Through the last 30 years, the web has completely transformed the face of modern business and allowed firms to capitalize on a global marketplace while also giving them tremendous marketing and promotion options. However, while it’s true the internet has brought fantastic benefits to companies, it has also brought significant risks in the form of hackers and online criminality.
As our reliance on the web and associated web tech has increased, so has the likelihood of fake actors and online criminals infiltrating your website. Depending on how you use your site, this could result in a drop in reputation, loss of earnings (particularly for e-commerce sites like this care home supplies retailer) or, perhaps worst of all, your site spreading viruses to your website visitors.
Online crime is now a huge business and, taken like for like, makes the sector the world’s third-largest economy behind the USA and China. Consequently, you should do everything you can to ensure your site and network stay as possible.
Tips To Secure Your Website From Attack
No network or computer platform will ever be 100% secure, and if a hacker is determined enough, they will likely find ways into your system eventually. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t some sensible precautions you can take to help mitigate the risk, including:
Only Use A Recommended And Reputable Web Hosting Company: Using a substandard or unsafe web hosting company is only ever going to result in problems further down the line. Check review sites for recommendations and ask your potential host what security measures they have in place.
Make Sure Your Software And Plugins Are Always Up To Date: The majority of sites these days are powered by a Content Management System (CMS) to allow clients to make edits (the most common now is WordPress). No matter what CMS your site uses, you should always ensure you are running the very latest version of the software. Plus, also make sure you keep any plugins updated. Outdated apps are one of the most common ways hackers gain access to websites.
Use Strong Alphanumeric Passwords And Change Them Regularly: Another favorite way for hackers to gain access to a site is by guessing the access password, so you should make yours as hard to guess as possible by using alphanumeric combinations. It’s also a good idea to change your password regularly to avoid potential problems, and never use the same passwords for multiple accounts.
Make Sure You Install Ssl On Your Site And Also Add Security Software: Your host may already offer in-built security software but, if not, you should find a reputable app and add it yourself. Also, you should ensure you install SSL tech on your site.
Limit What Users Can Upload To Your Site: If your site allows visitors to upload files, you should limit the file types they can send, and also their size. You will also need to remember to thoroughly scan any uploaded files and, ideally, store them in a separate location to your main root folder.