Website Server Security Factsheet 2

There are many kinds of Website Servers, each with their own specifications for the programs, code, scripts and server tools they run. The Bureau uses Linux Apache servers which are the most popular type of Web server in the world, developed by the Apache Software Foundation. Apache Web server is an open source software and can be installed on almost all operating systems including Linux, Unix, Windows, FreeBSD, Mac OS X and more. About 60% of the World’s Web server machines run on Apache Web Servers.

Our Web servers on which your Website is hosted, whether shared, dedicated, virtual (VPS) or PCI compliant are all housed in Telehouse in London near Poplar and the Blackwall Tunnel. Established in 1989, Telehouse became Europe’s first purpose-built, neutral data centre provider by opening its famous London data centre Telehouse North. Headquartered in London, Telehouse Europe has since grown to become one of the largest, global data centre providers, operating a network of 47 data centres in 23 strategic locations in the EMEA, the Americas and the Asia-Pacific region that cover all major commercial and financial hubs, meaning that we are never too far from their premium data centres.

This is where the government, banks, and many multi-national organisations, as well as thousands of SMEs hold their data in Cloud server storage as well as Websites. The Telehouse London data centres have become the site for Europe's first carrier-neutral colocation facility, the home to the London Internet Exchange (LINX), as well as a backbone for the global internet network.

The Bureau runs a series of Server Racks within Telehouse with each server protected by a variety of firewalls and protection software including failsafe systems to block DDos attacks. We use CLAMAV antivirus on our Linux Apache servers as well as embedded security such as Fail2Ban and CPHulk. The network is protected using strict access lists to limit access on the LAN so we can control what traffic has access to internal systems. Linux servers also run IP Tables firewalling which is configured as per requirements of that platform.

If you are asked by the ICO, SRA or another authority where your Website is stored and protected, this is where and how.