When you build and install a website to your online hosting providers servers, you will absolutely have to keep its security in mind, just as if it were a home or business computer. Many people forget this but the fact is that websites and their data stored on web servers are just as prone to hack attacks and intrusion as physical computers. In both cases, valuable data and protocols that can be very useful to attackers are stored away.

The Basics of Website Security Software

What data protection software usually offers to combat the above threats is a range of features such as: SQL injection protections, cross site scripting detection, comments spam blockers, support for SSL websites, threat statistics monitoring, bad bot blocking, illegal resource use tracking and weekly reports on traffic analysis.

These are the essential qualities you should look for in the tools you choose for protecting your website from hackers, viruses, worms, bots and data intrusion. Let's take a look at some possible security options.

Best Security Software for Your Website and Web Server

Best Security Software for Your Website and Web Server


Your Hosting Provider


As your first line of data defense against website hacking, your own hosting provider should have a range of internal tools and software that will do an excellent job of protecting your data. Most secure hosting providers offer these options as standard in all their hosting packages and advertise the fact. Look carefully at what they offer in order to choose a decent web host.

Whichever web host you decide to use for your website should offer at least most of the following security features. SSL, Anti-Denial of service attack protection, an easy to use cPanel, antivirus and anti-spam apps, SSH, secure POP3 and ticket support for emergencies. A few excellent secured hosting providers include Bluehost, Hostmonster and Hostgator. All three of them offer clean, easy to use control panels and a whole range of web server security features such as those mentioned above and others.

Also Read : 6 Signs that Your Web Hosting Will Fail You

Third Party Web Security Software Programs


dotDefender (variable price, quote based)


This website and server security package possibly isn't the best available on the market, but it's features are nonetheless robust and, if combined with what your web host already provides, can give you some truly exceptional security for most site security needs.

dotDefender doesn't offer any site performance features but neither will it slow your website down. The plug & play software monitors your HTTP traffic packets for signs of suspicious activity involving protocols, IP addresses and ports; if it finds something it doesn't like, it blocks it.

Also included with dotDefender are protocols for Denial of Service (DOS) threats, SQL injection attacks and many other web based hack intrusion techniques. The software is very easy to install and highly scalable for supervision of multiple website servers.

Cloudflare (Monthly prices ranging from a basic free package to Enterprise deals at $3000 per month)


This cloud based website security software platform is truly a robust option if you want some maximal protection for your websites and servers. Cloudflare operates as a cloud based service, hosting its tools and applications remotely. These tools include protocols for security management, performance enhancements to your site speed and an excellent management interface that lets you run everything smoothly.

The security features of Cloudflare include protections against SQL injection, cross site scripting, email harvesting and attacks from known harmful IP addresses (based on a registry of such IPs) The Cloudflare service also maintains performance features such as static cache loading and access to the Global Content Delivery Network; with these you can be certain that your site visitors have rapid access to your pages regardless of where in the world they are.

The service is well supported by technicians who operate a help center full of tutorials, videos and even a company wiki to which you or any other customer can add information about the software.

Incapsula (Monthly rates ranging from free to $59 per month for business clients)


Incapsula is an incredibly comprehensive web page and server security platform that includes both large amounts of security protocols and website performance increase features. The service - also cloud based-- offers all the usual protections against cross-site scripting, SQL injections, and bot blocking while also adding on a number of extra protocols for even more digital security. These include: granular website access control, a web application firewall and an instant SSL encryption system that protects the secrecy of your website's communications with the service.

Furthermore, the site performance boosting features are advertised as being able to improve site performance by as much as 40% while reducing bandwidth use by 50%. Some of these features include data caching for faster loading times and use of the Content Delivery Network (CDN) to shorten data transmission distances by caching your site data in servers all over the world, then sending it to a site visitor's computer from the server nearest to them.

Robert Coulter writes for phone authentication service www.Authentify.com. In his free time, he consults businesses on how to keep their online presence safe.
 
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