Secure a Website: 11 Online Safety Tips

Keeping your website safe from cyber threats, phishing scams and hackers, is vital. You must ensure all sensitive data is secure so visitors and customers feel safe using your site.

Here, we discuss how to protect your website so that private information such as banking details, personal info and copyright, is safe. Security breaches cause mayhem for website owners, resulting in lost customers, financial loss and even legal implications. Let’s take a look at how to secure your website.

How to Secure a Website

What You Need to Know

Securing a website and ensuring its safety involves protecting all the information on that site and how it works. Your focus is to ensure cyber threats, spamming, and illegal access are impossible. You want users to feel secure knowing that their personal details are protected and that banking information is safe if they buy something on your online store.

This involves putting special security measures in place, like anti-malware software and taking care when you click on a link: if a domain name has been ‘stolen’ by a hacker, the website you click on is unsafe; it is designed to capture your private information.

Protecting your website’s sensitive information and ensuring hackers can’t breach your site’s security will prevent financial loss for you and your customers, not to mention damage your reputation. Data protection laws are in place to ensure your site stays safe for anyone who visits, and that your online site isn’t taken over and misused. 

11 Ways to Secure Your Website

1. Ensure your passwords are strong. And change these often. Use a combination of letters, upper and lowercase, plus numbers and digits. Either use ones suggested by your computer software or make one up, but don’t use sensitive information like birthdays, pets' names, etc.

2. Use 2FA (2-Factor Authentification). This involves using a password with another verification code sent to you via email or SMS. This way, your information is doubly secure, and unwanted access is less likely. After all, you don’t want someone disrupting your site’s operations.

3. Update plugins and software regularly. That means the moment developers release these, as they are designed to fix any security weaknesses and improve the website’s functionality. No matter which content management system (CMS) you use, this also needs to be constantly updated. You don’t want hackers accessing your website and making changes, so use this extra protection.

4. Back up your site. Your mistakes can be costly if you don’t regularly back up your website. Keep a copy of all website information and content separately in another location in case of a breach to restore your site easily. Set up backup reminders so you don’t forget.

5. Protect your domain name. Domain protection, called WHOIS privacy, protects your domain name and private details. This is a service provided by domain name registrars. They provide their details instead of yours to protect you on the WHOIS database.

6. Ensure your hosting provider is reliable. Aside from becoming your domain name registrar, your hosting provider provides other stringent security measures to protect your data. They should also regularly upgrade and provide technical support. When they do this, they ensure your online presence is secure. Domain protection isn’t free – it will cost you an additional fee every year, but it’s the best way to secure your site.

7. Use HTTPS (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure). HTTPS encrypts information between your browser and a visitor’s website server to keep information (such as payment and login details and other personal data) secure from illegal access.

8. Also, use a WAF (Web Application Firewall). This secures your website and monitors all incoming traffic.

9. Have SLL (Secure Sockets Layer) Certification. These certificates encrypt users’ browser details (login details plus payment information) and verify your website’s authenticity and integrity. They protect against cyberattacks, make users confident to access your site, and improve SEO rankings. SLL Certificates are sometimes offered free by hosting providers, and must be renewed on time.

10. Install Security Plugins and Firewalls. Security plugins provide your site with extra security protection. They offer various features including detecting viruses, setting firewalls, securing login details and monitoring activity. Firewalls stop people from accessing your site illegally, and filter network traffic. If regularly updated, they provide your site with extra protection.

11. Secure payment processes. This makes customers feel safe. You can use several, such as PCI DSS (the Payment Card Industry Security Standard), which encrypts people’s financial information when they make a transaction. Another is the Data Protection Act, the UK’s interpretation of the global GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation). This Act and other information protection policies secure all financial information.

Why Website Security is Imperative

Of course, you want to keep your customers and have them returning regularly to read blogs and purchase products. The only way to do this is by ensuring your website makes them feel secure. If you do regular security checks on your website, you can avoid any vulnerabilities. Your focus should always be on taking the necessary measures to ensure your customers’ safety. Train your staff to keep your site secure and ensure they are aware of any possible breaches before they happen. Always have a backup plan so you know what to do if your site is breached.

In a Nutshell

Commit to your website’s security and make this an ongoing focus. Be aware of the importance of securing your information and customers’ financial details so that you can take care of any breaches before they happen. Your vigilance will pay off: customers will return to shop on your website, trusting that their sensitive payment details are safe.

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