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I have recently subscribed a Linux VPS hosting plan which I am planning to use (mostly) as a SVN server for version-controling sensitive documents (like, for example, drafts of theses and results of scientific research). I have been reading a lot about online security lately and I know I should...

  • Use a firewall (iptables and ip6tables) to block all input and output IPv4/IPv6 traffic by default, opening only the ports that I really need to use.
  • Change SSH's default port to something else, disable root login and password authentication.
  • Use fail2ban to block hosts that attempt connections to closed ports, portscans and the like.
  • Keep my system up-to-date and only use packages from trusted sources.

However, somehow this alone doesn't make me feel safe enough to host data that, if stolen, could ruin a work of years. Is there anything else I should keep in mind when securing my server? Or is all this too much paranoia of me about security?

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I would suggest migrating this to security stack exchange - our 'hardening' tag is ideal for this type of question. – Rory Alsop Jun 23 '12 at 22:57

closed as not constructive by techie007, Joe Taylor, slhck♦, Mokubai, Daniel Beck♦ Jul 22 '12 at 14:32

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1 Answer

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Besides locking out the exterior, you could also lock out the interior a bit, like so:

  • Make sure that even when access is obtained that they can't easily find and access the data.

  • Encrypted data can be stolen, but not accessed. Although it might be tricky to secure a SVN repo.

As you are using SVN, you might want to set it up over SSH.

Another step is making sure all users of the SVN have a safe workstation, such that they don't leak it.

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My intention is to use SVN, but I can switch to another VCS if it can be encrypted. – NetStudent Jun 23 '12 at 18:07
@NetStudent: I don't know about SVN, but I know Git can be set up over SSH. – Tom Wijsman Jun 23 '12 at 18:08
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@Tom: SVN can definitely run over ssh. – Ben Voigt Jun 23 '12 at 18:09
@Tom Wijsman: Its not the way files are sent to the server that concerns me but the way they are stored and how easily it will be to access them if the server gets compromised. – NetStudent Jun 23 '12 at 18:20
@NetStudent: Yeah, but you don't want to end up getting one of your users to leak the files after you have only secured the server. – Tom Wijsman Jun 23 '12 at 18:35

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