Like most website owners out there, you might think your site does not have anything worth being hacked for. Trust me, people like that have their websites compromised the most. Did you know that a majority of the security breaches occur not for the sake of stealing your data, but to mess up with the layout of your website? The abuser could also be using your website’s server to mine bitcoins.
When you have spent so much money, time and effort designing and developing your website from experts like the Ecommerce agency in London, then why not spend some time making it secure too? Here are some tips on how you can make your website more secure than ever:
Keep the software updated
Keeping all software updated is the key to keep your website secure. This includes not just the server operating system but any software running on your website. Hackers are always looking for website security holes. If your website and its software are not updated, it gives them an opportunity to abuse.
Most CMSs like WordPress notify you whenever the system updates are available. Whenever you receive these notifications, don’t ignore them.
Get an SSL certificate
Depending on the type of content your website hosts, you might need different SSL certifications. These certificates could cost you anywhere from nothing to a few pounds per month. Most CMS providers have their SSL included. SSL establishes an encrypted connection between the web server and a browser. That’s why it is pertinent to the security of your website.
Watch out for XSS attacks
XSS i.e. Cross-site Scripting attacks inject malicious JavaScript into your web pages. This could change the content of your web pages and even steal some information. To prevent your website from this attack, you will need some tools. XSS defender toolbox is very helpful in that. It will tell your browser to limit how and when JavaScript is executed on your web pages. It will disallow the running of any scripts that are not hosted on your domain.
Use parametrized queries
Many sites become a victim to SQL injections. This happens a lot when you have a URL parameter or a web form that allows users from the outside to supply you some sort of information. Someone can insert a code into the parameters of the field and access your database. To protect that, use parametrized queries. This will prevent hackers from messing up with your site.
Check your password
We all know it is important to use complex passwords but not all of us use them. A strong password must be used for your server and website admin area. The password must be a combination of uppercase letters, numbers, and special characters. It must be minimum 8 characters. Apart from this, always store the password as encrypted values.
Create a regular backup of your data
Create a backup of your website regularly. In case your website becomes inaccessible, if you don’t have a backup, you will lose everything. Although web hosts usually provide backups of their own server, it is still recommended to create regular backup of files manually. Use the extensions and plugins provided by your content management program to automatically create a backup of all the files of your site.
Use website security tools
There are lots of security tools out there that can let you test the security of your website. Once you have improved the security of your website, you can use them to see how secure your website is. This process is called penetration testing.
Fortunately, there are many free tools to assist you with this process. They will test all possible exploits to compromise your website. Here are some free tools you can use:
- Netsparker: This tool lets you test SQL injection and XSS
- Security Headers.io: This tool gives you a report that tells which security headers have been enabled and configured by the domain.
- OpenVAS: This tool is great for testing vulnerabilities. Although it is a bit tricky to set up, once it is installed, you will find it very useful.
Hire security experts
If you think you can’t handle the security, it is best to develop a relationship with a firm that offers security services. You can take care of the small things but there are always some measures for which you need expert assistance. The experts will perform security audits and monitor your website for malicious activities. This could be your best defense against the bad guys.
Securing your website and learning how you can protect it against attacks is an essential part of keeping it healthy and safe. Even if it is just an informative blog, you still need to protect it.
