Whether you run a business website, an e-commerce store, or a personal blog, your website is constantly under attack. Your personal data (and consequently, potentially even your money) is always at risk of getting stolen by hackers and other cybercriminals.
After all, studies show that at least one cyberattack occurs every 39 seconds. And if breached, your website or business just might collapse completely.
So, how do you protect your website? In this article, we’ll go through the top 10 cybersecurity practices you need to be doing to protect your website.
1. Keep Software and Plugins Updated
One of the most common ways hackers get into systems is through outdated software and plugins.
If you use programs like CMS (Content Management Systems) like WordPress or ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) programs with your website, make sure you’re regularly updating them.
Have them automatically update if possible, or install any available updates as soon as you see them. Many patches that developers release involve security updates of some kind.
2. Use Strong Passwords and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Another extremely common culprit of data breaches is the good old password. Unfortunately, most people, including those who manage websites, use short and weak passwords.
As a rule of thumb, passwords should have:
- A combination of upper and lowercase letters;
- Numbers and symbols;
- At least 12 characters.
Additionally, multi-factor authentication (MFA) or two-factor authentication (2FA) should be enabled whenever possible. They add an extra layer of protection by requiring users to verify their identity twice through a temporary code sent to their phone numbers or email addresses or through a third-party authentication app like Google Authenticator.
3. Secure Your Website with HTTPS
Any modern-day website needs to have an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate. Having a certificate means that your website encrypts any data it receives and sends out, preventing hackers from intercepting them.
In fact, it has become such a basic requirement for websites that search engines rarely if ever show websites without an SSL certificate. So, not only is SSL certificates crucial for your security, but they also help with your website’s marketability and visibility.
Hosting providers will typically offer SSL certificates for free, which means that there’s no excuse to not have them for your website.
4. Install Web Application Firewalls (WAF)
A Web Application Firewall (WAF) works by monitoring the traffic web applications receive, determining which of them are safe and which are threats. Threats are then blocked before they can harm your website.
This is crucial for protecting your website against SQL injections and cross-site scripting (XSS), which are two of the most common ways websites get hacked.
5. Implement Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS)
Another valuable protection protocol worth having is an Intrusion Detection System (IDS). Much like WAFs, an IDS monitors traffic to your website for suspicious activities and alerts you of potential threats.
However, it does so for the entire network, not just web applications. Use them both for maximum protection for your website.
6. Monitor and Restrict User Access
Do you have multiple people who can access your website? (Such as your employees if you’re a business owner). Then, remember that not every one of them needs full administrative access.
Limiting each user’s access based on their roles and responsibilities. After all, the more data they can access, the more data they can potentially endanger (whether intentionally or through unintended human error).
Regularly review access permissions and remove user privileges for people who have changed roles or are no longer involved in the website.
7. Implement Secure Hosting and Server Configuration
To have a website, you’ll need a hosting provider—and choosing one with robust security credentials is essential.
Look for providers that offer features like:
- Free SSL/TSL certificates;
- DDoS protection;
- Malware scanning;
- Automatic backups;
- Firewalls;
- Incident report and recovery plans.
Truth be told, a reliable hosting provider should be able to take care of most things in this list for your website.
8. Use a VPN on Public Wi-Fi
Whenever you’re accessing your website on public Wi-Fi, make sure that you’re using a virtual private network.
Why? Because on a public Wi-Fi, everyone connected to that network can technically see whatever anyone else on the Wi-Fi connection is doing. This puts your website data at serious risk.
A VPN masks your IP address and encrypts your data, shielding them from prying eyes. VPNs for all sorts of geographical regions are available. So, for example, if you’re in the United States, look for a VPN for USA users.
9. Regular Security Audits and System Upgrades
Cyber threats are constantly evolving, as cybercriminals are always looking for new ways to bypass and outsmart existing cybersecurity protocols.
It’s essential to conduct regular security audits and vulnerability scans to see if your security systems are in tip-top shape. Tools like vulnerability scanners, penetration testing, and malware detection software can help with this. Some website owners even go as far as hiring professional ethical hackers to see if their website has any holes.
Consider upgrading your security systems and software regularly as well. After all, Cyber threats are constantly evolving, as cybercriminals are always looking for new ways to bypass and outsmart existing cybersecurity protocols.
10. Perform Regular Backups
However, the truth is that no website or network is completely immune from attacks. As said, cybercriminals are always searching for new ways to breach networks.
Because of this, make sure that you regularly back up your website’s data. This allows you to restore your website to a prior state in the case of a cyberattack (or server failure or accidental deletion).
It’s a good idea to store such data in multiple places—both online (cloud storage) and offline (drives). Additionally, you can also automate the backup process to be conducted regularly.
Conclusion
Protecting your website may seem like a tedious task—but it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Simply consider how companies lose around $4.88 million from data breaches on average. That’s how costly getting hacked can be.
So protect your website in the multitude of ways available, and ensure that you stay proactive and updated for any developments.
