How to Lock Down Your Small Business Server Before Hackers Find It

Most small business owners think they’re too small to be hacked — but the truth is, bots don’t care who you are.
Every device connected to the internet gets scanned thousands of times a day.
If your Linux or cloud server isn’t locked down, it’s only a matter of time before something gets in.

The good news?
You don’t need enterprise-grade tools or a 24/7 security team — just a clear checklist and a little discipline.

🔐 1. Change Default Access and Credentials

Out of the box, servers come with predictable usernames and ports (root, admin, 22).
That’s the first thing bots try.

• Create a new user with sudo privileges.

• Disable direct root login.

• Use SSH keys instead of passwords.

💡 Bonus tip: Changing your SSH port from 22 to something obscure (like 2222) blocks 90% of automated attacks.

🧱 2. Keep Software Updated Automatically

Old packages = old vulnerabilities.
Set up unattended-upgrades on Ubuntu or dnf-automatic on RHEL.
If you use Docker, rebuild images weekly — stale containers are hacker goldmines.

🧰 3. Audit Permissions and Clean Up Access

Every extra account or directory permission increases your attack surface.

• Run find / -perm -o+w to locate world-writable files.

• Remove users that no longer need access.

• Check /etc/sudoers for unintentional privileges.

🌐 4. Enable and Configure a Firewall

A firewall isn’t optional — it’s your front door.
Tools like ufw or firewalld make it simple: