10 Essential Steps to Secure Your VPS Server

Alex MorganFebruary 5, 202610 min read

Securing your VPS is critical. An unsecured server can be compromised within hours of deployment. Follow these 10 essential steps to protect your server.

1. Update Your System

Always keep your operating system and software up to date. Security patches fix known vulnerabilities.

2. Use SSH Key Authentication

Disable password authentication and use SSH keys instead. This prevents brute-force attacks.

3. Change the Default SSH Port

Moving SSH from port 22 to a custom port reduces automated attack attempts.

4. Configure a Firewall

Use UFW or iptables to only allow traffic on ports you actually need (typically 80, 443, and your SSH port).

5. Enable Fail2Ban

Fail2Ban automatically blocks IP addresses that show malicious behavior like repeated failed login attempts.

6. Disable Root Login

Create a regular user with sudo privileges and disable direct root login via SSH.

7. Set Up Automatic Security Updates

Configure unattended-upgrades to automatically install security patches.

8. Use SSL/TLS Everywhere

Encrypt all traffic with SSL certificates. Use Let's Encrypt for free, auto-renewing certificates.

9. Regular Backups

Maintain regular backups of your server. Use ResellerPark's snapshot feature for instant server backups.

10. Monitor Your Server

Set up monitoring to alert you of unusual activity, high resource usage, or failed login attempts.

Conclusion

Server security is an ongoing process, not a one-time setup. Regularly review and update your security measures to stay protected.