Securing web hosting for your website and purchasing a domain name are two separate steps when establishing a web presence. You can purchase a web hosting package that provides you the security to keep your website online and includes administrative control of your domain. Or, you can purchase a domain name that you can use on a variety of websites. This will allow you to establish a completely secure web presence. How do you choose a web host? Consider a service provider with several years of experience. They may know how to offer free web hosting that is still effective. Or, consider service providers that provide a level of secure web hosting that best suits your needs. Some web hosting companies offer free plans and services like a knownhost dedicated-server offer more features as well. You can start with these and upgrade to higher level services if needed. Consider choosing a package with three or more web hosting packages. These packages offer different services. They may include simple web hosting, a virtual private server (VPS) platform, or a server farm. You may choose a service provider that has one of these plans so that you can try them all and find the right package for you. If you decide to change web hosting plans or your domain name, you must sign up for an update. This can be confusing if you are not comfortable with computers and web browsers. If you need to renew your web hosting account, visit the renewal page for your account and follow the instructions. Important: You must submit a payment for your web hosting renewal each year.
How Do You Protect your Site from Spam, Phishing and Malware? Understanding threats in the online world is as important as securing your site. A basic definition of spam is “false or exaggerated claims, statements, or claims of fact,” including the propagation of deceptive and misleading online messages and web pages. For example, spam can include any messages that directly encourage you to send or receive money, products, or other things. Phishing is “unwanted communications via email or web that is believed to be solicited or requesting the recipient to provide personal or financial information,” or it can be any type of deceptive or misleading online message. Malware is any form of computer software, especially computer viruses and worms that “subvert or damage a computer program to obtain unauthorized access, execute executable code, or collect sensitive information.” There are many different types of threats, and you must pay close attention to what you are clicking on. Other common threats include online scams and malware; bots; click fraud; spamming; and phishing. These are all examples of attacks that seek to trick you into sending them money, personal information, or offering them goods or services. Phishing: This type of attack is an email or spam that asks you to provide personal information, such as your bank account or credit card number, or it requires you to login to your account in order to complete a transaction. You can also see phishing signs on social media, such as tweets that direct you to an illegal site that asks you to “receive free premium services.”