At this point in time it is safe to say that we all know and understand the importance of internet security. After all, cybercriminals are constantly looking for new ways to hack into your system and steal important data and files.
Successful business owners understand that they need to purchase anti-virus and malware software to protect their businesses from such attacks.
A lesser-known but equally important business practice is the need for website security.
Any time a user browses through your website or submits a form online, your website is vulnerable to cyber-attacks.
Anti-virus and malware software’s do not protect against these sorts of attacks on your website.
Security Steps You’ve Probably Already Taken
SSLs
Most people, at this point, are familiar with an SSL. It’s the little pop-up you see warning you that a site isn’t secure if they’ve haven’t bothered to shell out the nomial cost for one.
SSL certificates transform your http domain name to https (the S stands for Secure) domain. Https domains encrypt data that is entering or leaving your site making it difficult for cybercriminals to see personal data or information that would otherwise be exposed.
SSLs add a layer of protection, safeguaring both users and your domain from potential hackers. As an added bonus, an SSL can also contribute to your SEO performance on Google. (old news, back in 2018, Google announced that it would start favoring all https websites over http websites – and that never changed).
Why it’s not enough:
Limited scope. It only covers some data and doesn’t fully protect a site from all avenues of security threats. It’s just a corner piece on a bigger puzzle.
Captcha
If you collect any information on your website then you have likely implemented a captcha (or your web person has…hopefully).
Captchas are those funny little guys that pop up asking you how many bikes are pictured in the square of images. They can also prompt you to add up a math equation, yada yada.
These are the classic, “I am not a robot” tactic to reduce overall bot attacks on a web form.
But….they’re not foolproof.
Why it’s not enough:
Machine learning and click farming means that captchas are becoming less and less effective at preventing spam, phishing or other threats from coming through your forms.
Other Avenues for Boosted Website Security
- Blocking Non-US Traffic – this can prevent bot attacks and block countries that are the most common culprits for cyber attacks. Obviously, this is only a good option for local businesses.
- Security Monitoring Plugins – there are a lot available. Research the one that works best for your needs. They typically come with a cost but it’s worth it to know when, how, and why a cyber attack occurred.
- Daily Backups – if your web host doesn’t already provide this then GET IT NOW. Daily backups allow you to easily restore your site to undo any modifications a bad actor may have applied.
- Automated Theme & Plugin Updates – plugins are one of the worst vulnerabilities for a site. They become dated and are the target of injectable spam and malware. It’s a huge pain to do manual updates. Invest in automatic updates coupled with backups to ensure that you can restore to a previous point if a plugin conflict occurs.
- HIPPA Compliant Forms – you can apply this whether you’re in the medical industry or not. HIPPA Compliant forms deliver your information in an encrypted email and lock up the data in your website from being accessed. This helps add a double layer of security if you’re collecting private information.
