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On any given day, it’s thought that around 30,000 websites are hacked. To compound that, more than half of organizations (54%) feel their IT departments aren’t sufficiently equipped to deal with advanced cyber attacks. As cyber criminals evolve and new threats emerge daily, it can be increasingly difficult for businesses to ensure the security of their (often highly-sensitive) data.
However, with most businesses moving at least part of their infrastructures to the cloud over the last decade (9 in 10 businesses now utilize cloud computing in some form), many are benefiting from the fact that most cloud providers offer a number of advanced security solutions — lessening the burden on their internal IT teams in the process.
That said, your security within the cloud is often entirely dependent on the hosting provider you choose. Most (not all) will offer built-in security features, but that doesn’t mean you’re fully covered against all the online threats your business is likely to encounter (and even some you weren’t aware existed).
When you’re looking for the ideal cloud hosting solution for your website(s) or application(s), security should be one of your primary considerations — so which providers offer the most robust security features? We’ve scoured the cloud hosting market and come up with the 5 best cloud hosting solutions when it comes to securing your data.
List of best Cloud Hosting Providers
SiteGround
Founded in 2004, SiteGround currently hosts over 2 million domains worldwide through its shared and cloud hosting solutions. It’s certainly on the premium end of the cloud hosting market (and the prices of its plans reflect that) but there aren’t many better options around when it comes to online security. Every plan comes with a dedicated IP, an SSL certificate for each domain, as well as an automatic daily data backup. A flexible if not inexpensive solution, SiteGround is best suited to serving the security needs of medium to large-sized businesses with more complex cloud infrastructures.
Security features include:
- Automated daily backups
- 2-factor authentication
- Free SSL certificate
- Web Application Firewall (WAF)
- Regular patches and updates
- Real-time server monitoring
- AI anti-bot system
- Spam protection
- WordPress security plugin
Cloudways
The managed cloud hosting provider Cloudways is an intuitive, 1-click managed hosting platform that hosts over 50,000 servers globally. With a raft of security features including 24/7 real-time monitoring, dedicated firewalls and automated backups, Cloudways also offers regular security patching to ensure security features are continually updated. Through its partnership with Cloudflare (the Cloudways Enterprise CDN add-on is included with all plans), Cloudways promises enterprise-grade security, with advanced protection against DDoS threats.
Security features include:
- Automated backups
- Free SSL certificate
- 2-factor authentication
- Web Application Firewall (WAF)
- End-to-end encryption
- ‘Malcare’ bot protection
- Cloudflare Enterprise add-on
A2 Hosting
Best known for its impressive speed (promising server speeds up to 20 times faster), A2 Hosting is also adept when it comes to security features, making it a great choice for organizations looking to combine optimal performance with robust security. While A2 doesn’t offer cloud hosting services in the traditional sense, it offers VPS hosting solutions with dedicated server resources. For peace of mind when it comes to website security, it offers a dual firewall (securing both server and network) and 24/7 malware protection through its ‘HackScan’ tool, among other features as standard.
Security features include:
- Free SSL certificate
- DDoS protection
- 2-factor authentication
- Automatic backups (not included in the Startup plan)
- ‘HackScan’ 24/7 malware protection
- Server and network firewalls
- Virus scanning
- Server hardening
Hostinger
If you’re looking for a low-cost solution that offers surprisingly resilient security, Hostinger may well be your go-to hosting provider. With a VPS hosting option available alongside a number of affordable cloud hosting plans, all Hostinger users (as with Cloudways) benefit from an integration with Cloudflare, with a DNS firewall to protect your site(s) (you can host up to 300 on Hostinger) from DDoS attacks. In addition, there’s a tool called ‘SpamAssassin’ that monitors and removes email spam, and also ‘Bitninja’ (a security package that protects against XXS, malware and brute-force, among other automated attacks.
Security features include:
- Free SSL certificate
- 2-factor authentication
- Automated daily or weekly backups (depending on your plan)
- ‘SpamAssassin’ tool for removing email spam
- Cloudflare DDoS firewall
- ‘Bitninja’ (a security tool that prevents automated attacks)
- Bastion servers
DreamHost
It may not offer the same vast number of security features as other cloud hosting providers on the market, but DreamHost still takes your security very seriously. It’s generally suited to smaller businesses or individuals (where security requirements might not be quite so complex), but that said, all basic (and some more advanced) security measures are covered through DreamHost’s affordable cloud hosting plans. While most features come as standard (including SSL certificates, automated backups and MFA), for an additional monthly cost you can apply the ‘DreamShield’ malware removal tool.
Security features include:
- SSL certificates
- Multi-factor authentication
- Automatic daily backups
- Domain privacy protection
- Firewalls for Apache and Nginx
- ‘DreamShield’ malware removal tool
Continue Reading:
What is DDoS Attack? Distributed Denial of Service Attack
Web Hosting: Essential Features & Types
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