What is Linux?
The simple and straightforward meaning of Linux is the operating system used to build a connection between the software resources and the hardware resource of any computer, mobile device, server, etc. An Open source Operating System allows easy management of hardware resources like CPU, storage, and memory.
With the help of this operating system, you can have direct access to the design and its various configurations. It is one of the market’s most powerful and wonderfully designed operating systems. It has an approximately 2.77 % market share. This operating system can be used in computers, servers, mobile phones, etc. Hence, we shall see into the ways of protecting your Linux server. Linux server is nothing but the server using the Linux operating system for its efficient working.
The emerging cases of hacking of the servers mandate the learning of Linux server security to improve the security and safety of your valuable data. The number of attacks on Linux was around 13 million between June and July 2021. To prevent this challenge of server threats, we need to know the ways of server security inevitably.
Ways to Secure Linux Servers
Regular Updates
The update of servers is needed to reduce the vulnerability of your attacks and cyber-threats by cybercriminals. The security team should ensure that your server has regular updates from time to time without fail. Good update policies should be framed to systemize server security.
There are certain distributions of Linux wherein you will have update tools to automate the update process regularly. When the upgrade is not done, some distributions, such as Debian, will ask for the opinion of an update through a poll and update it by itself in the background.
Double Layer Authentication
The double layer authentication means the authentication is required twice when it comes to providing your identity. This is also called two-factor authentication. One time you need to enter the Email ID and the password. In addition, the other time, you must enter the code sent through a message.
This is required for improved security of any system. Therefore, there will not be any other unwanted party entering the system without your consent. Most of the time, cyber-attacks occur because of illegal access to the credentials of any system.
Installation of an SSL Certificate,
Another important factor in securing Linux servers is buying an SSL certificate (Secure Socket Layer). You can buy SSL from any certificate authorities or the resellers of SSL certificates. Some certificates offered by the Certificate Authorities are Comodo SSL, DigiCert SSL, Thawte SSL, Rapid SSL, etc.
This SSL certificate ensures that the data stored in the server remains safe and secured. In addition, the data transferred between the server and the website remains encrypted so that no third party can have any access to it.
A Firewall is necessary.
As the name suggests, the firewall acts as a wall between your server and the network traffic. If you have a firewall, it will only allow the type of network traffic you want. That would also be based on the pre-specified rules. The unwanted network traffic will not is permitted to enter the server and hence improve the security of your server. The command you can follow to install a firewall into your server is
$ Sudo apt install fw.
Therefore, use a firewall to control network traffic that can cause harm to your server.
Use SFTP Instead of FTP.
For improved server security, it is advisable to use the SFTP, open SSH, FTPS (FTP over SSL, etc. This will benefit your FTP from SSL or TLS encryption. This SFTP will prevent any packet sniffer from intercepting your passwords, files, FTP, usernames, Telnet, etc. when they are on the same network.
Backup Your Data without Fail
A backup is required to have data access even if some data disaster or any unwanted event occurs on your server. One of the best security measures is to do regular backups without fail. For Linux server security, it is advisable to use external storage that will store encrypted data externally. Like you can use any cloud-based service or NAS server. A UNIX backup program will help to retrieve the information that is dumped and stored.
Do Not Use the Root Login
You should not enter the system as a root user to protect your server. Do not share the root user ID and password with anyone, as the root user can do anything with the system they wish to. Even hackers can gain root access by exploiting backdoor vulnerabilities. So, disable root login and create a new account and there you can install package on Linux server.
Conclusion
There is no doubt about the quality of services provided and the automatic security configurations of the Linux servers. However, to still be aware of the probable threats and strengthen your defensive side is appreciable. To secure Linux servers and improve their security more, you can follow these ways that give you the best-intended results. These ways will reduce the chances of malicious attacks done by cybercriminals to threaten your system.
It is always advised to stay updated and secure because if these evil cybercriminals see even one chink in your armor, they may take full advantage of it. The method to be used more and its proportion will depend upon your business and its requirements. You can read, refer to and analyze how to secure your Linux servers.
After proper analysis, you can decide which one to use or not. The final call shall always be yours. Therefore, to determine your strategy for the security of Linux servers, you must go through this article. Educate yourselves about new trends and modern security methods to safeguard the servers with us.
