What is website security? How to keep your site secure Bryn Glover, November 6, 2023April 3, 2024 Home » Security » What is website security? How to keep your site secureWebsites play an integral role in personal and professional lives, with businesses and individuals around the world relying on them for a number of reasons. That’s why it is crucial to prioritise website security.Cyberattacks, data breaches and online threats are a real danger, making protecting your online assets more important than ever. In this article, we’ll dive into the essential aspects of website security, and provide insight into how you can safeguard your digital presence. Table of Contents Why is website security important?Website security covers a wide range of practices and measures that have been designed to protect a website from threats and vulnerabilities.In the sections below, we’ve provided a little information on what risks you face, and why it matters.Protecting user dataMaintaining reputationPreventing financial lossLegal complianceYou can click on any of the options in the list above to skip ahead.Protecting user dataWebsites often store sensitive information, such as user credentials, personal details, password information or payment information.As a website owner, ensuring that this data is secure is a vital task when it comes to maintaining user trust and complying with data protection regulations.Maintaining reputationA compromised website can have severe consequences for your reputation, whether you run an online business or a personal blog.We’ve all seen news about company breaches, where user information has been hacked or shared with third parties. When this happens, visitors are likely to lose trust in a website, and potential customers may be put off returning to your site over fears of compromised security.Preventing financial lossCyberattacks can lead to financial losses – from the cost of restoring your website to the cost of potential legal action.Having a secure website can minimise these risks.Legal complianceA range of data protection regulations have been introduced in recent years, including GDPR in Europe and CCPA. These regulations require websites to protect user data.If you don’t follow these guidelines, you can be subject to hefty fines and legal consequences.Common website security threatsThere are a number of threats to be aware of if you run a website. Understanding what they are is the first step to forming a strong security process.In the sections below, we’ll provide a little information about some of these common threats.MalwareDDos attacksSQL injectionCross-site scripting (CSS)Brute force attacksYou can click on any of the options in the list above to skip ahead. MalwareMalicious software can infiltrate your website and infect users’ devices. Depending on how the malware is designed, it might steal user data or disrupt site functionality, for example.Visit our what is anti-malware software? page to find out more about how you can protect your website.DDoS attacksDistributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks overwhelm a website with bot traffic, making it inaccessible to users.Most websites will have a limit on how many users can be on their site at one time, this is usually dictated by the website hosting that is being used. A DDoS attack will mean that the upper limit your site can handle is crossed, effectively blocking real users from visiting.SQL injectionAttackers will inject malicious SQL queries into input fields, potentially gaining access to your database. If the attack is successful, hackers may be able to gain access to your own website information, as well as any user information that you have stored.Cross-site scripting (XSS)Malicious code is injected into web pages, compromising the security of users’ data.Brute force attacksAttackers will attempt to gain access to your website by repeatedly trying different username and password combinations.This sort of attack can be defended best by a password management system or a single sign-in process.Website security: Best practicesMaking sure your website is secure will require a multi-faceted approach. Implementing best practices can significantly enhance your website’s defences.In the sections below, we’ll provide a little more information on the tools or features you can use.Use HTTPSRegular updatesStrong passwordsFirewallsSecurity pluginsData backupsAccess controlUser input validationSecurity auditsYou can click on any of the items in the list above to skip ahead.Use HTTPSEncrypt your data transmissions by acquiring an SSL certificate. This ensures that data sent between your server and your users’ browsers is secure.Using HTTPS is also a positive from an SEO point of view, with search engines like Google preferring sites with strong security over those without it.Regular updatesKeep your website software, plugins and themes up-to-date to patch against known vulnerabilities.If you are using a website builder, this will be handled by the builder you have chosen to create your site. If you are using WordPress, you may need to set up auto-updates on your installed plugins, or manually accept updates as they come up.Strong passwordsEnforce the use of strong and unique passwords for all users. You can also implement two-factor authentification for added security; this is where a user will be required to confirm their identity in some other way when they input their password. Typically this will mean confirming their log-in attempt by mobile phone or email, for example.Visit our what is a password manager? page if you want to find out more about getting set up.FirewallsEmploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF) to filter out malicious traffic and protect your website against common attacks.Security pluginsConsider using security plugins and tools to monitor your website for suspicious activities and vulnerabilities.Data backupsRegularly backup your website data and files. In the event of an attack that shuts your site down or removes information, you can restore it to a previous safe state.You can visit our what is a website backup? page to find out more about the process.Access controlLimit the number of people with admin access to your website and restrict access to essential functions.For example, if you have a team working on your site, you can set specific permissions depending on what work people need to complete. If they only need to upload content, for example, you can set a limit on what other areas of the site they can access.User input validationValidate and sanitize user inputs to prevent SQL injection and XSS attacks.Security auditsYou should conduct regular security audits to identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses that you might want to address.What is website security? Final thoughtsIn the modern world, website security isn’t just an option, it’s an essential process to bear in mind.Protecting your website against the various threats that are present online is vital if you want to safeguard your data and reputation, as well as your users’ trust and information.By implementing a comprehensive security strategy and staying vigilant, you can enjoy the benefits of a secure digital presence and provide your visitors with a safe online experience. Bryn Glover Bryn is the founder and editor of WebsiteJumpStart. He has worked in the digital field for over a decade and was editor for Startups.co.uk - the UK's leading small business website - and for NerdWallet UK before launching WebsiteJumpStart to help people and businesses get online with ease. What is a website backup? Definition & why it matters Whether you run a website for personal use or as a business, it’s important to realise that it is a valuable digital asset. 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