If you own or manage a website, no matter how big or small, there’s a fairly high chance you may get hacked.
Smaller websites are especially susceptible to hacks due to the fact that the owners least expect them. An up-and-coming site with a growing number of subscribers, for example, may get hacked and you could lose control of it. You may be offered ransom in exchange for the keys back to your site.
Obviously an extreme case, but nonetheless, a perfectly feasible one.
In other cases, a hacker could tap into your sensitive information, your employees’, or even your customers’ – if you own a business.
It’s actually fairly easy to deter hackers from attacking your site with just a few simple precautions and best-practices.
Below are 3 cybersecurity tips you can use to protect your site.
Keep Your Software Up-to-Date
Out of date software is a gold mine for cyber hackers. To mitigate any serious risks, you should always ensure that any software you use associated with your website is up-to-date. One of the big reasons software updates are pushed is to patch security holes in the programming, which if left untended, hackers will attempt to exploit.
If you have a third-party managing your web-hosting, you shouldn’t have to worry about personally applying operating system updates, as it would be the host’s responsibility to do this for you.
For everything else, you may want to consider a network security scanner or some other type of cyber security software to help automate the patching process and mitigate any potential risk from cyber threats.
Create Strong Passwords and Change Them Frequently
Most people know that they should be using complex passwords to safeguard their accounts; however, not everyone cares to do it.
How many of you reading this use strong passwords, with a combination of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols for each of your online accounts? If any of you can think of an account where you don’t, there’s a relatively high chance you could be at-risk.
To be honest, you’re at-risk even if you do use complex passwords. Using weak ones just makes it that much easier for a hacker to find their way into your private information.
Protecting your website and accounts with strong passwords usually deters most hackers away, as they’ll just move onto something easier.
Changing your passwords every so often – at least every 30-60 days – ensures that even if someone does get your information, you prevent them from accessing anything else.
Be Careful Uploading Files to Your Website
If you’re the only one who manages your site, you’re probably better off from a cybersecurity standpoint. You’ll be able to effectively manage what files, photos, and executables you upload to your website. Even still, you’ll want to make sure you know exactly what you’re uploading and what it contains.
If you do find yourself in a situation where you need someone else’s help and that person has to upload things to your site, you’ll definitely want to proceed with caution. Be wary of allowing users, especially people you don’t know, to upload files to your website. Some files, even though they may seem innocent, could contain a script that comprises your site’s security.
To prevent anything serious from happening, first take proper care when uploading files to your website. And second, try to limit the access of other users that you grant permission to.
Conclusion
Don’t make the mistake of thinking your site has nothing hackers are after, because there’s usually a lot at risk. Follow the tips above and always be mindful of the risks you and your website face in a growing cyber world.