NovaVPSHow-to
VPS Security Hardening Checklist — 12 Steps After the First Login
A practical hardening checklist: keys over passwords, firewall defaults, automatic patches, fail2ban, audit surface and backups you actually test.
长文正文为英文。页头、目录与结账已翻译。
Identity and access
- Add your SSH public key, then disable password authentication for root.
- Create a named sudo user; reserve root for console/rescue only.
- Enable 2FA on the hosting panel — the panel is part of your attack surface too.
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Launch nowNetwork surface
- Default-deny firewall: allow 22 (or your moved port), 80/443, and each service you actually run.
- Close the panel ports you do not use; bind admin interfaces to localhost or a VPN.
- Install fail2ban (or sshguard) — log noise drops by an order of magnitude.
System and data
- Turn on unattended security upgrades for the base system.
- Schedule snapshots plus an off-box backup; an untested backup is a rumor, not a backup.
- For sensitive data at rest, add a LUKS container opened after boot — see the encrypted VPS guide.
Does NovaVPS harden the server for me?
No — you get root, which means the hardening decisions (and their benefits) are yours. The checklist above is the standard baseline.
Is a VPS with password login unsafe by default?
It is weaker: password brute-force noise starts within minutes of a public IP. Keys first is the single highest-value step.
Do I need antivirus on a Linux VPS?
Rarely for the OS itself; run malware scanners on the content you serve (e.g. uploads) if you accept files from users.
Ready to launch?
Configure a VPS or dedicated server, set a password, then pay the invoice.
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