Are you wondering why you should take web security more seriously?
Well, why shouldn’t you? Cyber attacks grow by the number every day. With that in mind, it’s only reasonable to fortify your defenses. Otherwise, you can suffer a lot of negative consequences:
Getting your website hacked can target your clients.
Does your site come with an eCommerce feature? There’s a fair chance their personal information can be stolen if your website isn’t secure enough.
Getting your website hacked can damage your reputation.
Cyber attacks do not only affect your web design. They can taint the way your clients or future clients see you, too. After all, who wants to do business with a company website that has poor security?
Getting your website hacked can decrease your revenue.
Bad reputation leads to bad revenue. It’s all connected. If you don’t want to risk it all, you have to tackle the root of the problem.
What are the threats to website security?
If you think that cybercrimes aren’t a real danger, guess again. It’s very real, and it comes with a LOT of major repercussions too.
Think about it. You’re out here living your best life and enjoying your grand website launch. All is well, and everything is in place. Suddenly, without warning, a glitch happens―and poof! Just like that, all the hard work that you put into making your website is gone. Hours and days you’ve spent on coding, wasted.
Sure, you can say that this scenario is a bit far-fetched. But you know what? It happens. It can happen to you. A great way to prevent these website threats is by understanding them. To help you out, I’ve put together a quick summary:
Ransomware
Judging by the name, you already have an idea of what this type of software can do. That’s right. It’s designed to lock down your website until you pay “ransom money” to the attacker. Just imagine that cost you will have to pay on top of the ransom itself. You will have losses in sales, productivity, and reputation.
Malware
Its main purpose is one thing, to deal direct damage to your website. If you think that’s bad enough, there’s more to it. Google would block your website from connecting to clients if it thinks your site is a threat. Malware can cause you to get blacklisted. As an effect, it damages your brand reputation at the very least.
Accidental File Deletion
Don’t be so quick to pin all the breaches to the bad guys. Sometimes, website security can be threatened by user errors as well. It’s not impossible for a member of your staff to accidentally delete or corrupt a certain content file. But when that does happen, it can cause your website to fail.
Phishing
Have you ever received a suspicious email on behalf of big companies? Well, that is what phishing is all about. It aims to get sensitive personal information from a user and use those for misdeeds.
Employee Sabotage
Is your web username and password outdated? Be careful, a disgruntled employee can use that information to sabotage your business.
How can you boost web security?
You want your accounts protected, right? No data leaks, no password losses? Well, you’re not the only one. Everyone wants the same. Problem is, not everyone seems to know how. Well, let me give you some quick pointers on the topic:
Update your website regularly.
Why does it matter? Updating your server operating system and other software helps keep it secure. It patches any previous security holes that may have been present. Plus, it optimizes your display too!
Review your passwords.
Are you using a complex password? A strong password can help prevent hackers from unlocking your account. Don’t go for something generic. Create a combination that contains alphanumeric keys and special characters. Be sure you set these requirements for your users as well. It will keep their accounts more protected.
Limit your error messages.
Be careful with the type of info you place on your error messages. Provide minimal info as much as you can. This ensures that no sensitive information will be leaked. It also stops attacks from being carried out on your website.
Deter your file uploads.
Do you allow your users to upload files on your website? If so, you should be careful. Cast suspicion even on small files! Leave no stone unturned, even if the file looks innocent. You can never tell when these items might contain scripts and damage your website.
Optimize your page with security tools.
Think you’ve boosted your website security enough? Well, there’s more you can do to keep it safe. And that is by using website security tools. These can check your defenses for any weak points through penetration testing.
Several FREE web security tools that you can use include:
- Netsparker
- OpenVAS
- SecurityHeaders.io
- Xenotix XSS Exploit Framework
There are many different ways to further enforce website security. Hopefully, these suggestions can help you get started.
Did you know that web security can lead to higher web traffic?
Website security isn’t just all about protecting your data. Sure, that’s one of the main things it does. But, it also helps pull in more traffic to your business website. Not convinced? Here’s why:
It builds customer trust.
Cyber attacks destroy your brand’s public image. It creates a stigma that you care only about sales and not customer experience. But if you build on web security, that can be changed.
It optimizes the user experience.
Website downtime and maintenance don’t just affect you. It inconveniences your clients, too. With better website security, the hassle can be avoided altogether.
It boosts search engine ranking.
Giant search engines prefer websites that can deliver a better user experience. If your website is well-guarded and safe to use, it increases your ranking too.
It betters reputation.
Just like how a custom web design talks about the kind of business you run. The security of your website has a say on how clients will perceive you, too.
It promotes brand authority.
Where does good reputation lead? Brand authority, of course. The more you continue to keep a clean slate for your business website, the better it will be received.
In conclusion? Website security is an absolute need.
Especially in this day and age! Almost everyone and everything is relying on the internet. Just imagine how much damage a cyber attack can cost you.
There’s no use arguing about it. A website with poor security only spells trouble. Not just for you, but for your business and your web visitors as well. Other times, it can even hurt the reputation of your brand. Would you really want to risk all that? If your answer is no, then consider investing in better web security.
Investing in proper website security comes with many perks. It doesn’t only protect your hard work and intellectual property. It also boosts your inbound traffic! As a bonus, it increases your search results rank and conversion rates, too.
What are your thoughts on website security?
How strong do you think is the current state of your website security? Do you think it is capable of warding off threats? If you’ve had any experience in dealing with website security, share them in the comments! I would love to read through your thoughts and opinions on the topic. Don’t forget to share this post if you found it helpful as well.
Author Bio:
I am Louise Savoie Digital Marketer at Proweaver, a web development company specializing in Custom Web Design which helps sole proprietors and small companies increase their sales and grow their business. I am responsible in Content Marketing and Social Media Marketing. You can find us on Twitter: @proweaver
