Hacking accounts have been on the rise in the United States. According to research, a hacking attempt happens every 39 seconds, affecting one in three Americans. This makes it critical to avoid leaving your door open for attackers to get into your network.
There are critical steps that you must take if you’re looking to secure your website. You could follow them to secure your data, prevent financial losses, and prevent your site from crashing. Here are some steps you must follow to ensure your website’s security.
Let’s get started with the best steps you can take.
1. SQL Injections
Data security is the most important aspect of securing a website that you must focus on. It would be best if you prevented attackers who aim at taking control of your database and extracting business and customer information. If they don’t extract info, they might edit, format or delete it entirely.
There are various ways that you can consider securing your website. You can invest in a simple Secure Sockets Layer certificate to serve as your last line of defense. This will help ensure that you don’t get exposed to data loss and that your site’s functionality isn’t affected.
2. Use Anti-Malware Software
You cannot talk about website security without talking about malware. Attackers use it to infect your systems and weaken them, making them easy to penetrate. One of the attacks that use malware is the ransomware attack. Hackers demand ransom after they infiltrate a network.
The best way to do this is by investing in anti-malware software. You can, for instance, use an antivirus to identify threats and stop them. It would be best if you also used residential proxies to prevent malware disguised as genuine traffic from getting past your network’s security systems.
3. Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
You also need to ensure that you’re safe from attacks that target your browser. These aim to inject malicious Javascript code from a trusted website into your browser. This makes it easy to penetrate other website areas and access sensitive personal and customer data.
One of the reasons attackers use this method is because it makes it easy to access credit card information. They also use it to gather passwords and compromise user accounts. You can prevent such attacks using residential proxies from Rayobyte or any other reliable provider.
4. Make Your Passwords Uncrackable
Your passwords can also make you a target of different kinds of attacks. You need to make them as difficult to crack as possible if you are to stay safe online. The reality is that you cannot rely on 123456 because it won’t cut it. It would be best if you had a strong password that no one would crack.
The best way to do this is by combining numbers, letters, and special characters. This will make it easy to ensure no one can guess your password or use some tricks to crack them. It will help to also combine your passwords with the two-factor authentication (2FA) feature.
5. Avoid Credential Reuse
You can have strong passwords but still, be at risk of an attack. One of the reasons this might be the case is that you reuse credentials on different websites. This means an attacker will get access to more than one of your accounts if they access your sensitive credentials.
The best way to avoid this is to have a unique password for every account you create. You can use a password manager if you think you might forget your password. It will also be a good idea to always update your password to ensure even better security of your accounts.
6. Keep Your Website up to Date
An outdated website can be a threat to your data security. If your website is outdated, some of your security features might also have been weakened. This is enough reason to get exposed to attackers, making it vital to consider updating your website’s features.
There are security providers who create the software we use to protect our website. This includes things like antivirus, proxies, and many more. You need to know anytime they release new updates. Updating your security features on time will help avoid creating security loopholes.
7. Run Regular Backups
It is important to always back up your data to the cloud. The effort and time spent building a website can be too much to get lost in a blink of an eye. That is why you should consider running regular backups on your website. Otherwise, you might find it daunting to recover from attacks.
It would be best to start by identifying the best backup system for your needs. A central server located in a secure location can be an ideal option for any business that wants to succeed. You can also automate data backups to ensure your data isn’t stored only locally but also in the cloud.
8. Choose a Capable Host
A website host handles everything for you, so they have access to almost all of your data. You need to identify one that won’t expose you to attacks because of their negligence. There are several options to consider when choosing a reliable host for your website.
Start by looking at factors like the degree of protection the host guarantees you. There are specific features that they must have. For instance, a web application firewall (WAF) is a good example of what they should have. Also, check if they have denial-of-service (DDoS) protection.
Conclusion
Securing a website from cyber-attacks should be top on your priority list as a website owner. It will make it easier to ensure you get the desired level of data security. This is because websites hold a huge amount of sensitive data that, if exposed, will put your business at a massive risk.
This article has taken an in-depth look at the various ways to prevent attacks. You cannot go wrong with securing your website if you implement these tips. Do not hesitate to implement them if you feel that your website security is a concern that needs your immediate attention.
