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How to protect your VPS from DDoS attack
Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks can bring down your website, disrupt business operations, break customer trust, and eventually negatively impact finances. If you manage a VPS for your business, taking proactive measures to defend against these attacks is critical.
Let’s look at best practices to protect your VPS from DDoS attacks and ensure uninterrupted service.
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1. Use a DDoS-protected hosting provider
The first line of defense is choosing a VPS provider that offers built-in DDoS protection. These providers use advanced filtering systems and traffic analysis to detect and mitigate attacks before they reach your server.
If your current provider lacks this feature, consider upgrading to one that specializes in DDoS protection.
2. Configure a firewall and rate limiting
A properly configured firewall can block malicious traffic before it reaches your VPS.
Use iptables, UFW, or a cloud-based firewall service to filter out suspicious requests. Additionally, set up rate limiting to restrict the number of requests from a single IP address within a given timeframe. This helps prevent bots from overwhelming your server.
3. Implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF)
A Web Application Firewall (WAF) adds an extra layer of protection by filtering and monitoring HTTP traffic to and from your VPS. It helps block malicious requests, including those commonly used in DDoS attacks.
Services like Cloudflare, Sucuri, and Imperva offer managed WAF solutions that can shield your VPS from harmful traffic.
4. Leverage content delivery networks (CDNs)
A CDN helps distribute your website’s traffic across multiple servers, reducing the impact of DDoS attacks. By caching your content in different locations worldwide, a CDN absorbs excessive requests and prevents your VPS from becoming a single point of failure.
Popular CDNs like Cloudflare and Akamai provide built-in DDoS protection as well.
5. Enable automatic threat detection and monitoring
Monitoring your VPS for unusual traffic patterns is essential for detecting potential DDoS attacks early. Use server monitoring tools like Zabbix, Nagios, or a managed security service to track incoming requests, CPU usage, and bandwidth spikes.
Many hosting providers also offer real-time alerts to notify you of suspicious activity.
6. Harden your server security
To minimize vulnerabilities that could be exploited during a DDoS attack, follow these security best practices:
- Disable unnecessary services and ports to reduce attack vectors.
- Keep your operating system and software up to date to patch security vulnerabilities.
- Use fail2ban to block IPs that repeatedly attempt to access your server illegitimately.
- Implement strong authentication and avoid using default login credentials.
Learn more: 20 VPS security tips →
7. Deploy an anycast network
Anycast networks route incoming traffic through multiple distributed data centers, helping to absorb DDoS attacks. Instead of directing all traffic to a single VPS, an anycast setup distributes requests across multiple locations, reducing the impact on any single server.
8. Put a mitigation plan in place
Even with preventive measures, it’s crucial to have an incident response plan. This should include:
- A list of emergency contacts, including your hosting provider’s support team.
- Pre-configured failover systems to switch to a backup server if necessary.
- A step-by-step recovery guide to restore services quickly.
9. Invest in managed VPS hosting
Managed hosting services offload server management, maintenance, and security to your hosting provider. If you’re new to VPS servers or just want the added assurance that your server security is in expert hands, the additional investment in managed VPS hosting is well worth it.
Getting started with DDoS protection for your VPS
DDoS attacks are a growing threat, but with the right precautions, you can safeguard your VPS and maintain business continuity.
Using a DDoS-protected hosting provider, configuring firewalls, leveraging CDNs, and implementing security best practices will help minimize the risk of an attack disrupting your operations. Stay proactive, monitor your server activity, and always have a response plan in place to ensure uptime and security for your business website.
When you’re ready to upgrade your VPS to a DDoS-protected provider, Liquid Web can help. We’ve been providing the industry’s most secure VPS servers for decades—without compromising speed, performance, or customer service.
Click below to explore DDoS protected VPS options or start a chat with one of our VPS experts right now to learn more.
Additional resources
VPS: A Beginner’s Guide →
A complete beginner’s guide to virtual private servers
Managed VPS vs unmanaged VPS hosting →
What’s the difference and which is right for you?
What is a DDoS attack? →
A simple definition and some clear examples, so you know what to watch out for
David Richards has been an educator, a Technology Director, and now a Technical Writer for 20+ years. He’s an English major with a love for technology and helping others find ways to use technology more effectively. In his free time, Dave loves to read, play games, and spend time with his family.
