Servers ensure that working processes function correctly

Servers are essential to ensuring that working processes function correctly within a company or institution. It is their job to ensure that services are provided on a permanent basis via the computer network. These services can be basic services for the local or external network, but also those that allow the exchange of e-mails or make databases and printer services available. Servers often perform their tasks in the background without direct user interaction. On the other hand, some server services interact directly with users and are not perceived as a server service at first glance.

Technical faults or network connection failures

A server is comprised of a combination of physical hardware, an operating system (called firmware) that runs on this hardware, as well as the services that operate on this. Servers, hardware and firmware all offer cyber criminals some typical points of attack and must be protected with appropriate cyber-security safeguards. The failure of hard drives or the network connection can jeopardise server availability. Vulnerabilities in operating systems and applications or incorrect configurations are also gateways for cyber attacks.

Protecting the operating system and the installed services

To protect servers and their services from attacks and failures, it is crucial to protect both the operating systems and the installed services. Attackers can cause significant damage if they are able to disrupt server availability or infiltrate servers and access data from them (attack on confidentiality) or manipulate data (attack on integrity). To guarantee a high level of cyber security, the operating system must be configured securely and special software to protect the server must be installed.

Documents and information

Below you will find information and support from the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) and the Alliance for Cyber Security (ACS) to help you increase the cyber security of your server.
Please note that some of these documents are not publicly accessible and require you to log in to the Alliance for Cyber Security website.