Many business owners set up websites to connect with their customers who have gone online due to the pandemic. While these businesses reached their market, they also attracted the attention of hackers looking for their next target. Many people think that hackers focus mainly on big companies. But this is a misconception since the majority of cyberattacks are on small businesses.
Smaller businesses do not normally put a premium on cybersecurity, which makes them tempting targets from attackers. Aside from stealing information, hackers can also add hypertext links into the website that links to the hacker’s website.
With this, all the work of the SEO agency that the business owner hired to increase the traffic into the website will go down the drain since the website will become a part of the link farm of the hacker. But business owners can avoid this by working on securing their websites from hackers.
Use HTTPS
When setting up the website, the business owner should use the secure version of the protocol used in sending data between the website and the browser. Hypertext transfer protocol secure or HTTPS increases the security of the transfer of data since it encrypts the data to secure it during transfer.
Website using the secure protocol can reduce the risk of data breaches. This is important for websites that require their visitors to login using personal credentials. It is easy to see if the website uses HTTPS since they normally have a green padlock on the URL.
These websites are typically secured by a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) Certificate that shows the corporate name of the website owner and the issuing authority of the SSL certificate. These days, websites without SSL certificates do not rank well on search engine results. Due to this, business owners should get an SSL certificate for the website to protect it and increase their online presence.
The green lock or HTTPS on the URL also shows customers that the business is serious about protecting their personal information. Additionally, the cost of an SSL certificate is nothing compared to losing the trust of the customers who can keep the business afloat during the pandemic.
Install Security Plugins
Business owners who used content management systems (CMS) in setting up their websites can install security plugins to protect the website from hacking attempts. But before installing the plugin, business owners should check with the web developer if the CMS theme already has a built-in security plugin and if it’s necessary to install another one.
Installing these plugins is essential, especially if the website handles sensitive information, like credit card details and the personal information of its customers. Business owners prioritize the security of their customers’ information so that they will become loyal customers in the future.
Some security plugins business owners can use to use WordPress include Wordfence, iThemes Security, and Sucuri. For Joomla CMS users, they can consider RSFirewall and JHackGuard. On the other hand, websites using Magento can look into using MageFence and Amasty.
Additionally, the business owners can also ask the hosting company if it offers a website monitoring tool to help close any security loopholes in the website. These tools normally scan the website every day to check for any vulnerabilities and malware that may have installed itself into the website.
Update the CMS Platform
Keeping the CMS platform updated also keeps the website protected. One of the leading causes of website infections is the vulnerabilities in the content management system. These systems typically use open-source software, which makes their code easy to access.
To prevent this, business owners should make sure their CMS platform is regularly updated. The updates normally cover any weaknesses in the script and prevent hackers from exploiting any known vulnerabilities. Additionally, the apps and plugins should also be updated regularly/
Use a Secure Password
Accessing the website normally requires a password. And people normally use a password they can easily remember. But a password that is easy to remember may also be easy to crack for hackers. For instance, the most common password people use is 123456. Once the hacker knows this password, he can log into the website and take control of it.
The hacker may even insert a code into the website. To allow him to collect customer information without alerting the business owner or the customers of the business. Thus, the business owner should make sure the password is not easy to guess or crack so that the website remains secure from hackers.
Protecting a website from hackers is important to safeguard the business’s personal information and allow it to continue operating even in the middle of a pandemic.
