Web hosting is one of those sectors in which, generally speaking, the buyer will have significantly less technical knowledge than the vendor. That might not be the case if the hosting is being procured by or with the assistance of a knowledgable IT department, but even they might not have specialist knowledge of hosting technologies.
Throw in the fact that, depending on the services being provided and how they are to be provided, the buyer might never actually see the server or web hosting setup they have procured, it can be difficult to know just how secure that setup is.
All too often, you are left to buy based on what you read in a list of services from a website or, if you’re going through a formal procurement process, a contract, and then trust they they are being provided as described.
So how can you you be sure that your web host takes the security measures they claim?
One way is to look for a web hosting company that carries ISO 27001 certification. This is the international standard for quality in IT security and IT government. As such, it is the quality assessment that is best suited for judging hosting and other hosting-related services.
Crucially for those looking for secure hosting, it is focused on a company’s ability to store and handle IT data in a secure manner.
The scope of ISO 27001 certification can vary between different assessments, so it is worth delving into the specifics before committing, but as a rule of thumb this is a good way to find a web host who takes security seriously.
