While many people automatically assume that the location of a web server has no relation to the level of security, this is not true. There was a recent report produced regarding so-called “data danger zones” which cast a very interesting light on the security and the location of web servers. So, as it relates to security, what are the safest data locations and what were the elements used to rank these?
Security and data risk scoring factors
Calculating data risk factors is not an exact science but taking into account an array of different factors offers the chance to compare and contrast. The recent report took into account numerous factors, to create a data risk score, which included:
- Risk of corruption
- Risk of conflict
- Risk of terrorism
- Unstable infrastructure
- Political risk
- Disaster risk While it is easy to look at the list of factors taken into consideration and assume they will “never happen” the fact is they do. Therefore, each element by itself can have a knock-on effect to online security and the cumulative impact can be significant. If example we look at:
Political risk
Different political movements will have very different views on the Internet, capitalism, data protection, state control and business which can lead to uncertainty and in some cases a risk to data. There is also the risk of data being legally/illegally accessed by various government bodies and significantly varied data protection regulations.
Risk of corruption
Whether state funded or private funded, many countries around the world offer a significant risk of corruption which may include illegal access to website data. As a consequence, there is certainly a move towards the more secure countries of the world which we will discuss below.
Unstable infrastructure
The online infrastructure of any country is a vital element when it comes to data security and reliability. It is all good and well having the best hosting company in the world but if the infrastructure on which it depends is “unstable” this will have a significant impact on reliability and data protection.
Luxembourg amongst the most secure nations
Those who follow Internet security will probably not be surprised to learn that Luxembourg is the fourth safest nation in the world when it comes to data privacy and storage risks. The top four are made up of:-
- Switzerland
- Singapore
- Iceland
- Luxembourg If we compare and contrast the data risk scores from the recent survey, by Artmotion Ltd., the figure for Luxembourg was 2.6% while the most dangerous data zones are as follows:-
- Somalia – 92.9%
- Afghanistan – 88.3%
- Burundi – 80.4%
- Yemen – 79.0% This perfectly illustrates the difference between the most unsecure/secure countries when it comes to data privacy/data storage and those which offer the most risk. Luxembourg is renowned as a safe and secure country with a stable political background and significant investment in infrastructure. The country is very rarely in the news regarding terrorism or conflict and ranks extremely low when it comes to corruption.
Types of hosting services in Luxembourg
There is no doubt that reliability and protection of data is an integral part of the decision-making process when looking for a web hosting company. As a consequence, we are seeing more and more hosting companies basing their operations in Luxembourg – taking advantage of the extremely low risk to data privacy and storage. Some of the services available include:
Web hosting
There are numerous types of web hosting available which include:
- Shared hosting
- Dedicated hosting
- Virtual private servers
- Reseller hosting We’ve also seen a significant increase in the popularity of cloud hosting services which not only incorporate the latest technology for data protection and data storage but also offer enhanced reliability. This type of service is available for personal accounts or business hosting with numerous options to incorporate different levels of management/support.
Domain registration
Thankfully the practice of registering domain names in the name of a client’s website hosting company is now very rare. Companies such as Luxhosting ensure that customers have control of their own domain names which are held in their own name. There is also added protection when it comes to domain ownership privacy.
Website security
Over the years we have seen a number of online scams and fraudulent activity such as third-man data interception. It is therefore vital that SSL certificates are now incorporated into all domain names/websites from inception. This ensures that website data communications cannot be intercepted and redirected as well as introducing encryption as an added layer of protection.
Consistent investment in infrastructure
Countries such as Luxembourg have a history of investing heavily into infrastructure and this now incorporates the online arena. In many ways the infrastructure on which they country is based is also the foundations of the online sector. This investment in the latest broadband technology, delivery services and data protection gives confidence to web hosting companies to base themselves in Luxembourg. When you consider that the UK was actually ranked outside of the top 10 European Union nations when it comes to data risk factors, this highlights the level of protection afforded by Luxembourg. The UK has been seen as a leader by many people - so we can only imagine the level of security offered by Luxembourg. This investment in infrastructure has to be matched by web hosting companies looking at the latest servers, technology and safety packages. These two elements of investment fit like a glove and give enhanced confidence to website owners around the world. In fact, this infrastructure spending is akin to the foundations for a luxury property with only the house visible – not the vital foundations. Therefore, without these foundations there would be no longevity for Luxembourg-based hosting companies.
Summary
It is very easy to take for granted the level of data storage and data privacy protection in your home country. Issues such as unstable infrastructure, risk of conflict, corruption and political risk can have a serious impact upon the foundations on which web hosting services are built. Therefore, it is no surprise to learn that the likes of Luxembourg have now become a focal point for numerous web hosting services. This is a trend which many expect to get stronger as both the location of web hosting companies and IP addresses becomes ever more important. Might server location become part of search engine algorithms in the future? There are also various investment challenges regarding cloud hosting, a very popular trend of late, and the need to maintain investment in technology, hardware and software. So, sometimes it is useful to “go back to basics” and look at the foundations on which your hosting company is built. They don’t come any stronger than Luxembourg! Source : Data danger zones by Artmotion Ltd
