What are the 12 Benefits of a Dedicated Server Solution?

1. Enhanced Performance with a Dedicated Server Solution

When it comes to performance, a dedicated server takes the lead. By having all the server resources exclusively at your disposal, you ensure high-performance levels and lightning-fast loading times for your website or applications. Say goodbye to sluggishness and hello to seamless user experiences.

2. Increased Reliability

With a dedicated server solution, you never have to worry about other users’ activities impacting your website’s performance or availability. By having exclusive access to the server, you can rely on its robust infrastructure and enjoy uninterrupted operations.

3. Enhanced Security with a Dedicated Server Solution

Security is paramount in the online realm, and dedicated servers provide a higher level of protection compared to shared hosting. With a dedicated server, you have the power to implement stringent security measures, customize firewall settings, and have complete control over your server’s security configuration. Safeguard your valuable data and protect your customers’ privacy with peace of mind.

4. Customization and Flexibility

One size does not fit all in the digital landscape. Thankfully, dedicated servers offer extensive customization options. Tailor your server to meet your exact hardware specifications, operating system preferences, and software configurations. Enjoy the flexibility to optimize your server environment according to your specific requirements.

5. Scalability

Businesses evolve, and your server should be able to keep up with the changing demands. Dedicated servers provide seamless scalability, allowing you to effortlessly upgrade or downgrade server resources as your business grows. Add more CPU, RAM, storage, or bandwidth whenever necessary, ensuring your server aligns with your expanding needs.

6. Improved Website Performance

A slow-loading website can lead to frustrated users and high bounce rates. With a dedicated server, you can bid farewell to these concerns. By efficiently handling high traffic volumes and large data transfers, a dedicated server ensures optimal website performance, resulting in superior user experiences and increased customer engagement.

7. Better Control and Administrative Access

Take the reins of your digital infrastructure with a dedicated server. Benefit from full root/administrator access, granting you complete control over server settings, software installations, and application configurations. Shape your server environment precisely to your liking and streamline your operations.

8. Dedicated IP Address

Establishing a reputable online presence is crucial for businesses. Dedicated servers come with a dedicated IP address, providing a multitude of advantages. From running SSL certificates to facilitating seamless email server setups, a dedicated IP address bolsters your online credibility and enhances your digital communication channels.

9. Enhanced Data Privacy

Data privacy is a top concern for businesses, especially those handling sensitive customer information. With a dedicated server, you are the sole user, ensuring your data remains private and isolated from others. Safeguard your critical data and maintain compliance with data protection regulations confidently.

10. Resource Optimization with a Dedicated Server Solution

Efficient resource utilization is a key factor in maximizing server performance. Dedicated servers allow you to allocate server resources according to your needs, ensuring optimal resource utilization and maximizing your server’s performance potential. No more wasted resources or bottlenecks holding you back.

11. Improved SEO Ranking

A dedicated server can be a game-changer for your SEO efforts. Fast loading times, server reliability, and dedicated IP addresses all contribute to better search engine rankings. Boost your online visibility, attract more organic traffic, and surpass your competitors in the search engine results pages.

12. Better Compliance and Regulatory Requirements

In certain industries regarding data storage and security are stringent. A dedicated server empowers you to implement the necessary measures to meet these standards effectively. Stay ahead of legal obligations, build trust with your customers, and safeguard your business reputation.

Choosing the best server solution is paramount for businesses and individuals seeking high performance and security for their hosting needs. With these mentioned pros, dedicated servers unlock your true potential in the digital landscape. Embrace the power of a dedicated server and thrive in today’s competitive online world.

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What Should Be Backed Up?

The short answer to this question is that all data should be backed up. However, in reality, not everything is equally important or valuable. Therefore, it’s essential to prioritize backups based on their criticality and frequency of use.

Here are some examples of what should be backed up regularly:

1. Business-critical: Anything that is essential for the day-to-day operations of a business should be backed up regularly. This includes customer files, financial records, and operational data.
2. Personal : Individuals should back up personal files, such as family photos, important documents, and financial records.
3. Applications: Any data generated by applications should be backed up, including email, messaging apps, and productivity software.
4. Configuration files: Configuration files for servers, applications, and network devices should be backed up to ensure that they can be quickly restored in the event of a system failure or cyberattack.

How Frequently Should Data Be Backed Up?

The frequency with which your files should be backed up depends on its criticality and how often it changes. For example, business-critical files that changes frequently, such as customer files, should be backed up multiple times per day, while less critical files can be backed up less frequently.

Here are some guidelines for creating backups:

1. Daily Backups: For business-critical data that changes frequently, daily backups are essential. This ensures that any changes made to the data during the day are captured and can be restored in the event of a failure or cyberattack.
2. Weekly Backups: For less critical files that changes less frequently, such as archived files, weekly backups are sufficient.
3. Incremental Backups: Incremental backups capture changes made to data since the last backup, reducing the time and storage space required for backups. For data that changes frequently, such as email, incremental backups should be done hourly or daily.
4. Full Backups: Full backups capture all files on a system and should be done periodically, such as once a month or quarter. Full backups can take longer and require more storage space, but they provide a complete backup of all files.

Conclusion

Creating a backup is a critical practice for ensuring the safety and security of your companies and your personal assets. Everything should be backed up, but the frequency with which it should be backed up depends on its criticality and how often it changes. Business-critical data that changes frequently should be backed up daily, while less critical things can be backed up less frequently. Incremental backups can reduce backup time and storage space, while full backups provide a complete backup of all data. By following these guidelines, individuals and organizations can ensure that you and your company are safe in the event of a loss or cyberattack.

If you want to learn more about backing up your data, please click here to contact us.

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Step 1: Identify what needs to be backed up

The first step in creating a backup is to identify what data needs to be backed up. This includes important documents, photos, videos, and any other valuable data that you cannot afford to lose. It is also essential to identify the devices where this data is stored, such as laptops, desktops, smartphones, and external hard drives.

Step 2: Choose a backup location

Once you have identified the data that needs to be backed up, the next step is to choose a location. There are several options available for storage, which can range from external hard drives to network-attached storage (NAS). It is essential to choose a location that suits your needs.

Step 3: Choose a backup method

There are several methods available, such as full, incremental, and differential backup. A full backup involves copying all the data to the backup location. the Incremental method only backs up the data that has changed since the last backup, while the differential method backs up all the data that has changed since the last full backup. It is important to choose a method that suits your needs and ensures the safety and accessibility of your data.

Step 4: Set up automatic backups

Manually creating backups can be time-consuming and may also be forgotten. It is essential to set up automatic backups to ensure that your data is backed up regularly without any manual intervention. Most operating systems have built-in backup tools that allow you to schedule backups at regular intervals.

Step 5: Verify the backup

Once the backup is complete, it is important to verify that it is working correctly. This can be done by accessing the new storage location and ensuring that all the data has been successfully backed up. It is also essential to ensure that the location is secure and protected from unauthorized access.

Step 6: Regularly update the backup

Data is constantly changing, and it is important to regularly update the backup to ensure that all the latest data is backed up. This can be done by scheduling regular backups at regular intervals, such as daily, weekly, or monthly.

Ultimately, creating backups is an essential part of ensuring the safety and accessibility of your data. By following these steps, you can create backups that suit your needs and ensure the safety and accessibility of your data. Remember to regularly update the backups and verify that the backups are working correctly to ensure that your data is always protected.

If you are interested in learning more about backups and how to incorporate them into your organization, click here to send us a message. We would love to continue the conversation and discuss how Wowrack can help your company thrive.

The post How to Easily Backup your Data with these 6 Steps appeared first on Wowrack Blog.

Simply put, vulnerability is a weakness that actors can use to infiltrate or access computer systems. Today, we are reminded of this vulnerability with the rise of the Log4j vulnerability.

This article will provide you with information regarding the log4j vulnerability. In addition, we also provide information in reducing or avoiding this vulnerability’s danger as a private or corporate entity.

What is the Log4j Vulnerability

Cybersecurity is a critical field to understand, especially in the digital age. While there are many glaring cybersecurity threats, such as viruses, ransomware, or phishing attacks, we often forget about the danger that arises from our own devices.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology defines vulnerability as a weakness or flaw within the security procedure, design, implementation, or internal controls that could accidentally trigger or exploit, resulting in a security breach.

The log4j is a Java-based logging utility used by billions of electronic devices to provide background information. It means, both private and business sectors who use Java-based programing language are running a risk of vulnerability in their systems. Several examples of these are websites, work applications, and even games.

CIO Dive reported that the log4j vulnerability works in a way that allows bad actors to gain access to IT systems without the use of authentication. The danger of this vulnerability doubles with how easily bad actors can exploit this vulnerability. Just a simple line of code is sufficient to access your system. Currently, Bitdefender has found out that bad actors are attempting to steal data or planting “Khonsari,” ransomware installed through backdoors and remote shells. It shows the possibility of a more dangerous attack from this vulnerability.

Mitigation of the Log4j Vulnerability

Vulnerable does not mean unfixable. With the world’s best IT practitioner and cybersecurity professional currently putting its attention to the log4j vulnerability, there is a big chance that a fix is on the way.

However, while we are waiting for fixes to be available, cyberattack threats will continue to linger around our IT systems. Therefore, while we are waiting for the patch that fixes this vulnerability, private and corporate can take preventative action to mitigate the vulnerability.

1. Use the Most Up-to-Date Version of Application

Firstly, the log4j vulnerability almost exists for all software based on the Java programming language. However, you can rest assured that most companies that develop software are already aware of the situation and the severity of the vulnerability.

It is crucial for both private and business to immediately patch up their software to the most up-to-date version. A temporary patch or hotfix can help mitigate the possibility of damage caused by the vulnerability.

2. Ensure Firewall is Active

Secondly, an attempt to access your IT systems through the log4j exploit will primarily use the internet connection as the medium. You will find malicious traffics attempting to break into your system. It may employ “spray and pray” or constant targeting techniques from the bad actors.

Ensuring your firewall protocol is active is one way to deter and reduce such attempts at your systems. Furthermore, if you already use additional firewall protection such as web application firewall (WAF), check if there is any new information, policy, or patch update regarding the exploit.

3. Constantly Backup Your Data

Then, as the vulnerability affects software applications and servers, ensuring your data backup is ready to use is essential. It ensures continuity if the data within your primary database is inaccessible. The biggest reason it might happen is primarily due to patch updates of the server.

4. Identifying Vulnerable Systems

The last step private and enterprises can take are identifying which systems are vulnerable to the exploit. Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency has already compiled all of the currently known software liable to the log4j exploit. In other word, it contains recommended actions that an entity can take if such software is used in the system.

Preventing Future Vulnerabilities

It is now generally accepted that the cost and effort required in creating preventative measures are significantly less than the cost of dealing with the fallout of a cybersecurity breach. In fact, business benefit $4 for every $1 it spend on cybersecurity effort.

While the current vulnerability is so massive in scope and may affect most IT users, properly investing in cybersecurity effort is worth doing. Especially for the protection and reduction in cost post-attack in the future.

In Wowrack, we can provide enterprises with a dedicated cybersecurity team available 24/7. We develop our in-house system to detect and respond to threats before they appear and disturb business workflow. We understand that a particular enterprise may have compliances that need to be followed. In this, we are confident that we can adjust our security service to follow the standards and compliances of your business.

Discover how Wowrack can be your best partner in protecting and safekeeping your data from today’s cybersecurity threats. Reach out to us now!

The post The Log4j Vulnerability: What You Should Know appeared first on Wowrack Blog.

Ransomware has become the root cause of many business infrastructure failures with staggering financial losses. The average cost to remediate a ransomware attack is about US$730,000, if the ransom isn’t paid. Surprisingly, the number escalates to $1.4million if the ransom is paid. Another worrying fact about ransomware attacks is that the number increased by 150% in 2020 as people started to embrace remote working or WFH. It is a threat that any business can’t afford to ignore.

Frankly speaking, no strategies could completely protect you from ransomware. For that reason, the best plan of action is to ensure the company is prepared to recover after the attack happens. Securing your data backup is critical to that process.

4 Steps to Ensure Your Backup Works against Ransomware

Do The Backup

The first thing is, obviously, do your backup. Conduct it correctly and regularly. What we suggest is to perform a 3-2-1 backup strategy. To do it properly, you need to have, at least, three total copies of your data. Two on-site/local backups on different mediums or devices and at least one off-site.

Having multiple copies of your data ensures you a higher probability of a successful recovery. Logically, you can always recover your data even if one of your backups cannot be accessed due to ransomware attacks or any other reasons.

Test the Backup and Recovery

The second step is to routinely test your backups to ensure that they truly work. During the tests, it is common to uncover things like missing software install disks and license keys that don’t refresh after recovery. For that reason, it is necessary to also store such data as install disks and license keys outside of your backup copies.

Wowrack recommends scheduling a regular test. How often you schedule the tests depends on your risks and data importance. One backup schedule does not fit all needs since different companies have different levels of tolerance. If you are not sure how often you should test your backup, you can always consult to an expert in the field.

Create and Document a Plan

Thirdly, it is necessary to create and document your plan. In the heat of the moment, it is easy to lose your way or spend critical time figuring out what to do. To put it simply, creating and documenting your plan ahead of time relieves possible stress and minimizes mistakes.

Some things to keep in mind while creating your plan are your Recovery Point Objective (RPO) and Recovery Time Objective (RTO). RPO determines how much data the business can afford to lose between backups. Meanwhile, RTO specifies the time required for system recovery.

Another tip: data worth paying extra attention to while creating the plan is Payroll and Accounts Payable/Receivable. Typically, recovering and rebuilding these data sets must be your top priority.

Separate Backups from Production

Finally, we suggest backing up off your domain to help keep your data secured. We also recommend using a unique and hard-to-guess username and password that is different from the administrator accounts. If possible, do not make a username that mimics your email address template.

Some service providers also strengthen your security by separating your backups from production. Wowrack, for instance, creates a backup network using separate NIC cards and specific ports to give you extra protection. Doing this inhibits bad actors from gaining access to your backup environment. Another extra but effective technique is having a data vault to store your backup that prevents deletion by any means other than expiration of a specific timestamp.

Bonus Recovery Tips

Even after recovery, however, similar ransomware attacks can still take place. This does not mean that your plans fail as ransomware can possibly reload during system restoration. Most of the time, the date when the ransomware attack began cannot be determined accurately. There is always a possibility that you recover a backup with ransomware in it.

To prevent it from happening, we encourage you to only recover data. Do fresh application installs instead of recovering the whole applications. By only recovering data, you can decrease the chances of reloading ransomware during system restoration.

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