How do you host a website securely and privately?

stonoven

1. Let's say in the future I wanted to host a website that might contain links to content or media that could be considered questionable. How would I go about doing this? Can someone provide a high-level overview of hosting a website privately and securely?

2. In my search to find the answer to this question, I ran a WHOIS query on a private tracker's domain and got the following result:

   Registrar WHOIS Server:
   Registrar URL: https://internetbs.net
   Registrar: TLD Registrar Solutions Ltd.
   Registrar IANA ID: 1564
   Registrar Abuse Contact Email:
   Registrar Abuse Contact Phone:
   Registry Registrant ID: REDACTED FOR PRIVACY
   Registrant Name: REDACTED FOR PRIVACY
   Registrant Organization: OrangeWebsite.com
   Registrant Street: REDACTED FOR PRIVACY

This is what's confusing to me. The registrant is listed as OrangeWebsite.com, but from what I can gather from visiting their website, they seem to be a domain registrar and hosting provider. Is it possible to make a less-than-reputable registrar like OrangeWebsite.com to register a domain name on your behalf using another registrar?

homelabber

Questionable as in really illegal (terrorism, malware, or disgusting content) or as in frowned upon (Copyrighted content, content about guns, adult content, gambling, etc)?

If it's number one, you're not going to find a provider easily for good reason.

If it's number two, there are a number of providers here that support that type of content and allow to pay with crypto. Incognet for example for domains. BuyVM or AlexHost for hosting providers.

There are countless threads in this forum asking the same question where you'll find more answers.

I don't quite understand your second question. When you register a domain, you use a registrar to allocate a domain name to you. Then most registrars offer Whois protection, which is why you don't see the name of the person or organization that "bought" the domain.

There are some companies, like Incognet, that act as a middleman for extra privacy (although you could use a fake name with a regular registrar). What they do is that they register the domain using a regular registrar and then give you access to manage it as if it were you.

This also means that if the company goes under, you lose the domain name.

In regards to security, this isn't something that is managed by the hosting provider, but by the client (you). The only caveat is if you rent a managed server, but those are more expensive and I'm not sure how many managed server providers that allow questionable stuff are there.

Levi

You do it on the local network, than pull the cable to your target audience. This is secure as it can be, also privacy is unmatched.

totally_not_banned

@Levi said:
You do it on the local network, than pull the cable to your target audience. This is secure as it can be, also privacy is unmatched.

This + 2 scary dogs guarding the cable.

yoursunny

@Levi said:
You do it on the local network, than pull the cable to your target audience. This is secure as it can be, also privacy is unmatched.

We bind the web server to wg0 interface.
Those who are allowed access can request WireGuard keys for getting onto the private network.

emgh

@yoursunny said:

@Levi said:
You do it on the local network, than pull the cable to your target audience. This is secure as it can be, also privacy is unmatched.

We bind the web server to wg0 interface.
Those who are allowed access can request WireGuard keys for getting onto the private network.

Can I ask to not be allowed?

vsys_host

Use TOR and .onion domain