Linux VPS Security Audit & Hardening
A read-only security audit of your Linux VPS — open ports, SSH, firewall, users, scheduled jobs, Docker, exposed files, databases and malware indicators — followed, if you want it, by careful baseline hardening with backups confirmed first and every change recorded.
STYD performs a read-only security audit of Linux VPS servers covering ports, firewall, SSH, users, sudoers, cron and systemd persistence, Docker, web and database exposure, SSL and malware indicators, with findings rated Critical to OK. Optional baseline hardening is applied only with written approval, a confirmed backup and a before/after report, and stops if the audit finds signs of compromise.
The problem
Most business servers were set up once, quickly, by someone who may no longer be around. Since then, ports were opened for a test, a database is listening on the internet, a .env or .git folder is served by the web server, and root can still log in with a password. Nothing looks wrong until a crypto-miner, an abuse warning, or a leaked credential shows up.
Who it's for
Businesses running their own Linux VPS for a web app, Odoo, WordPress, Docker, a database, or automation tools such as n8n — especially owners who inherited the server or want to know whether it is safe before deciding to change anything.
The outcome
A server whose real state is known and documented: dangerous exposures closed, SSH and firewall on a sound baseline, sensitive files no longer public, and a clear list of what remains — so the next decision rests on evidence, not on a hunch.
What STYD delivers
STYD first audits the server read-only: inventory, public ports, firewall, SSH configuration, shell users and sudoers, cron and systemd persistence, Docker, web exposure of .env, .git and backup files, SSL, database exposure, basic malware indicators, and where secrets are stored — without exposing their values. Every finding is rated Critical, High, Medium, Low or OK. If you approve hardening, STYD applies the baseline: key-only SSH with root login disabled where safe, a UFW firewall baseline, Fail2ban, unattended security updates without automatic reboot, sensitive-file blocks and safe security headers on Nginx or Apache, and tighter secret-file permissions — validated before and after and recorded in a change ledger. Changes that can cause downtime, such as database binding, Docker ports, Odoo configuration, full upgrades or reboots, are reviewed but applied only with separate approval.
Common questions this service helps with
- Linux VPS security audit
- harden Ubuntu VPS SSH and firewall
- is my VPS server secure
- VPS security check for small business
- Odoo VPS hardening
- secure Docker server exposed ports
Pricing
Final pricing is confirmed after a short scoping conversation.
FAQ
No. The audit is read-only: nothing is changed, restarted or reinstalled. Some hardening changes need a short restart, which is why hardening happens only in an agreed maintenance window.
That is the main risk of careless hardening, so it is gated. Before SSH or firewall rules are touched, STYD confirms written approval, a verified backup or restore point, a provider snapshot where possible, out-of-band console access, and a working non-root user with an SSH key.
Hardening stops. Securing a server that may already be compromised only hides the problem, so the work moves to VPS Malware & Crypto-Miner Cleanup instead.
The audit records where secrets are stored, not their values. Secret rotation is excluded by default and available as a quoted option when the findings call for it.
Malware cleanup, application code review, ongoing monitoring and emergency response are separate services. A full rebuild on a fresh server is quoted separately when a server cannot be trusted. This is not a penetration test or a certified compliance audit.
No server can be guaranteed 100% secure. The work closes common and dangerous exposures, puts access on a sound baseline, and states plainly what remains.
Yes. Once the server is stable, optional monitoring with Discord alerts and a monthly care plan can be added — quoted on request.
Related STYD services
Your server is running hot, showing processes nobody recognises, or your host sent an abuse warning. Evidence is captured, the infection is cleaned, and you get an honest view of whether the server can still be trusted.
A read-only security review of the custom apps, code and automations your business runs on — who can call them, where the credentials are, and what can write to production — with verified findings ranked by severity.
A system is being built for your business — or by your team. Before more is built on top of it, get an independent written assessment of whether what exists today is sound enough to continue.
Tell us about your setup and we'll confirm fit, scope, and pricing.