Like a coin has two sides, the advantage of your business being available to everyone comes with the disadvantage of cybersecurity threats. To safeguard your website from unwanted and uncertain threats or situations, it is essential that you proactively opt for cybersecurity solutions.
In this blog, you will learn the ten proactive cybersecurity measures that will help you defend your website against attacks. Let’s dive in!
What is Cybersecurity & Why is it Important
Cybersecurity refers to the practice of safeguarding devices, information, systems, and networks of businesses, individuals, and organizations. It helps to maintain the confidentiality of information and creates a shield that won’t hamper your privacy.
It is important to incorporate cybersecurity measures as they protect sensitive information, prevent cyberattacks, and prioritize public safety. Moreover, they also ensure smooth continuity of business operations and maintain their reputation.
Now that you know the vitality of cybersecurity, let’s understand how you can defend your website from cyberattacks.
Measures to Prevent Your Website from Cyberattacks
Here are some practices that can protect you from cyberattacks.
Regularly Updating Software & Security Patches
Keeping a check on your software codes and updates is one of the primary practices one should adopt. You should keep a check on your CMS (Content Management System) as it is an easy bait for hackers to enter your website.
Additionally, enable notifications from your software vendor to ensure timely updates of security patches whenever enhancements are made.
Securing Your Website with SSL & HTTPS
It's crucial to equip your website with SSL (Secure Sockets Layer), which protects the private information of your business and users. This security protocol encrypts data exchanged between users and your site, including personal and financial information. Adding SSL enhances security by converting the connection from HTTP to HTTPS.
Create Complex Passwords & Change Them Regularly
Setting a password is one of the basic ways to protect your website. Instead of keeping predictable passwords, you can create one that not only has numbers or letters but a combination of alphabets, numbers, and special characters.
Limit Administrative Privileges
Don’t share the admin access with many people in your organization. Restrict it and involve only the employees or members responsible for any kind of activity in the modification or maintenance of your website. Moreover, you should check the access of the employees who have left the organization, and delete their user admin access.
Change Default Settings
It is essential to modify the default settings of the software and the browser you use. This is because the settings of the software will be similar for everyone who opts to use it. Thus, the chances of multiple people knowing the way in for your website are high, leading to privacy issues and data breaches.
Back Up Files
To take your security a level up, you should take a backup of your files, information, code, etc. This will help you recover effortlessly from encountering a cyberattack. Moreover, it will not hamper the sensitive information you have stored, and will give you a clear perspective to secure the areas where the most damage was caused.
Use Content Delivery Network (CDN)
Content delivery networks (CDNs) improve website performance and enhance security by protecting against DDoS attacks. By distributing traffic spikes across a global network, a CDN helps absorb and mitigate the impact of such attacks, keeping your website online and preventing your origin server from being overwhelmed.
Implement Multi-Factor Authentication
Enable multi-factor authentication for added security on your website. This requires a second verification method, like a one-time password or push notification, along with your password. Pair this with data encryption to enhance protection against attackers. Simple security measures can significantly safeguard small business websites from online threats.
Use a Web Application Firewall
If you want to protect your website from threats such as cross-site scripting and SQL injection, a Web Application Firewall (WAF) is crucial. It filters and monitors incoming HTTP traffic, blocking any malicious requests. For e-commerce sites that handle sensitive data, a WAF also helps ensure compliance with important security standards.
Conduct Regular Security Audits
Updating your website alone isn’t sufficient; you also need to regularly upgrade your security strategy to combat phishing and other threats. Monitor your logs, review server settings and user access, and conduct audits. Use security plugins, renew SSL certificates, and consider automated tools to perform a comprehensive health check.
Conclusion
Updating your security measures is one way of reducing the chances of cyberthreats and attacks. You can never remove them, as technological hackers can find new ways to enter your system. The aforementioned preventive measures can help you secure your website. However, you can also choose to acquire assistance from IT companies in USA like BestPeers, which provide managed cybersecurity services. They will help you create a protective barrier for your website and maintain a regular check for security standards.
