{"citations":{"source_mix":{"company_owned":177,"independent":116,"unclear":0},"sources_referenced_by_questions":0,"support_mix":{"direct":237,"partial":56},"total_sources":293,"unique_domain_count":97},"claims":[{"claim_id":"claim-001","confidence":"verified","observed_at":"2026-10-03","platform_support":["anthropic","deepseek","google","grok","kimi","openai","perplexity"],"predicate":"platforms_analyzed","qualifier":"valid included platform responses","subject":"Best Hosting with Strongest Security Features for Small Business","unit":"platforms","value":7},{"claim_id":"claim-002","confidence":"verified","observed_at":"2026-10-03","platform_support":["anthropic","deepseek","google","kimi","openai","perplexity"],"predicate":"final_consensus_rank","qualifier":"hosting with strongest security features","subject":"A2 Hosting","unit":"rank","value":1},{"claim_id":"claim-003","confidence":"verified","observed_at":"2026-10-03","platform_support":["anthropic","deepseek","google","kimi","openai","perplexity"],"predicate":"platform_mentions","qualifier":"out of 7","subject":"A2 Hosting","unit":"platforms","value":6},{"claim_id":"claim-004","confidence":"verified","observed_at":"2026-10-03","platform_support":["anthropic","deepseek","google","grok","openai","perplexity"],"predicate":"final_consensus_rank","qualifier":"hosting with strongest security features","subject":"SiteGround","unit":"rank","value":2},{"claim_id":"claim-005","confidence":"verified","observed_at":"2026-10-03","platform_support":["anthropic","deepseek","google","grok","openai","perplexity"],"predicate":"platform_mentions","qualifier":"out of 7","subject":"SiteGround","unit":"platforms","value":6},{"claim_id":"claim-006","confidence":"verified","observed_at":"2026-10-03","platform_support":["anthropic","deepseek","google","openai","perplexity"],"predicate":"final_consensus_rank","qualifier":"hosting with strongest security features","subject":"Hostinger","unit":"rank","value":3},{"claim_id":"claim-007","confidence":"verified","observed_at":"2026-10-03","platform_support":["anthropic","deepseek","google","openai","perplexity"],"predicate":"platform_mentions","qualifier":"out of 7","subject":"Hostinger","unit":"platforms","value":5},{"claim_id":"claim-008","confidence":"verified","observed_at":"2026-10-03","platform_support":["anthropic","deepseek","openai"],"predicate":"final_consensus_rank","qualifier":"hosting with strongest security features","subject":"DreamHost","unit":"rank","value":4},{"claim_id":"claim-009","confidence":"verified","observed_at":"2026-10-03","platform_support":["anthropic","deepseek","openai"],"predicate":"platform_mentions","qualifier":"out of 7","subject":"DreamHost","unit":"platforms","value":3},{"claim_id":"claim-010","confidence":"verified","observed_at":"2026-10-03","platform_support":["deepseek","perplexity"],"predicate":"final_consensus_rank","qualifier":"hosting with strongest security features","subject":"Liquid Web","unit":"rank","value":5},{"claim_id":"claim-011","confidence":"verified","observed_at":"2026-10-03","platform_support":["deepseek","perplexity"],"predicate":"platform_mentions","qualifier":"out of 7","subject":"Liquid Web","unit":"platforms","value":2},{"claim_id":"claim-012","confidence":"verified","observed_at":"2026-10-03","platform_support":["deepseek","perplexity"],"predicate":"final_consensus_rank","qualifier":"hosting with strongest security features","subject":"WP Engine","unit":"rank","value":7},{"claim_id":"claim-013","confidence":"verified","observed_at":"2026-10-03","platform_support":["deepseek","perplexity"],"predicate":"platform_mentions","qualifier":"out of 7","subject":"WP Engine","unit":"platforms","value":2}],"content_scope":"aggregated facts, computed metrics, and retrieval summaries","entities":[{"average_rank":3.8333333333333335,"best_rank":1,"entity_id":"entity-001","entity_type":"company","final_rank":1,"name":"A2 Hosting","platform_mentions":6,"platform_share":0.8571428571428571},{"average_rank":3.8333333333333335,"best_rank":1,"entity_id":"entity-002","entity_type":"company","final_rank":2,"name":"SiteGround","platform_mentions":6,"platform_share":0.8571428571428571},{"average_rank":5,"best_rank":3,"entity_id":"entity-003","entity_type":"company","final_rank":3,"name":"Hostinger","platform_mentions":5,"platform_share":0.7142857142857143},{"average_rank":4,"best_rank":2,"entity_id":"entity-004","entity_type":"company","final_rank":4,"name":"DreamHost","platform_mentions":3,"platform_share":0.42857142857142855},{"average_rank":3.5,"best_rank":1,"entity_id":"entity-005","entity_type":"company","final_rank":5,"name":"Liquid Web","platform_mentions":2,"platform_share":0.2857142857142857},{"average_rank":6,"best_rank":5,"entity_id":"entity-006","entity_type":"company","final_rank":7,"name":"WP Engine","platform_mentions":2,"platform_share":0.2857142857142857}],"identity":{"dataset_url":"https://hostingconsensusindex.com/datasets/shared-and-small-business-web-hosting/hosting-strongest-security-features.json","page_url":"https://hostingconsensusindex.com/shared-and-small-business-web-hosting/hosting-strongest-security-features","report_type":"best_of_index","study_id":"MCI-STUDY-48248C681B8E","title":"Best Hosting with the Strongest Security Features for Small Business (2026)"},"limitations":["Exactly 7 platforms were included in this run: openai, anthropic, deepseek, grok, perplexity, kimi, google. The configured source value 7 is provenance only and must never be described as the number of platforms studied.","The finalrankingtable is the sole authority for rank, platform mentions, platform share, average rank, and best rank. Ignore any conflicting value embedded in a entity evidence bundle.","The Consensus Ranking table must contain exactly one row per finalrankingtable entity, in that order, using that exact entityname. Never split one ranked entity into two product, model, SKU, or product-line rows, and never add another ranking row for a brand already listed. Put recommended products or plans inside that entity's ranked section.","Platform mentions count only ranking-discovery mentions. Do not substitute the number of platforms that later completed a fit assessment.","Citation IDs inside each entity bundle are local to that entity. Consolidate sources by URL using the supplied source catalog.","The URLs were collected from platform responses and were not independently validated by either writer stage.","Each fitreviewurlorplaceholder is the final site-relative CMS path for that entity's review. Link the entity name to that exact path exactly once in its ranked prose section, outside tables and headings. Never replace it with a run ID, report ID, UUID, or local output path.","Use the exact entity-namespaced citation IDs from the source catalog (e.g. e1:); never transfer a citation between entities."],"methodology":{"fit_rating_contract":["strong","good","mixed","weak","uncertain"],"included_valid_platform_count":7,"maximum_finalists":10,"minimum_mentions":2,"name":"Hosting Consensus Index cross-platform AI consensus analysis","platforms_included":["anthropic","deepseek","google","grok","kimi","openai","perplexity"],"platforms_queried":["openai","anthropic","deepseek","grok","perplexity","kimi","google"],"stages":["ranking_discovery","fit_assessment","normalization","editorial_synthesis"],"version":"alias-table-1"},"provenance":{"generated_at":"2026-10-03 21:53:01.743841+00","research_date":"2026-10-03","source_snapshot_sha256":"7fb711e18757320d3cb11ef8e97a1912f359d8a801da5167fa3a4bd7257575ec","verification_scope":"public_verification"},"ranking":{"candidates_evaluated":26,"qualified_finalists":6,"ranking_unit":"Web hosting provider or company"},"schema_version":4,"summary":"Across seven AI platforms studied on 2026-10-03, A2 Hosting (now operating as Hosting.com) and SiteGround tie at the top of the consensus ranking for small business hosting with the strongest built-in security features. Both were named by six of seven platforms (85.7% share) with an average listed position of 3.83. A2 Hosting leads on rank order because its best position was #1 and its security bundle (WAF, malware scanning, DDoS mitigation, free SSL, daily backups) is advertised across shared plans, though its backup coverage is qualified by a 50GB quota and its brand identity is entangled…","target_buyer":"A small business owner handling customer data or transactions wants hosting with robust built-in security tooling to protect against hacking and data loss.","topic":{"base_category":"Shared and Small Business Web Hosting","category_criteria":["included malware scanning and removal","web application firewall availability","automatic backup frequency and restore ease","free SSL and certificate management","DDoS protection on shared infrastructure"],"geography":"United States","slug":"best-hosting-with-strongest-security-features-for-small-business","title":"Best Hosting with Strongest Security Features for Small Business","use_case":"hosting with strongest security features"}}