If you’re a new business or a small-to-medium enterprise (SME), shared hosting can be an appealing choice. With its budget-friendly price tag, shared hosting provides an accessible option for launching your website without the steep upfront costs of dedicated hosting. This can make a lot of sense if you’re looking to save on expenses while still getting your online presence up and running. However, when choosing a hosting option where your resources are shared with other websites, you may be wondering – how secure is shared hosting, really? What if the actions of another website on the server impact your own? These are common concerns, especially for new website owners.
In this article, we share what you need to know about shared website hosting security. We’ll explore the benefits and potential vulnerabilities, plus some essential tips for keeping your website secure in a shared environment.
What is shared hosting?
Shared hosting is a type of web hosting service where multiple websites share the same server and its resources. This includes sharing CPU, RAM, storage, and bandwidth with other users on the server. By pooling resources, hosting providers can offer shared hosting at a much lower cost than other hosting types like VPS or dedicated hosting. Shared hosting is popular for personal websites, small businesses, and startups, providing an affordable way to establish a web presence.
Is shared hosting secure?
The security of shared hosting depends on several factors, such as the hosting provider’s infrastructure, security protocols, and the measures you take to protect your own site. While shared hosting is generally safe, it does come with potential vulnerabilities since multiple websites are hosted on the same server. For example, if one website on the server becomes compromised, it could potentially expose other sites to the same threats.
Key benefits of shared website hosting
Shared hosting has several attractive benefits for new and smaller businesses:
- Cost-effective: Since resources are shared, hosting providers can offer affordable pricing, often including additional features like website builders, email accounts, and basic security.
- Easy to manage: Most shared hosting plans come with a user-friendly control panel, which makes managing your site simpler, even if you lack technical expertise.
- Maintenance-free: Server management, software updates, and security patches are handled by the hosting provider, reducing your need to worry about backend maintenance.
While these benefits are compelling, shared hosting’s affordability and simplicity come with certain risks and limitations.
Potential security risks with shared hosting
Sharing a server with multiple websites can expose you to certain security risks. Some of the primary concerns include:
- Neighbouring site vulnerabilities
Since you’re on the same server as other websites, a breach or malware attack on one site could potentially impact your own site. This is especially risky if the other sites don’t maintain strong security practices.
- Limited access to security controls
In a shared hosting environment, you won’t have access to advanced server settings or security configurations, as the hosting provider handles these. This may limit your ability to implement custom security measures that could further protect your site.
- Performance impact
While not strictly a security risk, performance issues can indirectly affect your website. If another site on the server experiences high traffic or technical problems, it could slow down your site or make it temporarily unavailable, which could impact your visitors’ trust in your site’s reliability.
Essential security tips for shared hosting users
To maximise security on shared hosting, here are some best practices you can follow:
1. Choose a reputable hosting provider: Opt for a hosting provider that emphasises security and regularly updates its servers. Look for providers with good reviews, transparent security practices, and SSL certificates as standard offerings.
2. Regularly update your website software: Make sure your content management system (CMS), plugins, and themes are up to date. Many vulnerabilities come from outdated software, so setting up automatic updates can help protect your site.
3. Use strong, unique passwords: A common security risk is weak or reused passwords. Make sure you’re using complex, unique passwords for all logins, including your CMS, hosting account, and email.
4. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA): Many hosting providers offer 2FA, which adds an extra layer of security to your login process by requiring an additional verification code.
5. Implement web application firewalls (WAF): A WAF can help filter and monitor traffic between your website and the Internet, protecting against common threats like SQL injections and cross-site scripting (XSS).
6. Schedule regular backups: In the event of a security breach, having a recent backup can save you from data loss and minimise downtime. Many hosting providers offer automated backup options, or you can use plugins to schedule backups.
7. Install an SSL certificate: SSL certificates encrypt data transmitted between your site and its users, providing a layer of protection against eavesdropping and data tampering. This is especially important if you’re handling sensitive information, like customer data.
Pros and cons between cloud hosting and shared web hosting
When deciding on a hosting option, it’s also helpful to weigh the pros and cons between cloud hosting and shared web hosting. While cloud hosting offers more scalability and control, shared hosting is often the better choice for small businesses and websites that don’t need extensive resources. However, as your website grows and your security needs increase, cloud hosting may be worth considering.
When shared hosting is the right choice
Shared hosting can be the perfect starting point for businesses with limited budgets and modest website needs. It allows you to establish an online presence without the high costs of dedicated or VPS hosting. For most small businesses, this is an excellent first step. However, as your website grows and traffic increases, you may need to upgrade to a more secure, dedicated environment.
To make the most out of shared hosting, choose a provider that takes security seriously and actively protects all websites on their servers. Additionally, following security best practices like using strong passwords, enabling 2FA, and regularly updating your website can go a long way in keeping your site safe.
Conclusion
Shared hosting is a secure and economical option for many new businesses and SMEs, as long as you’re mindful of the potential risks and take steps to safeguard your website. By choosing a reputable provider and following best practices, you can enjoy the benefits of shared hosting while minimising security risks.
If you’re looking for a reliable shared hosting provider, consider HostSG. As Singapore’s first hosting company with connections to top-tier networks like Singtel and Starhub, HostSG provides both reliability and performance. Get started today with us and experience hosting that meets your needs for security and quality service.
