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. The best way to ensure your website’s security is by purchasing a SSL certificate. 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—eeks!
Securing your website with a SSL Certificate will not only safeguard both users and your domain from potential hackers, it will also increase your SEO performance on Google. In 2018, Google announced that it will begin favoring all https websites over http websites. This means that no matter what SEO progress you have made online, if your site does not have a SSL Certificate, it will not rank as high as those websites that do have SSL Certificates. All websites must increase their security and purchase SSL Certificates in order to stay relevant within their industry.
As a rule of thumb, all internet users should be alarmed if they are browsing on a website that does not begin with https in the URL. As cyber attacks rise, users will be looking for new ways to protect themselves while browsing on the internet. If your website does not have a SSL certificate, then you will be overlooked by internet users for a site that does offer a secured site.
References
Houston-McMillan, K. (2018, October 9). Secure Business Web Sites. Retrieved from IT Web: https://www.itweb.co.za/content/Olx4zMkgOW8M56km/pXnWJadMba7bjO1e
