How to properly protect a website in 2023?
The increasing use of malware and ransomware is a stark reality in today's world. It is therefore crucial to protect your website, especially in 2022. Data breaches and hacks affect not only large companies, but also small companies which account for 43% of data breach cases. So, all business owners should prioritize cybersecurity and protecting their website. For this, there are some basic practices you can follow, such as optimizing the cloud security architecture, using an SSL (HTTPS) certificate, creating complex passwords, automation of data backups, avoidance of downloads via the website, regular updating of the CMS and careful use of web forms. By following these tips, you can ensure the security of your website and its sensitive data.
Did you know that malware usage increased by 358% in 2020, and ransomware usage increased by 435%?
I'm not saying this to scare you, but it's the harsh truth of the world we live in. It is therefore essential to protect a website well, especially in 2022.
As a website owner, is there anything scarier than the mere thought of having all your data altered or entirely erased by a treacherous hacker?
We often hear about data breaches and hacks around the world. You would think that hackers are going after big companies that have more money and data to steal. But truth be told, hackers do not take into account the size of the company. The reality is that small businesses cause 43% of data breaches, so all business owners need to prioritize cybersecurity and protection. Protecting a website is therefore a priority.
Perhaps, sometimes the best ways to tackle a problem are the simplest ones. You already know that you need to protect a website against hackers; however, when you delve into website vulnerabilities in more detail, you are likely to be overwhelmed with complex concepts and convoluted solutions.
Nevertheless, there are some basic practices you can follow to protect a website. Let's take a look at seven essential things you can do to keep your website secure.
7 Ways to Protect Website Data
The data available on your website or your blog are vital to your brand or business. All your personal data, and that of the people who visit your site, can be at risk if you are the victim of a data breach.
In addition, cybercrime can lead to loss of traffic and have significant financial and legal consequences. There's nothing scarier than losing everything you've worked for to a cyberattack, so you need to take all the necessary steps to protect a website.
With constant innovation in software and technology, companies are moving many applications to the cloud as there are more vulnerabilities exploited by hackers. Additionally, there are various cybersecurity tools that you can use to ensure that your site is protected from vulnerable attacks. That said, there are also other ways to protect a website and its data.
Optimize cloud security architecture
What is Cloud Security Architecture? Cloud security architecture is the responsibility of both the cloud provider and the consumer, i.e. you! By reading your provider's service level agreement, you will understand the responsibilities of both parties to enforce security measures.
In order to protect a website, the use of the cloud is essential in modern businesses, as it allows you to scale and grow much faster by moving the infrastructure to the cloud.
Optimizing the security architecture means your business can continue to gain efficiency without compromising your data or applications.
As part of the cloud security architecture, be sure to integrate data loss prevention tools, use virtual firewalls, anti-virus software, DDoS attack protection, and SIEM.
Use HTTPS
When you see an HTTPS website in the URL, you know it has an SSL certificate. An SSL certificate lets you know that the site is safe and that you can provide your information without fear. This certification means that the transfer of data between the website and the server is secure and many users will not provide their information without it. It is therefore imperative to protect a website in 2022.
It is essential for all e-commerce sites to have an SSL certificate, as they collect credit card information, contact details and other personal data. Today, it becomes essential for all businesses. Google Chrome will flag your website to visitors if you don't have an SSL certificate, so they won't stick around even if you don't ask for their contact information.
Obtaining an SSL certificate is free and it is an additional layer of encryption that makes your website and its data more secure. Without this encryption, you become a target for cybercriminals and hamper your business success.
Create complex passwords
It may seem obvious, but creating strong passwords is one of the best ways to protect a website. While you don't want to forget your passwords, learning one password is easier than losing your entire business.
People know the importance of creating secure passwords, but many still opt for simplicity and believe that a cyberattack will never happen to them. This is a big mistake, and you need to make sure everyone with access to your website is using equally strong passwords.
Passwords should contain a mix of numbers, upper and lower case letters, and special characters. Passwords should be unrelated to the user, such as birthdays, mother's maiden name, etc.
A single weak password on your team can be a hacker's doorway. Set guidelines for your employees to follow when setting their passwords to ensure you are not vulnerable.
Note: In addition to complex passwords, you also need a secure connection. Using a virtual private network (VPN) can provide encryption for all your data transfers at home, in the office, or anywhere you use public Wi-Fi. Some of the best VPN providers according to reviews and experts include ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and NordVPN.
Automate your data backups
Regardless of how many steps you take to mitigate the risk of a data breach, there is always a chance of it happening. The best thing you can do is prepare for the worst by regularly backing up your data.
Backing up all your website data helps keep a website safe since it means that if a hacker wipes out your website or uses ransomware to hold your data hostage, you won't have lost everything. Backing up your data manually is time consuming and prone to human error, i.e. you can forget. By investing in automatic backups, you'll never have to worry about that and you'll always be covered.
Avoid accepting downloads through the website
Every time you accept a download through your website, you risk a cybercriminal downloading a malicious file. The file itself may contain malware or a file so large that it crashes your website.
All you need to do is click on the file download for the hacker to gain access to your entire website. If you can, try to avoid accepting any downloads through your website.
For many businesses, uploading files is an essential part of their business. If your customers or users need to provide you with documents, you will have to accept file uploads, which puts you at risk. By taking certain steps, you can create a secure website if uploading files is essential.
Here are some tips to make accepting downloads safer:
- Set a maximum file size
- Whitelist allowed file types
- Automatically rename files as soon as they are downloaded.
- Scan for Malware
- Use file type checking
Update your CMS
Whatever CMS you use to host your website, you need to keep it continuously updated. Using a CMS allows you to build a website with tons of extensions and plugins to benefit your business. With this comes an additional risk, since these extensions and plugins are often vulnerable due.
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As many extensions are open-source programs, it is easy to access their coding. Hackers can then exploit these vulnerabilities to gain access to your entire website.
The best way to protect a website against this type of vulnerabilities is to update your CMS and any applications, extensions or plugins you have installed. Update them as soon as there is a new patch because waiting even a day could leave you open to a cyberattack.
Use web forms wisely
If you have fillable web forms on your site, be sure to set strict parameters for the data users can enter. SQL injection attacks are becoming more common as hackers use web forms to enter bits of code, giving them access to your data.
Many companies store all their customer data in the web database, and if a hacker breaks in, all that data is at risk. By parameterizing queries, you can set parameters specific enough that hackers cannot tamper with them.
Conclusion
Protecting your website's sensitive data is critical to the success of your business. Not only can a cyberattack completely destroy all your work, but it can also put your personal data and that of your customers into the hands of a malicious person.
Going to cybersecurity professionals is always the best way to ensure that your website security is optimized and that you don't miss any vulnerabilities in your applications or software. There are many exciting and useful technology and software innovations that can help improve your processes.
It is essential for the growth of your business that you use these innovations, but in a safe way. By implementing the tips in this article, you can ensure that your business website is as secure as possible.
