Is your server compromised right now? Do you have measures in place to check consistently?

If you are like most business owners, you can’t definitively answer these questions. Not knowing puts your business in serious jeopardy.

The truth is checking your server isn’t hard if you have the right service. I’ll detail out an easy to use and very affordable service later in this article. Before we dig into the solution, let’s learn more about how the process should work.

Running a vulnerability assessment is fundamental to security welfare of any business or company.

A vulnerability assessment needs to be scheduled at least monthly, if not more frequently.

Many business owners confuse a simple anti-virus check with a full vulnerability assessment.

An anti-virus check alone does not look at security as a whole. Server configuration, third party applications, network security and known exploits should also be considered. All these processes should form a full vulnerability assessment.

The real problem is ‘forgetting’ to stay current on OS and application updates…

Don’t Be An Easy Target

Hackers always grab the low hanging fruit. They want an easy target such as servers with outdated operating systems, plugins for WordPress that are not updated, or servers without firewall protection… all considered low-hanging fruit ripe for the picking.

It’s common sense really, why bother attacking a fortress when they can go after the straw hut?

Hosting your server behind a firewall is crucial in reducing the amount of hacking attempts you will receive.

Quite simply, adding a managed firewall to your server is crucial in reducing your vulnerability to attack.

Firewalls, on-site security, vulnerability assessments and more can add up very quickly. Thankfully, there is a solution that is very affordable that will reduce your risk greatly.

Most organizations will limit their checks to only a few times a year. Others will simply neglect a vulnerability assessment altogether.

As you now see, the more consistent you are with checking your server, the lower your chances of being the low-hanging fruit a hacker might pick.

Here are a few suggestions for you to consider if you are performing your own vulnerability assessments:

Basic Vulnerability Assessment Checklist

• Select an appropriate commercial or open source security scanning tool, depending on the application framework, that ensures maximum coverage.
• Check for the presence of injection flaws like SQL, JSON, XML, and LDAP injections. Test for cross-site scripting (XSS) through all input points for the application. Determine whether forms are submitted securely.
• Inspect for inadequate authentication methods, improper access control definitions, and broken login processes. Ensure passwords are secure and not easy to compromise.
• Review for secure session IDs/cookies.
• Ensure the network is secure and no other machines inside the network are compromised.

Of course, you can get more detailed than that… if you know what you are doing. Most business owners and IT managers simply do not have the time to allocate to consistent vulnerability scans.

Beyond vulnerability assessments, there are many other things you can add to boost your defense.

Location, Location, Location

You’ve heard that location matters in real estate… and it matters just as much with your server.

Many of these suggestions I’m about to make are expensive unless you are using the service I will reveal later in this article.

Most top-tier data centers include intrusion detecting systems, firewalls, two-factor authentications and content filtering. If you are hosting your server locally, you know how expensive these can be.

There are other advantages to hosting with a top-tier data center… such as reducing the amount of ‘traffic’ surrounding your equipment.

It is becoming more and more common for threats to be occurring at the physical local level. If you host servers in your office building and the room is not totally secure, you are opening your risk considerably to a local hack attempt.

Many businesses have found that their internal security is increasingly compromised through simple methods such as…

The true Trojan horse where an authorized user installs malicious software or enables a back door into the company’s network. It is thought that Sony Pictures was the victim of this Trojan horse tactic when they were hacked.

The data included personal information about Sony Pictures employees and their families, e-mails between employees, information about executive salaries at the company, copies of then-unreleased Sony films, and other information.

The perpetrators then employed a variant of the Shamoon wiper malware to erase Sony’s computer infrastructure.

To protect your business, location of physical equipment must be considered.

All of this can add up, but it doesn’t have to be expensive…

Here’s How To Protect Your Business

Earlier in this article I told you about an affordable solution that not only reduces your threat risk, but it also protects your data in the event you are compromised.

It’s the 5-in-1 Managed Services bundle from Superb Internet… and it includes vulnerability assessment, OS hardening and patches. In addition, you also get a managed firewall and managed backup.

The 5-in-1 Managed Services bundle is the ‘whole enchilada’ when it comes to protecting your business.

You get everything without the high cost of an IT expert who would charge thousands to configure and setup each of these for you. The good news is that you can get everything for one low monthly price.

Before we get into how affordable the 5-in-1 Managed Services bundle is, let’s go into detail about our topic today… vulnerability assessments.

The first step in reducing your risk is to close all the ‘holes’… and to do that, you need to know where the holes exist. Superb Internet starts with a powerful scanning tool…

How is a Vulnerability Assessment performed?

Superb’s Vulnerability Scanner is a powerful network security assessment tool for finding potential security risks and flaws either inherent to the operating system or created from misconfigurations.

Every dedicated and managed hosting customer gets one complimentary scan per month.

Superb’s security tool reports on thousands of updated vulnerabilities by performing a complete scan. After a scan is completed, a report is generated which lists possible vulnerabilities found on your server. The report ranks the vulnerabilities based on the security level of importance from “warning” to “high.” Vulnerability Scans are available on a subscription or on-demand basis.

After every successful scan, a report is automatically generated and delivered to your inbox.

Next, technicians perform OS hardening based on the results…

What is OS Hardening?

The purpose of OS Hardening is to minimize your server’s exposure to current and future threats by configuring the operating system to be optimally secure.

The OS Hardening service addresses security weaknesses in operating systems by installing the latest OS patches & updates, deactivating unnecessary programs, and following procedures and policies to reduce malicious attacks and system down time.

Once your server is online, patches and updates are made as needed moving forward…

Patches & Updates

The Superb Internet Professional Services Division will log into your server and apply any available updates on the 3rd Monday of every month. If necessary, they’ll also restart your server to complete the installation process.

This makes sure you are always up to date… always secure.

You can add the 5-in-1 Managed Services bundle to ANY existing Superb Internet Cloud or Dedicated Server.

And right now, if you add the 5-in-1 Manages Services plan, you’ll get R1Soft along with the following services and save a bundle of money at the same time:

1. Vulnerability Scanning
2. OS Hardening
3. Cisco Managed Firewall
4. Proactive Monitoring

You’ll get everything…

… hack prevention
… ransom protection
… data backup
… OS hardening and patch updates
… and a Cisco managed firewall

You get everything you need to SECURE YOUR BUSINESS and protect yourself for a price that’s so low, I don’t want to mention it here for our competition to see.

Login to your customer portal at https://mycp.superb.net/ or contact our sales team for a FREE Security and Data Protection Assessment by clicking the following link: https://www.superb.net/about/contact-us

In light of recent events in cyber security, you need to be asking your IT team this question.

Here’s why…

According to an NCSA Cyber Security survey, research revealed that a mere 4% of the population has a full understanding of firewall

As business owner, you should be part of that 4% that has a full understanding.

If you do not have a firewall in place, you are placing your business and cash flow in serious jeopardy.

So what’s a firewall?

Well, firewalls monitor data exchanges between your server and other computers across cyberspace to determine whether each connection is safe or not.

The firewall is similar to the shields Captain Kirk regularly deploys on the Star Trek Enterprise. While Kirk will raise and lower shields depending on the situation… a firewall is always up and running… deflecting the bad stuff.

If you don’t have a firewall or are unsure, contact the experts at Superb Internet and let them give you a no obligation security check.

There’s no cost and you’ll get peace of mind or the information you need to secure your business website.

You might be asking, why do I need the added expense of a firewall?

Great question! Honestly, not many websites actually have a firewall configuration… and that can be bad for business.

If your server is compromised, you’re looking at downtime.

Downtime = cash flow loss.

Recovery = added expense.

In my opinion, a firewall is BETTER THAN INSURANCE… it’s almost negligence to NOT HAVE a firewall for your business. Both for your website

Even if your server software is outdated, a firewall can provide protection… and let’s be honest, many times we simply ‘forget’ to do regular updates.

I’ll cover how to handle updates in a later article, but suffice it to say a firewall is worth its’ weight in gold.

With a firewall, your shield is up all the time… protecting your business.

And don’t worry, it doesn’t matter if you understand how to manage or setup a firewall… I’ll explain later in this article how to get a managed firewall custom tailored for your business. AFFORDABLY.

Here are 3 solid reasons why having a firewall is a must:

1. No Business Is Too Big or Too Small

Sony Pictures was hacked and blackmailed in 2014 with a creepy red skull appearing on their systems. Cybercriminals leaked yet-to-be-released films and hacked Sony’s Twitter account. Sensitive company data was destroyed and employee information like social security numbers and salaries were compromised.

Believe it or not, the big names are actually being avoided in favor of companies that tend to have weaker protection than the larger enterprises. Corporations are taking massive steps to cyber protection and allotting huge funds for hardened security, and they become a more tedious undertaking.

So the criminals are going for the low hanging fruit… is that your business?

If you own a smaller business, you’re a prime target.

You’ve got more digital assets compared to the typical individual consumer, putting your business on the criminal radar.

Without a firewall and with little effort, these criminals can get away with your lifelong investment.

And then there’s…

2. Ransomware and Cyber Threats

Ransomware attacks are quite common.

Malware encrypts enterprise data and can only be recovered when you fork over some bitcoin to unlock the data. The cyber-attacker demands payment in cryptocurrencies which leave no identifiable trail.

In 2016, the SAW horror-film-inspired JIGSAW ransomware which slowly deleted files when the victim refused to pay the ransom.

Worse, you could even be the victim of compromising emails or data that could change your life forever. Hillary Clinton and the DNC both learned the importance of data protection in 2015 and 2016.

And recently, hackers exploited an NSA surveillance tool released into the public domain. The malware called Wanna Decryptor 2.0 crippled hospitals worldwide.

Dozens of countries were affected as the malicious software rendered computers useless and left staff unable to access medical records.

And firewalls aren’t just about keeping the bad guys out…

3. You Dictate Who Gets Access

Can you imagine seeing the mouse move around on your screen as someone attempts to take control remotely? Just think of the aforementioned ransomware warning tactics that scare users off while cyber attackers seem to have fun in the background.

Every PC connected to the internet is a potential target for hackers, key loggers, and Trojans that await the slightest opportunity to attack unpatched security holes. Intruders are empowered to destroy your operating system, if only they can get into it!

A correctly configured firewall on a modern OS can ensure that remote desktop access is disabled to prevent unauthorized user access.

Moreover, firewalls block access by apps, perhaps even the software that you trust and unknowingly penetrate your system.

In short, it doesn’t matter what line of business you are in…power plants, credit unions, hedge funds, PR firms, hotels, retail shops, colleges, and online businesses are all at risk.

I’ve only listed three examples where a firewall can protect your business – there are quite a few more where a firewall can help, such as:

• DOS & DDOS attacks
• Session hijacking
• Remote login
• Trojan backdoors
• Cookie stealing and more….

By now, you know a firewall is a good idea. 🙂

But what kind of firewall? How do I add a firewall to my existing server or website?

Both good questions… and here’s what you need to know:

There are two types of firewalls.

Software and Hardware.

Software firewalls are installed onto your server or local PC. These are great, but they are resource intense… which means they can slow down your computer or server.

You should definitely have this installed on EVERY PC in your local environment.

A good software firewall filters traffic of data down to the last detail in both directions. Automated whitelisting tools establish whether the packets meet the rules or specified security criteria or not, and will either be accepted or rejected accordingly.

The best firewalls in my experience are hardware based. Hardware based firewalls are essentially a server that monitors everything going in and leaving your computer or server.

Hardware is superior to software in many ways.

For one, they eliminate any load from your main business website. Your website can work as it should without having to fight off attackers.

Hardware firewalls provide maximum security as data is filtered at packet-level while utilizing less resources on your main server.

That’s why Superb Internet uses the Cisco ASA series firewall to protect servers and websites.

The Cisco ASA is a mix of hardware and software. The whole package so to speak… giving you dedicated hardware with an easy to manage web interface… and like I said, you don’t need to understand any of this when you choose Superb Internet.

In fact, Superb will configure and deploy the firewall in front of your website for you… very affordably.

What Is the Cisco ASA and How Does It Work?

Cisco ASA, short for Adaptive Security Appliance, is a versatile firewall that can be added to any virtual or dedicated server at Superb Internet. Cisco ASA combines software and hardware firewall, antivirus and virtual private network (VPN) features in one.

Keeping your business online and protected is something you don’t want to take lightly.

The right business-owner mindset is to never underestimate the possibility of cyber security attacks! Stop them before they get into your network.

The Cisco ASA is included in Superb’s Managed Services Suite… and like I said it’s extremely affordable.

You can add a Cisco Managed Firewall to ANY existing Superb Internet Cloud or Dedicated Server.

And right now, if you add the 5-in-1 Manages Services plan, you’ll get Cisco Managed Firewall bundled with the following services and save a bundle of money at the same time:

• R1Soft Backup
  
• Vulnerability Scanning
  
• OS Hardening
  
• Cisco Managed Firewall
• Proactive Monitoring

You’ll get everything…

… hack prevention
… ransom protection
… data backup
… OS hardening and patch updates
… and a Cisco managed firewall

You get everything you need to SECURE YOUR BUSINESS and protect yourself for a price that’s so low, I don’t want to mention it here for our competition to see.

Login to your customer portal at https://mycp.superb.net/ or contact our sales team for a FREE Security and Data Protection Assessment by clicking the following link: https://www.superb.net/about/contact-us