Dedicated Server vs Shared Hosting
A dedicated server is like having your own house. You are sharing all the resources like water supply, power supply, parking lot, etc. with other people in the apartment building.
In an apartment building, if someone puts on his A.C., it puts extra load on the power grid of the entire building. A short circuit in one apartment may cause a power cut for the whole building. Similarly, an anti-social element staying next door who tries to peep into your apartment poses a security threat.
In your own house, all the resources are just for yourself. It's like a dedicated server where the clients have full control over the server regarding:
- Operating system choice
- Root access
- Hardware and software configuration
In shared web hosting, HTTP servers like Apache require control over the files to serve clients, which immediately poses a security concern.
If the domains can run scripts or have shell access, then in a shared hosting environment one client can modify the files of another client. Even though Linux provides file permissions (user/group/other), a simple PHP script can access files outside its home directory.
Even pre-packaged software requires read/write/execute access to your files, exposing vulnerabilities to others. While functions like exec() and shell_exec() are useful, they pose security risks.
Example Scenario
Most websites require image uploads. If the client doesn’t have permission, uploads won't work. The common solution is to give 777 permission (read/write/execute) to the destination directory, which becomes a huge security risk by exposing all files to every user on the server.
Risks in Shared Hosting
- Multiple websites hosted on the same server increase the risk.
- If one is attacked, others face downtime too.
- DoS (Denial of Service) on one site affects the whole server.
For example, if an apartment on the ground floor causes a water blockage, the pipeline to other floors also gets affected. Similarly, a DoS attack can impact all sites on a shared server.
Conclusion
There is a trade-off between cost and security in shared hosting. Security in shared web hosting is never as strong as a dedicated server.
Recommendations:
- Store sensitive data in a secure database
- Be cautious with file uploads
- Keep all server utilities up to date
- Track logs, access, and usage
You may also consider Virtual Private Servers (VPS) or Virtual Dedicated Servers (VDS). These offer a middle ground by providing:
- Full control over your virtual server
- Isolation from other users on the same hardware
- Security similar to a dedicated environment
If you handle highly sensitive data, the best solution is to choose a Dedicated or VPS server.
Try E2E Cloud to believe in it. Sign-up for a free trial here.
