With the rise of cyber attacks, and ongoing digitalization of everyday life we should focus more and more on cybersecurity. It might sound like an IT specialization but if you are active online you should know the basics of computer security. Especially if you own a website you might be prone to a cyber attack. Of course, it would be unwise to say you can be 100% hacker proof, most of the hackers would probably treat it as a challenge. However – the majority of cyber attacks are based on human error – that’s why it is crucial to ensure that the basics of security has been provided. Do you have an SSL certificate? Is your password secure enough? It might sound trivial to some, but running through a security checklist might save you from most of the wrongdoers out there.

 

Either you are a company owner wanting to ensure everything is up to a certain standard of cybersecuirty or a webmaster with experience you ought to check the list below. Here are some basic steps that will make your website more secure:

 

  1. SSL certificate
    • Installing an SSL Certificate shuld be the first step to ensure cybersecurity, it confirms your website as secure, and allows to send encrypted information back and forth between your server and the user.  
  2. HTTPS protocol
    • Once you obtain an SSL certificate you can enable  HTTPS for your website. But remember you have to renew it every year.
      SEO TIP:
      Google favors websites that are secure and safe for users – sites with HTTPS are prioritized by Google and show up higher in the search results
  3. Secure password
    • If you are using CMS make sure you are using a secure password. “Login: Admin; Password: Admin” is just asking for trouble. Changing the default password is fairly simple and an obvious step. It’s surprising that so many website owners make this mistake.
  4. Password encryption
    • If you are storing users passwords make sure you do that in encrypted form. Storing passwords in plain text is a common mistake often exploited during hacks. After the recent law changes (GDPR) you can even get fined for storing passwords in their plain text form.
  5. Keep your Error Messages short
    • Giving up too much information in your error messages might be the vulnerability a potential hacker can use to take a hold of your and your user data. Make it as simple as possible.
  6. Keep your website software up to date
    • Failing to update your website software regularly may be the window of opportunity for hackers to exploit. Be sure all your software is up to date, as well as certificates – the latter might not affect your website security but it will ensure your position in search engines. It might be even branded as unsafe by Google Chrome.
  7. Website security tools
    • Using WordPress plugins can help to maximize the protection of your website. Free tools like Wordfence can scan for hacked files and monitor the access of visitors. You should also test your website before publishing any major changes – Observatory from Mozilla can help you do that.

 

Have you checked all the steps while building your website? Got any question in the matter of Cybersecurity? Contact us, and will help you out with your website problems.