Any business looking to grow in the 2020s needs a website. With so much competition, web design that appeals to your audience and is trusted by them is paramount to success.
A huge aspect of gaining trust is website security. And, we’re sorry about interrupting your Christmas break but – without effective website security, you leave your business at risk of data breaches and cyberattacks. If these things you will lose the confidence of your customers and, ultimately, their business.
If you are wondering how to secure a website, below are simple and practical steps you can take and a closer look at why website security is essential for any successful company.
Why Website Security is Essential
There are various reasons why website security is so important that it’s impossible and dangerously negligent to ignore it.
Without good website security, you will likely face:
- Data theft
- Malware infections
- Damage to brand reputation
This will result in financial losses, and the diminishing of your brand will make it difficult to recover your customers’ trust.
These lapses will also leave you with legal liabilities. Companies not compliant with data protection laws such as GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) may be slapped with fines. Data breaches can also put you at risk of being sued by individuals and other entities who have suffered because of your security lapses.
In terms of digital marketing, website security can also play a role in SEO. Security is a search ranking factor for Google, and a more trusted website will receive more traffic, meaning it will move up the rankings.
How Do I Make My Website Secure?
Now, on to the website security tips, which have been proven to work.
Install an SSL Certificate
An SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is a certificate file that verifies a website’s identity and encrypts data transmitted between the user and the server. This encrypted link between your website and users means that any data exchanged is protected and secure.
With an SSL certificate, you can use HTTPS, a more secure version of HTTP. HTTPS is essential to improving your search engine ranking, as now Google recognises it as a factor in ranking. The algorithm prioritises encrypted sites, which means you are more likely to be found by users.
HTTPS also helps your customers trust you more. HTTPS protects key information such as card details and passwords. If people see your site URL begins with HTTPS, they will have confidence any data they divulge is safe.
Here is how to obtain and install an SSL certificate:
- Choose an SSL certificate from a trusted Certificate Authority (CA)
- Generate a CSR (Certificate signing request) from your web server and submit it to the CA
- Once you’ve got the SSL certificate, install it
- Update your website to HTTPS
- Test it to see that your SSL is working
- Bonus step – automate your SSL certificate renewal.
Keep Your Website Software Up to Date
Content management systems, such as WordPress, offer countless plugins and themes and regularly update their offerings to maximise the potential of your website. If you do not stay updated, though, these features will leave you vulnerable to hackers who specifically target security holes in outdated software.
You should automate your updates to take the stress out of it and set reminders so that you check to update software regularly. Also, you only get updates from the source and use plugins and themes from trusted sources.
Use Strong Passwords and Two-Factor Authentication
Weak passwords make data breaches, unauthorised access and identity theft easy for cybercriminals. It’s like a weak lock on a door, and that is why unique and complex passwords are needed to ensure your website security is robust.
Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds an extra layer of security as users have to provide two different authentication factors, such as a password and then type in a code that gets texted to their phone. It makes it harder for cybercriminals as just knowing your password isn’t enough to gain access.
Password management tools such as 1Password and Bitwarden are helpful for administrators. They can generate and store passwords for multiple accounts. It makes it so that you don’t have to remember all your passwords.
Regularly Back Up Your Website
Backups are like a time capsule or a Plan B. If you suffer from a cyber-attack, a backup means that you have another recent version of your website, and it allows you to recover quickly.
You should at least backup daily, but if you are running an ecommerce website, then you should consider real-time backups, meaning files are backed up every time they are changed.
To be more secure, backups should be stored locally on a server or external hard drive as well as in the cloud. More backups mean more Plan Bs.
Services such as IDrive and Backblaze automate website backups.
Implement a Web Application Firewall
A WAF is your website’s bodyguard. It monitors and filters traffic, blocking anything malicious before it reaches your website. Any request that is suspicious to the WAF will be blocked.
A WAF can protect against SQL injections, cross-site scripting (XSS), cross-site forgery, and other common attacks as it contains a database of known attack patterns. These firewalls are capable of quickly analysing situations and being contextually aware to figure out if incoming traffic is malicious or not.
Popular WAF providers are CloudFlare, AWS and Akamai.
Conduct Regular Security Audits
Security audits are a chance to review your website’s security. They can help you spot vulnerabilities early, make sure you maintain compliance with data protection laws and build trust with customers. Doing this regularly will mean your website is as secure as it can be.
There are tools and applications for security scanning. Services such as Acunetix and beSECURE are vulnerability scanners that check every web page for security holes. Companies like Sencode offer penetration testing – simulating cyberattacks in controlled environments to find weaknesses.
Professional assistance may be the way to go as they are more experienced and can be far more comprehensive than if you did the audit yourself.
Educate Your Team on Website Security Best Practices
Having your business embrace cybersecurity as a priority has to start from the top. It’s vital that all stakeholders are on board with maintaining website security and educating everyone in the business so your cybersecurity is robust.
You should start with the basics and explain the fundamentals – why it’s important, what different types of attacks are and how to recognise phishing attempts. As part of a comprehensive security training programme, you should have everyone practise secure behaviours and implement clear policies and procedures so everyone has guidelines on data handling, password management and how to report an incident.
A collective effort can mitigate human error as you all become more knowledgeable, clear on procedures, and capable of spotting and dealing with risks.
Get Help With Website Security Now
Hopefully, you are no longer asking, How do I make my website secure?
You should be proactive about your website security and make changes today. Maxweb Solutions is able to provide robust website security solutions and offer professional guidance and support for all your web design and digital marketing needs.
Contact us now to get started.
Posted on Friday, December 27th, 2024 in Latest News.
