Creating a website is one thing, but securing it is another matter entirely. While it might be tempting to take shortcuts, that would be a mistake. With the number of data breaches increasing every day, you should prioritize protecting your users and yourself. Fortunately, it’s not rocket science. Get started with these three steps.
- Get SSL
We recommend you purchase an SSL certificate by Namecheap or another affordable vendor. Why? Because cheap SSL certificates are just as good as more expensive kinds. You see, all modern SSL certificates offer 256-bit encryption. So no matter what the cost, the encryption level is the same. But maybe you’re wondering what encryption is and why you need it.
Encryption secures the connection between your site and the browser of anyone visiting. This means that anyone trying to intercept data won’t be able to. They’ll simply read scrambled data rather than anything they can make sense of. This is ideal if users share sensitive information like credit card details or other personal data.
- Implement strong passwords and 2FA
The importance of good passwords cannot be understated, yet people still tend to opt for simple ones and reuse them over and over again. The reason for this is understandable – it’s hard to come up with and remember multiple passwords that are 12 characters long with various uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and characters. Make it simpler by using a password manager. If you have other admins logging into your site, encourage them to use one too. And get some kind of two-factor authentication for an extra layer of protection. Passwords might seem low-value in the grand scheme of things, but something malicious actors can’t easily crack will go a long way in protecting your site.
- Antiviruses, firewalls, & updates
Getting your site set up with an antivirus and firewall will help protect it against malware and suspicious traffic. A good way to ensure your site doesn’t become susceptible to malicious programs or bots is by updating software as soon as it becomes available. If you become lazy about doing it, hackers can use known weaknesses of out-of-date software as a backdoor into your site. This is everything from your CMS software to any plugins or widgets.
Conclusion
When it comes down to it, securing your site isn’t a whole lot of work. By just taking care of a few simple tasks, you should be well-protected from whatever malicious attacks might come your way.