Legal Advice or Help finding a host & How To

I have a website that I've been working on as a side project for a long time, over 2 years off and on. I'm just testing it on my localhost server, I've run it online too, but the thing is. I've invested so much time into it, and the idea of the website is something I feel will make me a good amount of money if it works. It won't be the next yahoo, but surely not nothing. I'm worried though, because I need a webhost for the website and I'm also worried about the server-side code/files being stolen. It's mostly written in PHP/MySQL. I myself know little about running a webserver, and I'm afraid if I do it from my house that it would be hacked (unless someone can help me there). I actually had a game server running at my house once that my friend setup and it got broken into, so I'm sure this would be worse.

But anyway, I want to rent a box because I cannot use a shared host, but I've never done that before so I'd be worried about protecting it and how it works. AND most importantly how to protect my code. My friends a lawyer and he told me you need to get an agreement with the host that guarantees nobody will steal the information. I hopefully don't want to have to do that. So another important question is does anybody know a good host like a big cooporation that rents boxes & won't touch my code and won't get hacked and how this box stuff works, cause I have no experience with it.

http://www.benedict.com/Info/Info.aspx
First of all, you need to understand copyright laws. You can start at the site above.
An agreement that no one will steal your stuff is worthless. Who can guarantee that? Thieves don't steal based on contracts.
As far as renting a box, what you're looking for is rack space. It would really be your box located at a place that basically stores servers. Globix in NYC is one such place but you need something closer. Cotse.net is in Mass. Go to their site and contact Steve. Maybe he can help you. Although I don't know him personally, I trust him 100%.

No, my friend (the lawyer) was talking about an agreement where the people hosting the files wouldn't let their employees look at them. But anyway, cool copyright site link I'll check it out. It doesn't matter if my website is hosted in massachusetts, probably a good idea though, maybe I can even visit a place if they have an office.

Anyway, if the other crap is disregarded, basically I just need to know how to setup a website on a box. How does all that stuff usually work? I just don't want my site to get hacked easily that's all.

Basically, you would be looking at the vulnerabilities of PHP and MySql. Sometimes, they are version specific. There are many sites that list the problems and solutions. The same goes for the web server software that will be used.

Ummm... yeah I'm not worried about those, I'm talking about setting up the server.

More times that not these days, servers are hacked because of the vulnerabilities in the software, than the OS itself. Search google for PHP vulnerabilities. It's the same for the OS. There are version specific vulnerabilities for the OS as well.

There are hosting companies who really know how to do security well and provide the managed hosting services to harden the server, os, php, etc. You will have to pay for those services, but they are worth it, especially if you are doing e-commerce on your site by accepting credit cards, etc.

PunkPuke:

I was talking to Steve at cotse.net He hosts over 200 domains, a combination of mail servers and web sites. He's excellent on the security end.