How Do I Do This Without Pushing The Big Red Button?

[wonderweiss]

I know I've asked around for a while, but I get the feeling that I never got a straight up answer for this question: How do I make a server without risking viruses/hacking/the like. Basically security.

I really want to, but my mom highly disapproves, and whenever I mention it, she always has a story for the consequences of sharing the server IP.

I posted a thread of this because
a. I need a straight up answer and
b. I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one. This thread will give out a good hint to where to look for the answer to this particular question.

Thank you in advance for those who have the answer and would like to share it here. Your welcome to those who had the same idea and needed answers as well.

[Ibuki Suika]

So long as you use the internet for anything anywhere, you will always run the risk of viruses. You share your IP every time you go to any website or connect to any server for any video game or join any VoiP or anything else. Tell your mom to stop being a pansy about it. Just because you let others connect to a server on your computer doesn't mean that they're going to hack your computer and install all t3h v1rus3s. Your mom is probably just going to come up with another reason anyways since she seems to think that the internet just consists of people who want to get all the l33t info on your computer.

[S121]

If it's viruses she's worried about, then get some good anti-virus software.

[Tenko]

If it's viruses she's worried about, then get some good anti-virus software.

There's no such thing as a "good anti-virus" (well, if you look at it from a standpoint of in general).

To OP:
If you're worried about viruses, then don't download any mysterious files, don't install plugins from outside sources besides dev.bukkit.org, don't give out any information on your server's software specifications (PHP version, SQL database version, etc. etc.) and just be on toes in general.

[Tewi_Inaba]

I know i'm the last person to ask about anything computer related, but i know it's next o impossible to hack a minecraft server console, at least it is for the way Yukkuricraft has it set up. I would recommend running a privet (white listed) server until you gain more experience as an administrate. If you're really lost you can get someone smarter than you to be a mod on the server.

[LiShengshun]

Run a Linux server, don't install what you don't need on it. Seeing that minecraft requires you to install Java, you are already screwed though. Anyone who knows what they are doing can break into a server with Java, even if you patch it on a regular basis.

[Ibuki Suika]

I know i'm the last person to ask about anything computer related, but i know it's next o impossible to hack a minecraft server console, at least it is for the way Yukkuricraft has it set up. I would recommend running a privet (white listed) server until you gain more experience as an administrate. If you're really lost you can get someone smarter than you to be a mod on the server.

It actually isn't terribly hard if you're really dedicated.

[Tewi_Inaba]

Eh really? Remi seemed sure that the server was fairly safe from hacking when he talked about it on mumble. Even if the server was hacked all the worlds are backed up daily, and i'm sure Remi isn't the only one keeping back ups of the worlds.

[Worstcase]

There's no such thing as a "good anti-virus" (well, if you look at it from a standpoint of in general).

To OP:
If you're worried about viruses, then don't download any mysterious files, don't install plugins from outside sources besides dev.bukkit.org, don't give out any information on your server's software specifications (PHP version, SQL database version, etc. etc.) and just be on toes in general.

Pretty much this. If you're smart about what you're doing and don't do anything risky/stupid, and are confident in your knowledge than it shouldn't be an issue. The fact that you are making this thread means you are lacking in these (I don't mean that offensively, it's just the facts as they are). That said, getting hacked amongst other things is such a far out possibility that I'd argue it's on the bounds of paranoia, the worst that could possibly happen so long as you don't deliberately put yourself at risk is a DDoS attack. Which as it stands, you couldn't do anything about it even if you wanted to - and that goes for all server providers, not just you.

Run a Linux server, don't install what you don't need on it. Seeing that minecraft requires you to install Java, you are already screwed though. Anyone who knows what they are doing can break into a server with Java, even if you patch it on a regular basis.

If you wanted to be excessively secure, you would run a Linux server yes.

It actually isn't terribly hard if you're really dedicated.

It's a lot more difficult than you might think. The encryption key that Remi uses for example is so big that neither you nor I, or for that matter anyone here would ever have a chance in cracking.

[Tenko]

Pretty much this. If you're smart about what you're doing and don't do anything risky/stupid, and are confident in your knowledge than it shouldn't be an issue. The fact that you are making this thread means you are lacking in these (I don't mean that offensively, it's just the facts as they are). That said, getting hacked amongst other things is such a far out possibility that I'd argue it's on the bounds of paranoia, the worst that could possibly happen so long as you don't deliberately put yourself at risk is a DDoS attack. Which as it stands, you couldn't do anything about it even if you wanted to - and that goes for all server providers, not just you.




If you wanted to be excessively secure, you would run a Linux server yes.




It's a lot more difficult than you might think. The encryption key that Remi uses for example is so big that neither you nor I, or for that matter anyone here would ever have a chance in cracking.

Pretty sure the password was double-digit-more-than-10 characters long, and the encryption was either triple or quadrupedal.

Anyways, if OP really wants to this, go out and rent a server, don't host on yourself.

[Remilia Scarlet]

Like demon said, as soon as you connect to anything on the iternet, you're basically givin out your ip. So "give out your ip" argument is bull. It's a common misconception coming from paranoia that has zero grounds.

That being said as far as the server goes, don't open any ports other than minecraft's, default being 25565 iirc. As long as you don't set any remote accessing methods (eg ssh) then it's technically impossible to get "into" your computer, though I won't say 100% safe simply becUse there are ALWAYS exploits for this or that. However, alsorecognize that doing so would take a shitton of effort and then ask yourself, "Who would waste their time to hack into my server?"

As far as YC's security goes, the ssh port is a non-default port, requires a ppk key which also has a 40 char pass phrase to use, as well as a standard lengthed 16 key passcode to log into the user on the box itself. So yeah. Have fun getting through that. xD

[Tewi_Inaba]

Oh i think this mite also be a good time to mention. Hosting a server takes money. I don't know how much and it may very depending on how you do it and weather you rent or own the server. So you'll need either paypal or a credit card. the only way to run a free server that i know of at least would be going on single player and opening the world too LAN. but even then you can only play with people in thee same house as you.

[Katrix]

You can host a free server on a home computer, but this means that people have to enter your IP to join and it might lag too, depending on the hardware.

[Remilia Scarlet]

If we didn't have a mumble, a hostname, a website, or any of the other stuff other than the ACTUAL minecraft server itself, I coudl run things for free.

It's just, yeah. Webhosting, domain registration, VPS renting, and all the other stuff does cost money and we do use them xD About $100 a year or so.