24/7 Server Maintenance, US based Server Security, Server Protection
One client's story
How Lepofsky & Associates Saved the Day AND Our Reputation
Biz Print and Promo in San Marcos, CA is a unique solution for the small business owner. We offer a combined print shop, sign shop, apparel decorator, promotion company and, in addition, offer web hosting services.
It would not be possible to offer so many different products without the assistance of some true professionals “in the Rolodex.” I am the type of person who needs to know the fundamentals, but rely on those professionals to teach and guide me in this ever-changing world. William “Will” Lepofsky is a server maintenance and server security consultant you need in your contact list. You need him under contract!
Recently, we received a call from our co-hosting web provider, raising server security concerns about spam originating from our accounts...
When there is any issue with my web server I first try to correct the situation myself and, failing that, look to Will at Lepofsky & Associates for my server maintenance and server security. After Will identified several email accounts responsible for distributing spam, he changed their passwords and started addressing the backlog of spam emails.
Regrettably, this solution proved to be effective for only a short period. At this point a comprehensive investigation was needed. This revealed a disconcerting truth – our entire server had been compromised. Lepofsky & Associates uncovered outdated websites, hacked sites, and sites with injected redirects to known malware sites. Also, Will found an ongoing barrage of spam originating from our server. It was clear our server's security had been breached. “Jon, this is a mess. Sites are hacked, same or easily guessed passwords are being used across multiple domains. We have to lock this down before they gain access to root level and you lose all control. And it is going to take some time. But I know what security measures need to be implemented and I can do them!”
My mind, my focus, and my nerves were shot. But Will assured me that things would get better once security was reinforced. Further exploration revealed that the breach began when our own website was compromised, using our own password. Unfortunately, that password was also used in multiple locations across our server, providing hackers with a gateway to seize control of most of our hosting environment. Interestingly, most clients were unaware of the issue even though we were reacting to an existing situation.
So, what security measures did Lepofsky & Associates take to resolve these pressing server security issues? How did they save the day for me?
- They:
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Identified numerous issues with passwords and outdated software.
- Enhanced port and password security on the server.
- Restricted access to only the essential ports required for website and email operations.
- Blocked all other management ports by default.
- Changed the passwords for all hosting and email accounts.
- Shifted our focus to the task of cleaning up our compromised websites.
- Employed an extensive back-up system - structured by Lepofsky & Associates years ago.
Throughout this ordeal, we were able to keep our customer base, endure some downtime and re-create some outdated websites that were not able to be saved. There’s no way I could possibly think of departing from Lepofsky & Associates for my long-term server maintenance and security needs.
I asked Will to share my story so others should not fall victim to the hackers and spammers the way I did.
If you want to avoid this situation for your website be sure to Contact Will at Lepofsky & Associates—I promise will be glad you did.
