When you’ve gone through all the trouble of putting together a really cool website, it would be foolish to neglect it. Unfortunately, many people do operate on the assumption that everything will be fine while failing to implement security. A bit like going on vacation and leaving your front door unlocked. It might be fine, but it’s very unlikely. Don’t be that guy; be the guy who follows these tips:
Buy SSL certificate
These are digital certificates you can install on your website’s server to foster an encrypted connection. This means that any data sent over the connection will be rendered unreadable to anyone but the sender and the intended recipient. This means that information like credit card or social security numbers are kept safe from malicious actors, potentially protecting your users from fraud. What’s not to love?
Use a secure web host
A good web host should already have a myriad of security measures in place, which will lighten your load when implementing security measures. Before you choose a web host, research what measures they have in place, such as whether they back up your site regularly and how often they upgrade software and hardware.
Get a firewall
You can install a firewall on your site to filter incoming and outgoing traffic for suspicious behavior. A firewall will monitor traffic and will block and allow certain kinds of traffic based on rules you’ve implemented. A great way to prevent malicious traffic like bots or hackers from reaching your site.
Keep site software updated
Out-of-date software is one of the most common means of security breaches. It can be annoying to update software continually, but they exist for a reason, not just to bring you cool new features. Very often, they include security patches for known vulnerabilities. So if you don’t update software, hackers can access your site via the vulnerabilities you have not yet addressed. Whether it’s your site CMS or plugins, keep on top of upgrades, installing them ASAP every time.
Perform regular site scans
Numerous free and paid site scanners available on the web check your site for things like malware, viruses, errors, and malicious code. Regularly checking for these potential vulnerabilities will ensure that you don’t get caught out by the unexpected.
Conclusion
Keeping your site secure isn’t difficult, but it does require work and consistency. Keep your site safe by following these five tips.