4 Things Business Owners Need To Remember About Web Security
Business owners are more concerned about web security than ever before, and with good reason – not only are there more hackers and thieves trying to break into small business websites, but the consequences for a data breach can be severe. You don’t want your company to be in the news for losing financial records, and you certainly don’t want to have to call your customers or clients and let them know that you (or they) have been the victim of an attack.
With all of that in mind, how can you keep your data and company protected? There aren’t any foolproof answers, but the good news is you can do a lot with a few simple measures. To show you how, here are four things that business owners need to remember about web security…
#1 A Secure Website Starts With You
Business owners tend to assume that sophisticated tools and software are needed to keep hackers away. While there are a lot of helpful options out there, it’s important to know that the first step towards keeping your site safe and secure is simply using strong passwords and not sharing them with the wrong people. The vast majority of small business hacks occur after someone in a company has been duped into giving out sensitive information. Don’t be the next victim.
#2 Don’t Leave Open Doors And Windows
Going beyond phishing schemes, loose passwords, and other simple scams, the number one vulnerability small businesses have to hackers can be found in out-of-date software and plug-ins. When thieves see that you have an updated WordPress or add-on’s in your website, they can use known loopholes to get into your admin panel. That’s the online equivalent of leaving the doors and windows to your business wide open. Take the time to keep your site updated, or work with the creative team who will do it for you.
#3 Keep An Eye On Web Activity
In some cases, it’s obvious that your website has been hacked. Often, though, the first signs are unusual traffic patterns and strange visitor behaviors. So, in the event that your website is compromised, you’ll have an easier time figuring out what went wrong – not to mention dealing with it – if someone is keeping a close eye on your analytics. That someone can be you or your web design team, but it’s important that your analytics not go unmonitored.
#4 Secure Backups Are Priceless
In a worst-case scenario, your website might have to be taken off-line and then put back up again with stronger protections in place. That’s not going to be possible, however, unless you have regular and secure backups of your pages. Talk to your web design team about implementing this kind of system if you haven’t already, because those extra copies of your files will be priceless if you ever need them.
Keeping your website secure should be a top priority because just one online break-in can end up costing you thousands upon thousands of dollars… or even put you out of business altogether. Talk to our team today to see how we can help you put policies and backup plans in place and help you sleep better at night without having to worry about your website.