Even though shared hosting is one of the most ideal platforms to start your web hosting journey, it is not by any means perfect. And this is especially true when it comes to the overall security of the platform.
We would want to be able to reassure you that your website is secure, but the reality is that such a platform presents a variety of potential security vulnerabilities.
Even though using a shared environment to host your website can be the most cost-effective alternative, doing so can put both the site’s performance and its security at risk.
Customers frequently inquire as to whether or not the platform their website is built on is susceptible to being hacked. The answer to your question is that it does, in fact, provide a certain number of security vulnerabilities that have the potential to result in a website being hacked.
If something like this occurs, cyberattacks may exploit your site to send spam to your consumers, display content that is not wanted, and send users to websites that are unfamiliar to them. In the event that a search engine discovers that your website has been hacked, the search engine will immediately ban your website, and your provider will terminate your service.
However, you need not be concerned because you may take measures to protect your website from dangers of this nature. In today’s article, we will go through the risks associated with using such a platform, as well as the measures you may take to safeguard your website.
But before we begin, let us understand how this model works so that we can get a clear understanding of the risks associated with it.
How does this shared model operate?
It is a type of platform in which a single server is used to host several different sites at the same time. The owner of the website does not have exclusive access to the server’s resources; instead, he or she shares them with other users who have agreements with the provider. This type of platform typically costs less than a dedicated server, but with it, you have less control over how well your website performs and how secure it is.
The maximum amount of resources that can be allocated to each site determines the number of websites that can be hosted on a shared system. On the other hand, they also have the capacity to simultaneously host thousands of sites.
Because of this, server providers can offer plans and packages at such low prices, making this the most cost-effective solution. However, there are issues that can arise when running thousands of sites on a single server.
The following are the top five performance and security risks associated with using such a platform:
1. A directory that is shared.
On a dedicated server, each site will have its own directory, and all of its files will be contained within that directory. On the other hand, this particular platform will just have a single directory that will contain the folders of several websites.
The fact that your site shares this directory makes it closely intertwined with the other websites that are hosted on the server. This is true even though your site has its own unique name and content.
This indicates that if an attacker is able to access the primary directories, they have the ability to target all of the websites that are stored on the same system. Attackers accomplish this by running programs that search every website in the directory for any security flaws or weaknesses they may find. For example, it’s possible that the website is using an old addon that’s been put there. After they have discovered a flaw in the site, they will exploit it in order to breach it.
2. A poor loading time.
If one of the other sites on your shared system becomes compromised, the performance of your own website may suffer as a result. When attackers get access to a website, they can use it to carry out nefarious acts such as uploading unauthorized files and directories and carrying out attacks on other websites. These activities can only be carried out if the website has been hacked.
The website that has been compromised starts making excessive use of the available resources as a result. Your website will suffer as a result of this. It will result in a noticeable slowdown of your website. There is also the possibility that users will be unable to interact with or access your website.
3. DDoS assaults can cause severe damage.
Your site’s load time may suffer if other websites hosted on the same network are seeing increased levels of visitor activity.
When a hacker intends to shut down a website, they will program thousands of rogue botnets to send an overwhelming amount of traffic to the targeted website. An attack like this is referred to as a DDoS attack.
In order to accommodate the unexpected increase in visitor numbers, the website that is currently under attack will begin drawing more resources from the system. This will inevitably result in fewer resources being accessible to your site, which will have a critical impact on the speed and performance of your website.
Your website was not the intended target of the attack; it was just damaged in the process.
4. A common IP address has the potential to create some significant problems.
Because servers are also machines that use the internet, they each have their own unique IP address for security reasons.
A shared system would only have one IP address, which would mean that the address would be shared by all of the sites that were hosted on the same system.
If a website that is on the same system as yours engages in illegal activities or sends spam to its users, the offending IP address will be added to a blacklist and will be flagged as harmful. This will result in a number of issues for your website, including the following:
- Your website will be flagged as malicious by firewalls, and users of such security systems will be prevented from accessing it.
- Your email provider will add your address to a blacklist, which will cause any messages you send to your clients to be delivered to their junk mail folders.
- Your website will be blacklisted and flagged as insecure if it is submitted to search engines.
5. Lack of ability to customize
As a result of the fact that everyone is using the same platform, the number of possible customization options will be restricted. When we talk about customization, we are referring to not only the user interface layout but also the various customization elements that come with other hosting platforms.
Here are some methods through which you can protect your site on a shared platform.
1. Invest in a reliable piece of website protection software.
This is a precaution that you are required to take for your website regardless of the kind of hosting platform that you make use of.
A strong protection against hackers and other forms of malicious activity on your website can be provided by using software that is designed specifically for that purpose. For example, suppose an attacker is currently operating on your system and attempting to obtain access to your website or perform malicious commands. In that case, the website security software should be able to identify this activity and provide you with an alert.
2. Check in with your service provider.
Compare a variety of service providers and explore the precautionary steps they take to ensure the safety of their servers.
You have the option of reading reviews left by previous customers. You may also receive more information on your provider’s security by contacting the customer support team through a live chat session or by giving them a call. The majority of reputable service providers have discovered countermeasures to the risks described before. Make sure that they isolate the environment of your site from that of the others.
3. Keep an eye out for potentially harmful code on the websites you manage.
There are various scenarios in which you could not even be aware that the websites you manage contain code that could potentially cause damage to visitors. When harmful code enters your system, it may cause a great deal of damage, and harmful code can take many forms, including malware and viruses. In order to keep any big problems from occurring with the websites that you manage, it is essential to keep a close eye out for any strange or potentially hazardous code that may be present on those websites. Take prompt action the moment you become aware of anything out of the ordinary or have a sneaking suspicion that there may be a problem.
4. Restrict access to the file
On a shared system, it is possible for attackers to make an attempt to access your files, as we discussed earlier. However, you are able to stop something like this from occurring by configuring the access privileges in such a way that only you, as the website operator, have access to the data.
Conclusion
It is impossible to achieve security with just one tool or program; rather, it requires an all-encompassing approach. Because the server is effectively under the control of your service provider when you use shared hosting, it is of the utmost importance that you select a trustworthy business that is also capable of providing you with speed, dependability, and security. If these foundations are solid, you won’t need to worry about the state of your site and can instead focus on expanding your company.
