Firms instructed to change dedicated server passwords

One of the first things a company should do after purchasing a dedicated server is change its password, it has been claimed.

According to THN, the password is a key component in security for any dedicated server and it is vital to know exactly who is able to access the system.

The web hosting provider may have set a default password or emailed it in plain text, the site says, meaning it is possible that someone outside the company could gain access to the server.

"Because there is a risk that someone else knows the password, it is essential that it is changed immediately," THN says.

It urges firms to use different access codes for personal and administrative accounts, adopting long, complex passwords which are by nature more difficult to guess.

"By combining letters, numbers and punctuation, avoid using any words that are contained in the dictionary," the site advised, also noting that the password should be changed at regular intervals.

Last month, Connected Internet reported that dedicated servers are perhaps more appropriate than virtual private servers for sites expecting high levels of web traffic.

Written by Mark Hainsby