Essential Web Security Tips To Secure Your Site From Cyber Threats

In 2021 alone, cybercrimes increased by 300%, with almost half of the cyberattacks targeting small and medium-sized businesses, according to statistics on iThemes. With the internet evolving in technology and content every day, businesses need to keep up with web security. Any overlooked technology within your organization can result in unsafe browsing and communication between you and your clients. This means sensitive information like contact details, passwords, and credit card numbers could fall into the hands of hackers. Fortunately, you can prevent hacking by investing in cybersecurity, including integrating the best security features of extended validation certificates on your site. Read on to learn a few essential web security tips to secure your site from cyber threats.

Secure Your Website Using HTTPS 

Having Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) gives internet users peace of mind that your website is secure. Ideally, nothing can change or intercept the information they view or share on your website. But, when you fail to use HTTPS, hackers can easily access and change details on your site to collect your customers’ data like account details and contact information.

In addition to securing your site, HTTPS protocol provides many benefits, such as increased Google rankings, improved customer trust, and increased conversions. You can also enhance your site’s security by linking HTTPS with SSL (secure sockets layer) certificates. Although SSL certificates are a must for e-commerce sites, you can use them even if you’re not selling anything online. Typically, SSL certificates encrypt data shared between your website and the user’s browser.

Archive Your Website

Besides using HTTPS, maintaining a secure website entails creating an effective backup strategy. That way, you can prevent data loss should cybercriminals hack your website. But as much as backups are vital, they are not the only tactic for preserving your website. You may want to archive your website to store accurate data. Website archiving also protects your company against false accusations of content theft and helps you meet compliance requirements.

There are several ways to archive your website, like saving a single webpage on your computer or archiving the whole website using an online archive, such as the Wayback Machine. You may also use digital solutions to automate website archiving. According to MirrorWeb, digital solutions capture, index, store, and replay your web content in an easy-to-navigate cloud platform. That way, you can stay compliant with on-demand electronic records and enhance your digital conduct.

Update Your Software 

Hackers may always want to breach any security gaps in your site’s software. With this in mind, keep your server’s operating software, plug-ins, and other software up to date. Since software updates provide security improvements and vulnerability repairs, cybercriminals will have difficulty finding security holes.

While some software platforms provide automatic updates, others don’t. So, evaluate the status of your website security software solutions regularly and download available updates. Alternatively, install an update notification plug-in to ensure you have the most recent software version designed to secure your site.

Whether you’re running a small or large enterprise, know that your website is at risk of being hacked. To prevent the financial and legal implications linked to hacking, you need to be smart about cybersecurity. This step entails using HTTPS to secure your website, update your web security software, use a secure web host, and, most importantly, archive your website.