Operating a website entails staying on top of a number of administrative duties, from responding to comments to updating content regularly. It also means maintaining your website and bolstering its security features. Hackers don’t only go after high-profile websites. Whether you have a personal blog or a highly ranked ecommerce website, you’ll want to put a few security measures in place to protect your information. No website is completely hacker-proof, but by minimising risk whenever possible and preparing for the worst, you can help reduce damages.
Use Professional Web Hosting
One of the best ways to protect your site is to sign up with a good webhost. They can help you avoid online attacks using security features like firewalls and intrusion detection software. If you’re working with a Los Angeles web designer or a professional in your specific area, ask about the security features they provide. They should be able to include antivirus and anti-spam services, distributed denial-of-service protection, secure POP3 and SSL if you accept online credit card transactions, for example.
Change Passwords Regularly
Another way to protect your important files is to create a strong password, and change this information regularly. Try to avoid logging into your website in public areas, such as coffee shops or airports, where your password can be more easily detected. The best passwords are long phrases and will be chosen at random rather than include any of your personal information. One thing to bear in mind is that if you choose difficult passwords and change them regularly, it may be a challenge to remember them. Think about using a password manager service to receiver them when necessary.
Update your Content Management System
If your budget doesn’t allow for you to pay for the latest website design in San Francisco or a top notch design team in London, you may have set up your website using a popular system like WordPress. Content management systems like Joomla, Drupal, or WordPress are easy to use, but they can also be easy for hackers to break into. To avoid this, it’s a good idea to keep your software up to date with all of the latest themes and plugins. This will help keep your website in its strongest possible shape.
Monitor your Website
Keep an eye on your site for any strange activity. You will want to be the first to know if your site was hacked, before the word gets out or your customers’ information is compromised. You can use tools like Google Safe browsing to detect any hidden malware on the page, even if it doesn’t appear to be visibly hacked.
Back up your Site Regularly
Although using secure hosting and airtight passwords will help deter hackers, it’s still a good idea to prepare for the worst case scenario. You should run routine backups of your site, so that you don’t lose everything if you do get hacked. This should include the database, content, and any other files. You can store these in Gmail, Dropbox, or other cloud storage sites.
Google detects approximately 9,500 malware-infected websites each day. To prevent your site from becoming one of them, be vigilant about monitoring and protecting your site whenever possible. By backing up your files, in the event that something goes wrong you’ll be able to restore it as quickly as possible.
Very informative. thanks!