Sensitive information is transmitted digitally via websites daily and this data can be a tempting target for those with malicious intentions. Protecting your website should be a priority for any business owner … that’s why we’re talking about ways to beat website hackers.
The first way to beat website hackers is to keep everything up-to-date. Updates are released frequently and can help you fight hackers with new security features via scripts and plugins. Updates spot vulnerabilities and improve software before issues can affect your site. For WordPress websites especially, hackers can find out what version your website is on and work their way in through backdoor portals if you’re not updated properly.
Popular blogs like WordPress offer security plugins and extensions to help you secure your site even further. Follow the security advice from the developers of the scripts you choose to use.
Always be prepared with a good backup solution to protect your website. The difference between a backup and no backup is a surefire disaster for any website. Every website is a target for hackers or hacking software. Hacking software is automated and continuous making it a real threat. Your website might be hacked to in turn hack others, to steal your traffic, or for no good reason at all, so plan ahead by backing things up systematically.
Is your site using HTTPS? It should be. When an SSL certificate is successfully installed on your server, the application protocol (or HTTP) is changed to HTTPs and the “s” stands for secure. The connection between the server and browser must be secured using SSL.
Choose strong, unique passwords for your website. They should have eight or more characters and contain letters, numbers and special characters while mixing uppercase and lowercase use. Your best bet is to avoid using words out of the dictionary and stick to nonsense characters even though they are hard to remember. Never use the same password for more than one site. If a hacker gets into one, they’ll get into them all.
If at all possible you should consider using two factor authentication (TFA) for your website login. There are TFA plugins available to enable this process for any user, especially on WordPress. Usernames and passwords alone are not enough to protect your valuable data. They can be easily cracked, captured, and leaked, so let’s throw another layer into the mix. By requiring a second form of verification, you can thwart brute force attacks and other hacks. Unless the offender has your phone, too, they won’t be able to get in.
Vervocity Interactive suggests that you invest in a care plan to ensure that your website’s needs are being handled appropriately. Our care plan offers pro hosting, daily backups, daily malware scan and free removal, security protection, speed optimization, uptime monitor, monthly reports with analytics, monthly framework, plugin and theme updates, consulting and/or website changes each month, and premium speed optimization. Your care plan takes care of virtually everything you may be stressing over!
Apply for a website hosting and security plan with Vervocity, or call (217) 222-1451 to speak to someone about your website concerns. We’re happy to give you a fighting chance when it comes to your website security!
