Website Security – Stop the Hackers!

The creation of the internet also precipitated the invention of internet security risks.  We are all at risk from the cyber-bullies.
Earlier in January Yahoo released a statement that their yahoo.mail had been hacked  and many of the email accounts had been compromised.  The security of this massive company had been breached and as a consequence the security of their users information has also been lost.  For some yahoo users, the security of their accounts has been completely lost.  Security is so important on the internet.  You can give this article a read to get a simple fix and information on password generation.  But there is a lot more to online security than password security.  Passwords are just the tip of the iceberg.

Yahoo made a big impact because they are a big name.  But there are thousands of other attacks which go unreported by the media.  They all have a negative financial and online impact on businesses across the world.
When a website gets hacked it might stop working, your potential customers will try and access your site but they’ll just be met with an error message.  This just gives a bad impression about you, and affects your sales figures!  Your website might also be connected to your email – so all your company email addresses are going to go down! That is not great for your staff communication, you won’t be able to do anything about that until the problem is sorted!
WORST of all though, the serious security risk extends to any private information you might have about your customers.  This extends to bank details, phone numbers, almost anything that you have on there.  This hypothetical hack we are talking about is having serious ramifications on your business.
Security risks are the biggest downside of having an online presence.  With companies as big as Microsoft falling foul of the internet bullies you can’t afford to ignore or cut corners.  Your internet security is Crucial.  It cannot be ignored any longer.
So, where are the security risks?

Where’s Your Website Hosted? – Server Security

Most hosting goes through shared servers. This means that one companies computer server holds the information for a number of websites. Hackers know how much damage they can inflict  by accessing them. The best way of minimising this type of threat is to choose a server who have been proven to be reliable.  Or, it you can afford it you can pay a little more to have your website hosted on a dedicated server. Your website would be stored on an exclusive server with only has your information stored on.

Viruses, Malware and Spyware – Email Security

If hackers want to access your personal information, website or server they will want to know your passwords.  They find these out through viruses, malware, and spyware.  These usually come through to your computer as emails with attachments.
ANti-virus software is crucial to combat these security threats.  You need to get it as soon as possible, and it doesn’t stop there, you also need to update it.  It might just put you one step ahead of the hackers.
How’s Your Website Built? – Website Security
The way websites are built is also important to prevent security risks.  Are you working with a  Content Management System (CMS)? The websites we are building mostly use the WordPress platform which is very secure – when correctly managed. 
When we say correctly managed we mean, keeping up-to-date with your CMS.  CMS updates generally get released once a month.  There not supposed to be ignored.  It is for the users benefit that they are released as the updates include the most current protection from the latest viruses and threats.  You need to be working on the most up-to-date CMS version.
On top of keeping in with updates having a securely built website to start with gives you a head-start in the race to internet security.  Our website builders know how crucial it is to hide certain information through the use of coding.  They know what needs to be coded.  And as long as that code is written or adapted correctly your website will remain secure.
You will never be completely safe from hackers – but if you follow each of these steps your website will be better protected than 99% of business websites. Internet security is a fluid and ever evolving issue. To ensure that you are always one step ahead, nothing can replace expert knowledge.
We offer all our customers the option to have their website hosted on one of our dedicated servers which includes automatic CMS updates and added security safeguards. This coupled with our expert support is by far the best way to ensure that your website is as protected as possible.
If you have any questions about the security of your business website, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’ll be happy to help.
By Angus Findlay

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