Zephyrnet Logo

5 Effective Tips to Protect Your Website and Improve Security

Date:

Data breaches, cyberattacks, and identity theft have been common occurrences on the Internet since its inception. In recent years, they have become so sophisticated and dangerous that even the biggest companies have become vulnerable to attacks.

To help you protect your website and data from becoming the next target, we have compiled a list of five effective tips you can use to get started on building a secure environment where you and your customers can feel safe. Let’s begin!

Get Top-Quality Web Hosting

Your website needs web hosting to exist on the Internet. There are many web hosting types out there, from traditional hosting to the now more popular cloud servers. If you want to see what cloud servers offer and how much they can cost, check out this link.

When choosing a hosting provider, many website owners underestimate the importance of getting a quality service and end up choosing a plan that will cut their costs.

However, this can cost you way more in the future, especially in terms of security. Your hosting provider plays a crucial role in protecting your site and data. So, before settling on a plan, make sure that your provider offers good security features. Look for providers that have firewall and DDoS protection, SSL Certificates, malware scans, two-factor authentication, and other similar features. 

And remember, your web hosting provider could be the last line of defense you have against hackers, so choose wisely.

Update Your Software Regularly

We’re always being reminded to update our phones, computers, and even apps, which can be unpleasant. However, this is done for a good reason. Having the latest software on all devices and apps is a measure that all companies take in order to improve security and protect customer data.

Hackers can easily attack your website using older scripts and security flaws. So, to avoid giving them such an easy way in, make sure that you regularly update all the platforms you work on. Most software updates contain security patches that protect against new threats and include technology that previous software versions do not.

So, we recommend you create a weekly or bi-weekly update schedule, where you go over the apps and platforms you use, see what you still need and what not, and update them on time. 

Encrypt Your and Your Customers’ Data

Encryption is a great and effective way to protect your most sensitive data. Also, it is a must if you handle highly sensitive and valuable customer data, like credit card info, social security numbers, user names, and passwords.

By using SSL or another type of encryption, you ensure that information is being safely transmitted and that no third parties can intercept it. Further, it helps prevent hackers from accessing your login credentials, which decreases the chances of data breaches.

Use Secure and Reputable Third-Party Add-Ons

Virtually all websites use third-party add-ons, including plugins, themes, databases, and applications. Moreover, most website owners use so many of them that they can’t keep track of the ones they need and forget to delete the ones that are old and no longer in use.

Hackers regularly use these add-ons to attack websites by exploiting their security flaws. To avoid this, you need to do regular website sweeps and remove all files, databases, and apps that your website does not need.

Additionally, you need to keep track of your files and organize them in a way that will make it easier for you to determine what you should keep or update and what you should delete. Of course, you cannot delete all third-party add-ons. So, focus on using add-ons from secure and reputable companies that have a good track record with data protection.

Always Have a Backup

Many things can happen to your website unexpectedly. Your data can be hacked, your computer might stop working, or a fire can break out and ruin your equipment. That’s why it is crucial that you regularly back up your data and store it somewhere safe and remote.

This way, you will be able to restore your data quickly and easily, enabling your website to continue working without any interruptions. Also, it is vital that you create multiple backups and store each one at different places.

For instance, you can create one backup via your web hosting provider and store it on their server. You can create a second backup using secure and tested plugins or extensions and store that backup on that provider’s server. Additionally, you can back up and store your data and content manually so that you can still access your data if one of your other backup options is unavailable.

The Bottom Line

Cyberattacks and hackers are a constant in the online world that shows no sign of disappearing. Fortunately, there are many ways you can safeguard against attacks and ensure that your website and data are secure.

The five tips mentioned in this article are simple but effective methods you should incorporate into your website so that you can start building a safe space for yourself and your customers. So, don’t waste any time. Use these tips to protect your business and create a secure online presence!

spot_img

Latest Intelligence

spot_img