I have a web host and am currently designing a web-based business. I began to get concerned about them having access to all of my pages, even if they are protected by a password. Even if I password protect my public_html file, they still can see what I'm working on. I realize the easiest way to avoid thinking about this is not to publish pages until my site is ready to launch or host it myself. I need to make sure my pages are displaying properly on all browsers and machines (for example, they weren't displaying in Firefox on my computer, yet on others with Firefox they are said to look correct).

I really need some help understanding the integrity of web hosting, and am wondering if I could sign a non-disclosure agreement or something like that.

Any insight into constructing a secure web business would be greatly appreciated.

YOZ

I guess I answered my own question in the post.

The integrity of web hosting is there. I just don't think it's a good idea to publish an unfinished web business for everyone to see online. However, I do think this is a relevant question to ask for new web designers:

What are the steps to creating a secure web based business?

Copywriting? Terms of Service creation? Password protecting files? Signing up with Verisign? Good ways to incorporate for web businesses? Other concerns?

I know there's things I'm not thinking of, it woud be nice to hear how the experienced web designers handle starting a web business with a web host.

A lot of questions!

You could begin from the first. It's a good idea to write in a webmaster forum, you can also search for old posts concerning the same issue.

You can find other material on the web using search engines.

What are the steps to creating a secure web based business?

Ok, you need to accept payment to earn money. In my opinion a secure web business has to offer a good product or service, and has to accept payment in a secure mode.

You can use www.worldpay.com, www.paypal.com, www.2checkout.com.

Good luck!

Thanks for the reply leonardos. What I'm really looking for is a web host that doesn't have access to the files of protected pages. I don't know if host offering that type of security exists. Most web hosts need to know the content of their clients to make sure the site follows their terms of service.

If anyone knows a web host that offers password protected access to view the files in a public_html folder, let us know. (I know I can pw protect a folder, I want to pw protect a folder from the web host while my site is under construction)

Originally Posted by YOZ

Thanks for the reply leonardos. What I'm really looking for is a web host that doesn't have access to the files of protected pages. I don't know if host offering that type of security exists. Most web hosts need to know the content of their clients to make sure the site follows their terms of service.

If your web host can't see your pages, they can't serve them up. If you're paying people not to serve up your pages, well, I'm really good at not doing that.

Out of the hundreds of millions of sites on the web, do you have any reason to believe somebody is trying to steal yours? If you do, you should stop doing business with them.

Most web hosts couldn't care less what your content is unless someone complains. My site is on a shared server with 80 others, and there's not telling how many servers they have. You don't think they actually look at every site they host? They would have to hire an army of proof readers, and it would cost five times as much for a hosting account.

http://www.mycorporation.com/

I've used the above site before to help copyright & incorporate a few things before. They help a lot and did a lot of the leg work for me. To be safe though, I'd also contact a lawyer to review everything and help finalize any lose ends.

it's highly unlikely that a webhost will risk the reputation of thier entire business by stealing one of thier customers sites. In fact it's so unlikely the thought of it has never even crossed my mind.

Stox and Learning Newbie are both right. And the Newbie explained it in a pretty convincing way. Also, this isn't something that would normally be comforting, but think of all the hack and "warez" sites. They give out illegal serial numbers, and take advantage of security flaws to hijack or infect peoples' computers. There's no way the web hosts approve this stuff, they just count on most of their customers to be honest, and for people to complain about the ones who aren't.

Which means they're not going to read your content to approve it, and even have the temptation to steal it.