Future Hosting Warns Hosting Clients Of The Risks Of Linux Ransomware

Southfield, MI (PRWEB)February 23, 2016 - Future Hosting, a VPS hosting and dedicated server hosting provider, is seeking to raise awareness of the growing problem of ransomware targeting websites hosted on Linux servers. The advent of Linux-specific ransomware, as reported by web security experts Sucuri, puts web-based businesses and their users at risk of data loss.

Ransomware attacks have historically targeted desktop computers, and haven't previously been noted as a major risk to Linux servers, but the Linux.Encoder ransomware is now being actively used by online criminals to extort bitcoins from web site owners. Once in place on a web hosting server, the ransomware will encrypt essential site files and demand payment in return for the encryption key.

The Linux security model makes the compromise of Linux servers more difficult than desktop machines, but lax security procedures can lead to exploitable vulnerabilities.

Future Hosting has strongly advised web hosting clients to ensure they have adequate up-to-date backups of all data. The company also warns Linux system administrators that failing to implement security best practices — including regular updates — may leave their servers vulnerable to compromise and ransomware infection.

“We host many thousands of virtual private and dedicated Linux servers, with both managed and unmanaged plans,” said Maulesh Patel, VP of Operations of Future Hosting, “We do our best to ensure that managed servers are protected from malware, including ransomware, but we want to stress the responsibility that server administrators have to protect their own data and follow security best practices.”

The Linux.Encoder malware was first discovered towards the end of 2015, at which point security researchers realized it had a serious flaw. They were able to decrypt the data. In the months since its discovery, online criminals have improved the code, making it much less likely that security experts and system administrators will be able to recover encrypted data.

The best way to combat ransomware is to ensure that servers aren't compromised in the first place, which requires server administrators to be diligent with regard to updates and secure authentication credentials.

About Future Hosting, LLC

Founded in 2001, Future Hosting is a privately held leading Internet solutions provider specializing in managed hosting, including Dedicated Servers, Virtual Private Servers, and Hybrid Virtual Private Servers. The company has built a strong reputation for its high-quality service, innovative pricing models, and 3-hour Service Level Agreement. Future Hosting is based in Southfield, Michigan. For more information, visit http://www.futurehosting.com