Blog
Articles about self-hosting, security, DevOps, and how to get the most out of your VPS.
Comparison · · 7 min
Coolify vs Dokploy (2026): features, pricing and which one to pick
Coolify vs Dokploy compared on licence, Swarm, multi-server, backups and cloud pricing as of November 2026, with a clear verdict and a third option.
· 10 min
Fail2ban vs CrowdSec in 2026: Which One to Install on Your VPS (and Where PSAD Fits)
Fail2ban vs CrowdSec in 2026: how each detects and blocks attacks, resource use, what CrowdSec shares, free vs paid, and which one to install on your VPS.
· 7 min
Heroku vs Vercel vs Railway in 2026: pricing, what each does best and when to leave
Vercel bills per developer plus usage, Railway per second of CPU and RAM, Heroku per dyno. November 2026 prices, what each does best and when to leave.
· 5 min
UptimeRobot vs Uptime Kuma (2026): Which One to Pick, With Real Limits and Prices
UptimeRobot vs Uptime Kuma in 2026: free plan limits, prices, check intervals and heartbeats, verified against official sources. Plus which one to pick.
· 8 min
Moving a Next.js app from Vercel to a VPS: what we measured and what broke
We deployed a Next.js 16 app from GitHub to our own server: 2 minutes for the first deploy, 1 minute per push, 74 MB of RAM. October 2026 prices, the two things that broke and what you give up by leaving Vercel.
· 6 min
Self-hosted n8n: automations on your own VPS with HTTPS
Install n8n on your server with persistent data, webhooks with the right URL and automatic HTTPS. Step by step, without writing a docker-compose file.
· 7 min
Self-hosted Plausible: lightweight, cookie-free analytics on your VPS
How to install Plausible Community Edition on your server with Postgres, ClickHouse and HTTPS, without wrestling with Docker Compose or XML files.
· 6 min
Self-hosted Umami: cookie-free web analytics on your own VPS
Install Umami on your server with its Postgres database, HTTPS and passwords generated for you. Step by step, from a DNS record to your first tracking script.
· 6 min
Self-hosted Uptime Kuma: install it on your VPS with HTTPS
How to install Uptime Kuma 2 on your server with persistent data and HTTPS, and why you should also watch it from the outside.
· 10 min
Initial Hardening Checklist for Fresh VPS Servers on Hetzner & OVH
Step-by-step checklist to secure a fresh Linux VPS: SSH keys, Fail2ban, UFW firewall, and automatic unattended security upgrades before going live.
· 8 min
How to Fix the Docker UFW Security Bypass on Ubuntu (iptables Flaw)
Running docker run -p 5432:5432 silently modifies iptables and bypasses your UFW firewall, exposing databases to the public internet. Here is how to fix it properly.
· 7 min
Lightweight Monitoring for €4/month VPS: Real RAM Benchmark
On a €4/month server with 1-2 GB of RAM, every megabyte the monitoring agent uses counts. We measured OxiPulse, node_exporter and the OpenTelemetry Collector.
· 7 min
Lynis: Audit Your Linux VPS Security in Under 10 Minutes
How to use Lynis, the open-source security auditing tool, to detect weak configurations on your Linux server and prioritize what to fix first.
· 7 min
Unattended-Upgrades: Automatic Security Updates on Ubuntu and Debian Without Surprises
Configure automatic security updates on Ubuntu and Debian with unattended-upgrades to patch vulnerabilities without unexpected server reboots.
· 8 min
AIDE: How to Detect Unauthorized File Changes on Your Linux Server
Install and configure AIDE on Linux to detect unauthorized modifications to critical system binaries and files with cryptographic alerts.
· 9 min
How to Configure 2FA / TOTP in SSH to Shield Access to Your VPS
Learn how to protect SSH access to your Linux server by adding a second factor of authentication (TOTP) with Google Authenticator or 1Password.
· 7 min
How to Restrict SSH Access in Linux Using AllowGroups and Dedicated Users
AllowGroups example for sshd_config so only one group of users can log in over SSH: create the group, add users, validate with sshd -t and restart.
· 8 min
Fail2ban vs SSH Keys: What Do You Really Need to Secure a VPS?
We analyze the differences between Fail2ban and exclusive SSH key authentication to protect your Linux server against brute-force attacks.
· 9 min
How to Automate PostgreSQL and MySQL Database Restoration Tests
Step-by-step guide to building an automated pipeline that downloads, imports, and validates your database backups inside an isolated Docker container.
· 7 min
How Much Does It Cost to Lose Your SaaS Data to a Corrupt Backup?
We analyze the financial, operational, and reputational impact of suffering data loss on your VPS server by failing to verify your backups beforehand.
· 9 min
How to Self-Host Supabase on Your Own VPS with Docker
Learn step-by-step how to install and self-host Supabase on your own VPS server using Docker Compose to bypass cloud limits.
· 6 min
Vercel alternatives: your own cloud on a Hetzner VPS
When moving from Vercel to a fixed-price Hetzner VPS pays off, what you gain, what you lose, and how SecuryBlack helps today (and what is coming).
· 8 min
The backup myth: why your server backups are failing in silence
Having a scheduled backup on your VPS does not guarantee that you can restore your data. Learn the importance of automated restore verification.
· 9 min
Hardening guide: how to secure a new VPS on Hetzner or DigitalOcean
Learn the essential hardening steps to protect your virtual server (VPS) from external attacks by configuring SSH keys, UFW firewall, and Fail2ban.
· 7 min
SecuryBlack vs Healthchecks.io: Which to Use to Monitor Your Cronjobs
Healthchecks.io vs SecuryBlack: compare features, pricing, and integrations to find the best heartbeat and cronjob monitoring tool for your stack.
· 9 min
How to Know If Your Cronjobs Are Failing Silently
Learn how to detect, diagnose, and fix silent cronjob failures on your Linux server before they impact your production infrastructure.
· 7 min
Digital Security Checklist for SMEs
A practical checklist with 20 essential digital security measures every SME should implement to protect their business and customer data.
· 7 min
Why Homelabbers Need Their Own Security Stack
You manage your own server, backups, and apps. Discover why homelabbers need dedicated monitoring to ensure everything runs smoothly 24/7.
· 6 min
SecuryBlack vs Have I Been Pwned: Which One to Choose?
Detailed comparison between SecuryBlack and Have I Been Pwned. Discover the differences, advantages, and which one best suits your needs.
· 6 min
How to Know If Your Email Has Been Compromised (and What to Do)
Hundreds of millions of credentials leak every year. Your email may be circulating in breach databases without you knowing — here's how to check.
· 7 min
GDPR and Data Breaches: What Obligations Does Your Company Have?
Guide on GDPR obligations when your company suffers a data breach: notification deadlines, sanctions, and steps to follow.
· 7 min
Heartbeats: How to Know Your Backups Actually Run
A cronjob that fails silently is worse than having no backup. Heartbeats alert you when your backup script stops running. Here's how they work.
· 6 min
What to Do If Your Data Appears in a Leak
Step-by-step guide on how to act if you discover that your email or personal data has been leaked in a security breach.
· 7 min
What Is a Data Breach and How Does It Affect You?
Discover what a data breach is, how they occur, what risks they involve for you, and what you can do to protect yourself effectively.
· 7 min
What Is the Dark Web and Why Should You Worry?
Discover what the dark web is, how it works, what type of stolen data is sold there, and why your credentials may be there without you knowing.
· 6 min
What Is Credential Stuffing and How Does It Affect Your Business?
Discover what credential stuffing is, why it's so dangerous for businesses and individuals, and how to protect yourself from this automated attack.
· 7 min
What Data of Mine Is Circulating on the Internet Without Me Knowing?
Discover what personal information about you may be exposed on the internet, how it leaks, and what you can do to reduce your digital footprint.
· 7 min
How to Protect Your Company's Email Against Leaks
Guide for SMEs and companies on how to protect corporate email accounts against data breaches and targeted attacks.
· 6 min
Why Your Company Needs a Breach Scanner (Even If It's Small)
Discover why SMEs are the favorite target of cybercriminals and how a breach scanner can protect your business.
· 8 min
Phishing: What It Is, How to Detect It, and How to Protect Yourself
Complete guide on phishing: what it is, the most common types, how to identify a fraudulent email, and the best practices to protect yourself.
· 5 min
Breach Monitoring: What Is It and Why Do You Need It?
Discover what breach monitoring is, how it works, and why it's essential to protect your digital identity continuously.
· 9 min
The 10 Biggest Data Breaches in History
A review of the largest data breaches of all time: Yahoo, LinkedIn, Facebook, and more. Discover what data was leaked and what lessons they left.
· 7 min
Complete Guide to Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
Everything you need to know about two-factor authentication: what it is, how to enable it, what methods exist, and why it's essential for your security.
· 10 min
Cybersecurity Glossary: All the Terms You Need to Know
A complete cybersecurity dictionary covering brute-force attacks, two-factor authentication, and every key term in between, explained from A to Z.
· 6 min
Is It Safe to Save Passwords in the Browser?
Analysis of the pros and cons of saving passwords in Chrome, Firefox, or Safari. Discover if it's a safe practice or if you should use alternatives.
· 6 min
How to Know If My Email Has Been Hacked (2026 Guide)
Learn how to check if your email address has appeared in a data leak and what steps to follow to protect yourself.
· 6 min
How the k-Anonymity Model Works and Why It Protects Your Privacy
Accessible technical explanation of the k-Anonymity model: how it lets you check whether a password has leaked without revealing it to the server, and why an email is different.
· 6 min
How to Create Secure Passwords You Can Remember
Learn techniques for creating strong and easy-to-remember passwords, and discover why a password manager is your best ally.