The rapid technological development of the last few decades has led to a more interconnected and globalized world, paving the way for new opportunities in business. Unfortunately, with these new opportunities come new risks, and cyberattacks are one of the most serious.
Regardless of whether you own a large business or are an individual blogger, you probably want to keep your website safe – and that means taking some cybersecurity precautions to protect it from hackers. Using strong passwords, enabling HTTPS, and avoiding shady emails are now the bare minimum regarding website security.
Apart from that, you should consider developing a continuity plan, keep an eye on the latest updates, and only use reputable hosting providers and plugins. On top of that, you also need to monitor your website for suspicious activity constantly. Read on for more detailed website security tips.
Create Strong Passwords
In most cases, a hacker’s first step is to gain access to your website by obtaining the credentials. They can do this by trying to guess your password or by using brute-force attacks (where they use software to test millions of passwords). With that in mind, you should make sure that you’re using a strong password.
However, your password isn’t the only security measure since two-factor authentication (2FA) is becoming increasingly popular. This measure will require you to enter not only your password but also a code from your smartphone, which hackers are unlikely to have access to.
In any case, make sure you use different passwords for your server and website admin area, and avoid using easy-to-guess words or phrases. Furthermore, you should also insist on good password practices for your users to keep their accounts secure.
Have a Contingency Plan
As a website owner, you should always have business continuity and disaster recovery plans in place in case something happens to your website. This plan is essential if you run an eCommerce website since any downtime can result in a significant loss of revenue.
Content Delivery Networks And Backups
You can do various things to minimize the risk of downtime, including using a content delivery network (CDN), a reliable hosting provider, and a backup plan. For example, you can use a WordPress staging site to test changes before implementing them on your live website.
You should also create regular backups of your website to ensure that you can quickly restore it if something happens. Make sure you store your backups off-site since they won’t do you any good if they’re lost or damaged along with your website.
Enable HTTPS
HTTP Secure, also known as HTTPS, is a security protocol to encrypt the connection between your website and the user’s browser. Thus, it prevents hackers from using man-in-the-middle attacks – sniffing tools that grab sensitive information, such as cookies, passwords, and login details.
It’s easy to enable HTTPS on your website since most hosting providers have their own tools. If this isn’t the case, you can use free online tools like Let’s Encrypt. You don’t need to be tech-savvy to set up HTTPS – you need to copy the necessary files to your server and ensure that you’ve added the correct lines of code to your website.
Avoid Phishing Emails
Considering how strict modern safety standards are, more and more attacks rely on human error. Phishing emails are an excellent example of this. Instead of trying to hack your website, a cybercriminal might try to gain access to your data using more devious means. And while they aren’t particularly sophisticated, they are still pretty effective.
That’s why you should never click on an email asking you to update your account details or enter any bit of private data. This is especially true if the email comes from a sender you don’t recognize, as it may be an attempt to steal your password.
Use Only Reputable Plugins
Many WordPress users tend to install any plugin they can find, especially if it promises some sort of advantage free of charge. However, this is an easy way to compromise your website’s security, as such plugins often have access to your site’s files and databases.
As a result, they can put malicious code into your website, which can be used to infect it with malware. Therefore, you should only use plugins that have been developed by reputable companies and have been reviewed by the WordPress community.
Update Your Website Regularly
It’s a well-known fact that security holes are discovered every day. This situation is one of the main reasons why you should update your website regularly, as doing so will help you keep up with any security risks and patches.
Updating is particularly important for content management systems (CMSs) and plugins since they’re often the target of cyberattacks.
For instance, WordPress has a feature that enables you to update your website automatically without having to do it every time a new version is released. You may still have to adjust your website’s settings every now and then, but the bulk of the work will be done automatically.
Monitor Your Website
While you can’t always prevent a cyberattack, you can at least be aware of it. This is why you should monitor your website 24/7 and ensure no changes to the content or appearance. You should have a monitoring system that can alert you whenever somebody tries to access your website.
A monitoring system will let you take the necessary action and prevent your website from being hacked. Plenty of tools are available for this purpose, including Sitelock’s Site Defender for WordPress.
Compliance and Regulations
Depending on the type of data your website collects and processes, you may be legally required to take specific security measures. For example, the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requires websites to protect the personal data of EU citizens, regardless of where the website is hosted.
Similarly, if you run an eCommerce website, you need to be PCI compliant, which means that you need to meet certain security standards regarding credit card processing.
If you’re unsure whether your website needs to comply with regulations, it’s best to consult a lawyer or general compliance professional.
Summing It Up
As you can see, there are various things you can do to protect your website from hackers. However, the most important thing is to be vigilant and keep an eye out for any anomalies, changes, or other suspicious activity on your website. Additionally, you should regularly back up your website to ensure that you can quickly restore it if something happens.
By following the simple security tips we’ve outlined above, you can do a lot to prevent attacks from happening in the first place. So, don’t delay and implement new security measures as soon as possible! Good luck!