Ubuntu

Static IP addresses are an important part of networking for many types of servers, although a bit more overhead to configure they ensure a consistent state. The Ubuntu configuration of static addresses varies depending on the operating system version you are running, this guide will look at the 2 most recent versions with Long Term Support (LTS)

This guide shows you how to configure a static IP address on an Ubuntu server running 16.04 LTS or 18.04 LTS that is currently configured with DHCP.

At the very least modern websites should be using HTTPS by default with any traffic on HTTP redirected to HTTPS, this ensures traffic in transit is encrypted from 3rd parties prying eyes. The next step is ensuring that the SSL certificate along with the web server it sits on is configured correctly from a security perspective ensuring any well known backdoors are addressed.

The Qualys SSL Server tool is an excellent free tool that grades the quality of your SSL configuration that also identifies any areas that need to be addressed.

Using an SSL certificate is a must for ensuring your website is protected and meets the demands of today's modern sites/browsers. Customers and visitors to your site will know that their browsing session is safe, and that payment details and personal information is secure and encrypted in transit.

The following guide creates a certificate through Apache and a trusted certificate authority, applying the certificate to your website then forcing all traffic to use HTTPS rather than HTTP.