Having a secure website should be the number one goal of every business. As major corporations like Costco, AT&T, and Apple found out, you can never be too careful when it comes to protecting against hackers. Cybercrime is a huge industry, with trillions of dollars in damages each year. It’s worth paying a little extra to keep your company safe, no matter how small or large it is. Major corporations have entire teams devoted to website security because it’s cheaper to pay them than to deal with the fallout of being hacked. Here are the basic security tips on how to keep the site secure.
1. Say Yes to Those Updates
You know when you try to log into an app, and you get the notification that it’s time for an update? How many times do you skip doing it until “later” because you’re in a hurry right then?
Updates are created by developers for a reason. Sometimes, it’s just a feature upgrade. Other times, it’s because there’s a hole in the security somewhere that needs to be patched.
All it takes is a few seconds for hackers to access your info through that unprotected hole. Do the update as soon as you’re prompted. A few minutes of a hassle now is better than years of financial fallout later.
2. Use That Annoying, Hard To Remember Password
Security goes beyond setting up firewalls and using a “moderate” password. Hackers use sophisticated programs to help them, and you have to beat those automated systems.
There are two main methods they’ll use to get into your accounts. One technique is to check out previously stolen passwords from other data breaches. It’s the easiest way to break into new accounts because millions of people use the same passwords everywhere they can.
The second way is to set up an automated software system that guesses passwords strategically. It’s a computer program, so it has nothing else to do but try and try again until it’s successful.
How to Create a Hard-to-Crack Password
The best way to avoid a breach is to use passwords that are difficult to guess, even with a software program. Don’t use complete words or sequential numbers. If you have to use a word, intersperse it with special characters and numbers.
To make it even harder to guess, randomize your capitalization. This decreases the odds of your password being hacked because now there are billions of possible choices.
You can have up to 64 characters for most passwords. The longer yours is, the harder it is to crack. But it’s also harder to remember, so keep it stored in a safe, secure place, and never reuse the same one elsewhere.
3. Invest in a Secure Website Platform
Cybercrime is always evolving, but one thing remains the same. The people involved will continue to develop sophisticated technology beyond the average site owner’s ability to detect.
When you purchase and develop a website, you’re leaving your business in the hands of the security of that platform. Some platforms are easier to hack into than others, so we recommend exploring website security tools for added protection.
How Server-Side Security Works
You’ve probably noticed that, every once in a while, you’ll get a notification of a new plugin for you to install. These updates are often security plugins patching holes to prevent hacking.
The company you use to host your website should protect it from malware and other malicious attacks. The problem is, not all of these platforms have the highest levels of security.
When you choose a hosting platform, look for security features like server-side web application firewalls (WAF). These prevent threatening traffic from ever making it to your site in the first place. You don’t have to worry about defending your business when the server is doing it in real-time.
Through the security plugins, malicious traffic is filtered out, blocked, and kept from accessing any site on the server.
Yes, it’s your job to ensure your customers’ secure information doesn’t get into the wrong hands. But purchasing a one-time security plugin isn’t enough.
You need a plugin that keeps your site consistently up-to-date in order for it to be as secure as possible. The investment you make now will give you peace of mind later as other sites are breached and yours stays safe.
Conclusion
Cybercrime continues to rise as hackers get more and more sophisticated. It’s part of your role as a business owner to protect your consumers as much as possible. These three tips are easy ways to minimize your site’s chance of getting hacked.