly and am amazed at how many times I find something early.
Login Security: Stay Ahead of Hackers
Brute-force attacks are a scary thing. Tools like Fail2Ban help detect brute force attempts. It can block IP addresses that try too many incorrect passwords.- Works for SSH, FTP logins and web logins.
- Easy to configure for most VPS servers.
- Clean logs for security and automatically protections on your server.
Backups & Monitoring: Be Prepared
Even with robust security, things can happen. That's why I run automatic backups and monitoring scripts.• Backups with Rsync: You can back up to some other server or the cloud without any extra effort.
• Nagios: Monitors the health of your server and alerts when something is wrong.
It's having a security guard and a doctor for your VPS.