When you run a business, your website is an extension of your identity. Maintaining a strong digital presence is crucial for commercial operations looking to get ahead in today’s competitive marketplace.
However, just as your brick-and-mortar location needs to be secured against potential threats, so does your website. Cyber crimes are an unfortunate reality of digital spaces, and when your website is compromised, it can jeopardize your and your clients’ data.
Asking the question, “Is your website secure?” is a complicated query. Knowing the answer can make the difference between thriving, impressive commercial growth and a potentially harmful breach.
In this blog, we’ll discuss the complex terrain of cybersecurity and explore some tips for bolstering your own website’s security.
What Is Website Security?
Before exploring some tips for improving your website’s security, it’s important to clarify what it is and why it matters.
As a concept, website security refers to the broad range of measures, tools, and technologies designed to safeguard the data you post online, visitors to your webpage, and the availability of your digital assets.
Digital security prevents unauthorized access to sensitive information on your website. It is essential for maintaining functionality and finding new customers. Website security is also critical for boosting your domain’s search engine optimization (SEO).
Google prioritizes user safety and website security as a ranking factor, meaning your digital safety goes hand-in-hand with your website’s discoverability. Using encryption protocols like HTTPS and proactively managing your domain is essential for any commercial operation.
Common Website Security Threats
Website security threats vary from minor service disruptions to exploiting users to divulge personal information. Whether you’ve built your website yourself or hired a professional team to do it for you, it’s important to know how to prepare yourself to defend against cyber threats.
Cyber criminals trying to steal your data
Here are some of the most common threats to your website’s security:
- •SQL injection/cross-site scripting (XSS): This is where vulnerabilities in databases are exploited to access sensitive data. Harmful scripts are injected into websites and impact users’ browsers.
- •Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks: This is when your website is overwhelmed with traffic to make it unusable and unavailable to legitimate users.
- •Phishing attacks: This is a deceptive attempt to obtain sensitive personal information. It occurs when a third party poses as a trustworthy entity and requests information under false pretenses.
- •Ransomware: This is a type of malware that encrypts data and demands payment for its release. It is often initiated through phishing emails.
Why Protecting Your Data Is Important
While it may seem obvious that keeping your data secure is a good idea, as a business owner with a website, this is even more true.
Robust security measures can safeguard sensitive information from unauthorized access, data breaches, and theft, all of which can have devastating consequences for you and your customers.
When personal data like names, emails, and payment details are compromised, it can potentially result in financial consequences. It can also damage your reputation and break down trust between you and your customers.
Protecting your data lets you carry on your operations without delay and contributes to your company’s longevity.
HTTPS Protocol
The most direct, effective way to secure your website is to use HTTPS.
Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) is an extra safe version of Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), which is the primary way data is transmitted on the web. HTTPS ensures that the data shared between a user’s browser and your website is encrypted and secure.
You can think of HTTPS as the equivalent of sending a letter in a locked box rather than an unsealed envelope.
HTTPS protects information from being intercepted by encrypting it, authenticating the destination, and keeping your online browsing private. Websites that use HTTPS are considered more trustworthy and secure and also rank better on Google.
Key Components of HTTPS
HTTPS has three key components that provide robust safety and make it the most popular choice for legitimate websites with high traffic:
- SSL/TLS protocol:
- ⚬SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) and TLS (Transport Layer Security) are cryptographic protocols that allow for secure communication between two distinct entities: your website and a user’s browser.
- ⚬They use advanced algorithms to secure data when it’s shared and only allow it to be read by authorized parties.
- ⚬For example, when you enter credit card information on a website, SSL and TLS ensure that this data is only readable to the company that owns the website. Even if this data is intercepted, it will be protected.
- Encryption
- ⚬HTTPS uses symmetric and asymmetric encryption, which are advanced protection measures that ensure data can only be shared with the intended recipient.
- ⚬Think of it this way: when data is encrypted, it’s transformed into a lock. The HTTPS-secured website you enter it on is the only place with the key to unlock and understand it.
- Certificates
- ⚬Websites that use HTTPS are required to obtain a digital certificate from a trusted authority. When a user’s browser connects to a site, it checks the certificate to ensure it is genuine and trustworthy.
- ⚬Certificates are like a digital piece of ID; they verify the website’s authenticity.
These components are all in place to protect against threats. They prevent tampering with your data and ensure that all parties involved in the data-sharing relationship are not imposters.
If you invest in a website from a company like LinkNow, you can expect an HTTPS-secured domain and should never settle for anything less.
Basic Tips to Bolster Digital Security
While HTTPS is a standard for digital safety, it’s not the only way to keep your website secure.
There are several strategies and protocols you can take to maintain website security. Practicing good cyber security, like regularly changing passwords and keeping your software and plugins updated, is just one aspect of it.
Even if you’re not familiar with the technical aspects of web design, there are some simple ways to secure your website, including the following:
Keep Your Software Updated
Outdated software is one of the most significant sources of digital vulnerability. When your content management system, plugins, and themes aren’t up to date, you’re potentially leaving yourself open to cyber threats.
Set up automatic updates whenever possible and create a schedule to manually check and update components that don’t offer this feature.
Foster a Workplace Culture of Cybersecurity
One of the best ways to keep your company’s data secure is to foster a culture of cybersecurity.
This can include educating your employees about common threats and best practices, encouraging open dialogue about digital security concerns, and implementing procedures to keep everyone on the same page.
Things like regularly changing passwords, not opening emails from unverified addresses, and only visiting authorized websites with company equipment go a long way toward improving your digital security. Cybersecurity is sophisticated and complex, so don’t hesitate to ask a professional for help.
LinkNow Prioritizes Security When Building Websites
If you want a professionally secured website that will keep your company data safe while looking great and attracting new customers, LinkNow can help.
Our packages come with robust safety features, and our dedicated team of designers and web architects provide you with state-of-the-art protection. We’ve spent years developing expertise and are pleased to offer custom websites with unbeatable SEO.
You can learn more about our website packages here or connect with us at 1.888.667.7186 to speak with one of our digital marketing specialists.
