Often the most straightforward approaches to any problem are the most efficient. You might understand the importance of keeping your website protected from hackers, but once you go down the rabbit hole of website vulnerabilities, you’ll be confronted with a host of complicated concepts and solutions.
However, there are some basic best practices that you can follow to strengthen your website security. Keep reading for eight ways you can improve the security of your website.
What is website security?
Any action, or application taken to ensure that website data is not exposed to cybercriminals, or to prevent the misuse of websites in any way is referred to as website security.
Website security is a comprehensive, all-in-one, and simple-to-use tool that protects your website from malware, hackers, and other online security threats. Your website is the hub of your business, your brand, and all of the incredible things you’re doing in the world and it deserves total security. That includes all of the resources you’ll need to keep your company and customers secure online.
You may not believe your website is valuable enough to be hacked, but websites are hacked all the time. The majority of website security breaches are attempting to use your server as an email relay for spam, or to set up a temporary web server. These temporary servers will normally serve illicit nature files rather than steal your data, or mess with your website layout. You may also be infected with ransomware.
Hacking is often carried out by automated scripts that scour the internet, searching for established website security vulnerabilities in software. That means if you don’t have a particularly secure website, you’ll be a prime target.
8 website security tips to help secure your site from hackers
1. Updating your software is essential
It might seem self-evident, but keeping all of your software up to date is critical to keeping your website stable. This refers to the server operating system and any applications you might have installed on your websites, such as a content management system (CMS) or a forum. Once website security bugs are discovered in software, hackers rush to exploit them.
If you use a controlled hosting solution, like Fifteen, you won’t have to worry about implementing operating system security changes because the hosting provider will take care of it. If you use third-party applications on your websites, such as a CMS or a forum, you should make sure you submit security patches as soon as possible.
Most vendors have a mailing list, or RSS feed that details any security problems with their websites. When you log in to WordPress, Umbraco, or any other CMS, you’ll be notified of any available device updates.
2. Implement a strict password policy
It’s essential to use stable passwords. Hackers often use advanced tools to break passwords using brute force. Passwords should be complex, including uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numerals, and special characters, to defend against brute force attacks. The length of your passwords should be at least ten characters and you should emphasise this to everyone in your business and ensure they follow the same password policy.
3. Protect your login pages by encrypting them
On your login pages, use a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption. SSL enables encrypted transmission of confidential data such as credit card information and login credentials. Information entered on a website is encrypted so that every third-party who intercepts it has no idea what it means. This prevents hackers from gaining access to your sensitive information.
4. Malware detection
Malware scans are essential for website security because although you can’t see the threat, it doesn’t mean it isn’t there. Malware detection is a set of defensive techniques and technologies that can help identify threats and block and prevent any future malware threats.
You can avoid losing any of your precious files or sensitive details, just by doing something so simple but successful. The more often the scans are performed, the faster the issues can be resolved.
5. Invest in an SSL certificate
As mentioned in our previous tip, a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption conceals the connection between a web server and a browser and makes it much more difficult to hack. An SSL certificate is well worth the money because it protects your login credentials and confidential data, such as customer information, from hackers and viruses.
6. Validate your browser and server site
Validation should always be performed on both the browser and the server. Simple errors, such as empty mandatory fields or inserting text into a numbers-only area, can be caught out by the browser. This can be bypassed, so it’s important to make sure to search for this validation and more profound, validation on the server-side. Failing to do so may result in malicious code or scripting code being introduced into the database or undesirable results in your website.
7. Ensure your website is clean
Hackers may gain access to your website via a database, programme, or plugin. All files, databases, or software that is no longer in use should be removed completely from your website. It’s also essential to keep the file structure structured to keep track of changes and remove obsolete files.
8. Make a copy of your data
It’s extremely important to back up your website regularly. If your website becomes unavailable or your data is lost, you can keep all of your website files. While your web host provider can back up their servers, you can still back up your files regularly.
Some CMS systems have plugins or extensions that can back up the site automatically, and you should also be able to back up databases and content manually.
Need help with your website security?
In today’s modern world, it’s now easier than ever to create a website, but security maintenance is essential. When it comes to protecting your company’s and customers’ data, you should always be proactive. Cybersecurity threats are on the rise at an alarming rate, but you don’t need to be an expert to take care of your website and we hope we’ve provided you with all the information on how to make a website secure.
If you find you still need help with your website security, contact us today and we can help. Our web development experts can provide you with all the advice you need to protect your website and can keep on top of your website’s security on your behalf.