Is It Safe To Host A Minecraft Server?
Is it safe to host a minecraft server?
I am a bit anxious about the "Network Sharing" option, which you must enable to set up minecraft servers. Is it safe? Can my computer be infected? Thanks!
You don't need to enable "Network Sharing" unless you're using it as a name for "Port Forwarding", which is a terrible router.
Servers of all kinds are subject to risk. It's quite small and generally secure. There have not been any exploits that allow the Minecraft server to execute random code to install a disease locally. This is not to say that there aren't any, but it's possible to find one if nobody knows about it.
The rules are simple:
Do not run the server either as administrator or as a user with admin access.
It shouldn't be run as a user with access to files or documents you care about.
You should keep good backups of everything important (even if your server isn't running).
Keep your OS, Java, or server up-to date with the latest security patches
Don't give admin access (OP, web admin access etc.) to anyone that you don't trust.
Avoid installing random plugins that come from unknown sources.
You'll be fine as long as you adhere to these rules.
My understanding is that you plan to host your Minecraft server on your own home network. However, this could pose problems if the server is made public. This because unless you mask your IP with a proxy there is a possibility that you will be targeted for DoS or DDoS attacks.
Probably slim chance of that.. be careful with the ports you open up and who you give admin access to.. like follow the stuff /u/PhonicUK said and you should be fine. If there is a chance that you have an enemy who wants to do you harm with DoS, I'm sure you don't have one. A reset of your router will give you a new static IP.
The server itself is perfectly safe (I've never heard about any security holes), but it's possible that your network configuration allows you to give people access to your server in ways you didn’t intend.
You might have your server running on your main PC. It will also share your printer with your home network. If you open your router so that anyone can dial in to it on any port, not only will they be able, but they might also be capable of connecting to your server.
Make sure that you only forward ports you need to or that you have passwords to protect the services you allow Internet access to.
PhonicUK has already mentioned that I don’t believe there should be a "Network Sharing” option. What tutorial are you following?
Here's some food for thought: There are some cheap minecraft hosts. When I first started playing this game, I chose a $3/mo host. It had a simple Spigot server with 1GB RAM. I felt it was well worth the money when compared to leaving a computer up and running at home 24/7 and paying the electric bill on that. My home connection is limited at 12mbps upload speeds, but most hosts offer 100mbps upload speeds (well the two I've used). Since then, I've upgraded to an 8GB VPS server because you can't stop playing once you get hooked. This is still only $15/month that I'm splitting with 2 players. Although I prefer to deal with a server on the cloud, I do know how to set it up at home.