5 Essential Website Security Practices
When it comes to designing a website, it must not only look aesthetically pleasing but also be built keeping in mind the security of both the website and its users. As a business owner, it is crucial to ensure that your website is secure and protected from potential threats as it houses sensitive information like customer data, payment details, and more. While hiring a web designer, it’s important to discuss security measures that they will take to ensure a safe and reliable website.
SSL Encryption
One of the fundamental security techniques is encryption. SSL encryption is now the norm for websites, especially since Google now warns visitors when a site is not protected with an SSL certificate. Implementing SSL encryption ensures that all the traffic connecting to and from your website is encrypted, ensuring that hackers cannot intercept sensitive information like user credentials and payment details.
Strong Password Policy
A strong password policy is a must for any website. Many websites’ security breaches happen due to weak passwords that cybercriminals can easily guess or crack. Encourage your users to create strong passwords by highlighting password requirements such as minimum character length, the use of alphanumeric characters, and special characters. In addition, consider multi-factor authentication which adds another layer of security to your login process.
Regular Backups
Regular backups ensure that all the essential data of your website remains intact in case of any disaster, such as a hack, server failure, or natural calamity. Automate backups to run at regular intervals, and store them in a secure offline location. This ensures that even if the data centre goes down, your website won’t.
Regular Software Updates
Software, whether it is the content management system or third-party plugins installed on your website, needs to be regularly updated to plug any security gaps or vulnerabilities that cybercriminals can exploit. Hackers are continually scanning for known vulnerabilities in outdated software, and once they find one, they can use it to take over the entire website or steal sensitive information.
Implement Limited Access
Granting access to the website’s backend to only a few authorized individuals reduces the risk of human error and makes it easier to track any suspicious activities. It is recommended to implement role-based access control (RBAC), which assigns specific roles to users, limiting their access to only those areas of the platform that they need to perform their job.
Designed with Security at the Forefront
In conclusion, website security is not a topic that can be taken lightly. Infiltrating the system of a vulnerable website could have disastrous consequences for both you and your users. As a business owner, it’s essential to ensure that your website is being designed with security at the forefront. Collaboration with your website designer is crucial to ensure your business website can withstand any attempted attacks.
Fostering a company culture that values website security and encourages secure behaviour provides the perfect environment to develop a safe and secure online presence. By implementing these techniques, you will take the first step towards ensuring the safety of your website and building customer trust.