#security

Articles tagged "security".

23 articles

MCP Server Monitoring: Why "HTTP 200" Means Nothing to an AI Agent
Monitoring

MCP Server Monitoring: Why "HTTP 200" Means Nothing to an AI Agent

MCP servers fail in ways no uptime check can see: the port answers 200 while the handshake breaks, tools vanish, or a tool description is silently rewritten under your agents. Here's how protocol-level MCP monitoring works — and why we built it.

WatchFor Team
5 min read
Advanced SSH: jump hosts, tunnels, and power-user tricks
Networking

Advanced SSH: jump hosts, tunnels, and power-user tricks

Once you know basic SSH, a whole toolbox opens up: jump hosts to reach private servers, port forwarding, SOCKS proxies, agent forwarding, and a config file that makes it all effortless. The power-user guide.

WatchFor Team
5 min read
FTP vs FTPS vs SFTP: file transfer protocols explained
Networking

FTP vs FTPS vs SFTP: file transfer protocols explained

FTP, FTPS, and SFTP all move files — but only two are safe, and they work in completely different ways. Here's how each protocol works, active vs passive mode, the best clients per OS, and which to use.

WatchFor Team
6 min read
SSH explained: secure remote access, keys, and sessions
Networking

SSH explained: secure remote access, keys, and sessions

SSH is how you securely log into and control machines anywhere in the world. Here's what it is, how password vs public-key auth really works, how to run remote commands, and the best clients for every OS.

WatchFor Team
5 min read
How to Never Get Caught by an Expired SSL Certificate
Networking

How to Never Get Caught by an Expired SSL Certificate

An expired TLS certificate takes your whole site offline with a scary red warning — and it's 100% preventable. Here's why certificates expire, what it costs, and how to make sure it never catches you.

WatchFor Team
3 min read
How HTTPS Works: the TLS handshake, explained simply
Security

How HTTPS Works: the TLS handshake, explained simply

That little padlock does a lot of work. Here's what actually happens when you connect over HTTPS — the TLS handshake, certificates and encryption — without the cryptography headache.

WatchFor Team
3 min read
Email Authentication Explained: SPF, DKIM & DMARC
Email

Email Authentication Explained: SPF, DKIM & DMARC

If your emails land in spam — or scammers send mail pretending to be you — these three records are why. Here's what SPF, DKIM and DMARC do, how they work together, and how to set them up right.

WatchFor Team
4 min read
Email Blacklists (RBLs): why you're blocked and how to get off
Email

Email Blacklists (RBLs): why you're blocked and how to get off

If your email suddenly stops arriving, a blacklist may be the culprit. Here's what RBLs are, how you end up on one, and the step-by-step to get off — and stay off.

WatchFor Team
3 min read
SSL/TLS Handshake Failed: causes and how to fix it
Security

SSL/TLS Handshake Failed: causes and how to fix it

When the secure connection can't be agreed, you get a handshake failure — and the page never loads. Here's what goes wrong during the TLS handshake, and how to fix each cause.

WatchFor Team
3 min read
Mixed Content Warnings: what they are and how to fix them
Security

Mixed Content Warnings: what they are and how to fix them

Your site is on HTTPS, but the padlock has a warning — or images won't load. That's mixed content: a secure page pulling in insecure resources. Here's how to find and fix it.

WatchFor Team
3 min read
What is a Firewall?
Security

What is a Firewall?

A firewall is the gatekeeper that decides which network traffic gets through and which gets blocked. Here's what firewalls do, the main types, and the gotcha they create for monitoring.

WatchFor Team
3 min read
TLS 1.2 vs 1.3: what changed (and why it matters)
Security

TLS 1.2 vs 1.3: what changed (and why it matters)

TLS 1.3 made HTTPS both faster and more secure than 1.2 — by doing less, not more. Here's what changed in the handshake, why it matters, and what to make sure your servers support.

WatchFor Team
3 min read
HSTS Explained: forcing browsers to always use HTTPS
Security

HSTS Explained: forcing browsers to always use HTTPS

You redirect HTTP to HTTPS — but that first insecure request is still a risk. HSTS closes that gap by telling browsers to never even try HTTP. Here's how it works and how to deploy it safely.

WatchFor Team
3 min read
What is a DDoS Attack? (and how to defend against one)
Security

What is a DDoS Attack? (and how to defend against one)

A DDoS attack drowns your service in traffic from thousands of sources until it buckles. Here's how these attacks work, the main types, and the practical layers of defence.

WatchFor Team
3 min read
What is a WAF (Web Application Firewall)?
Security

What is a WAF (Web Application Firewall)?

A regular firewall guards the network; a WAF guards your application — inspecting web requests and blocking attacks like injection and bots. Here's how it works and what it does (and doesn't) cover.

WatchFor Team
3 min read
Zero Trust Explained
Security

Zero Trust Explained

The old security model trusted anyone inside the network. Zero Trust throws that out: trust nothing, verify everything, every time. Here's what it means in practice.

WatchFor Team
3 min read
What is a CVE? Vulnerability basics
Security

What is a CVE? Vulnerability basics

When a security flaw is found in software, it gets a CVE — a global ID so everyone can track and fix it. Here's what CVEs are, how severity is scored, and how to stay on top of them.

WatchFor Team
3 min read
Secrets Management Explained
Security

Secrets Management Explained

API keys, passwords and tokens are the keys to your kingdom — and they end up hard-coded, committed to git, and shared in chat far too often. Here's how to handle secrets properly.

WatchFor Team
3 min read
What is mTLS (Mutual TLS)?
Security

What is mTLS (Mutual TLS)?

Normal HTTPS proves the server's identity to you. mTLS goes both ways — the client proves itself too. Here's what mutual TLS is, where it's used, and why it's a Zero Trust building block.

WatchFor Team
3 min read
Domain Spoofing and How to Prevent It
Security

Domain Spoofing and How to Prevent It

Scammers can send email that looks exactly like it's from your domain — phishing your customers and torching your reputation. Here's how domain spoofing works and how to lock it down.

WatchFor Team
3 min read
DNSSEC Explained: signing DNS so it can't be faked
Security

DNSSEC Explained: signing DNS so it can't be faked

DNS was built without security — answers can be forged, sending users to fake servers. DNSSEC adds cryptographic signatures so resolvers can verify DNS answers are genuine. Here's how.

WatchFor Team
3 min read
How to Set Up DMARC (step by step)
Email

How to Set Up DMARC (step by step)

DMARC is what actually stops scammers spoofing your domain — but rushing it can block your own email. Here's the safe, staged way to roll it out from monitoring to full enforcement.

WatchFor Team
3 min read
BIMI Explained: your logo in the inbox
Email

BIMI Explained: your logo in the inbox

BIMI puts your brand's verified logo next to your emails in supporting inboxes — a trust signal and an anti-spoofing reward. Here's what it is, what it requires, and whether it's worth it.

WatchFor Team
3 min read