By this point, virtually every business is aware, at least in theory, of the importance of having a website. Just having a website in and of itself isn’t enough though. To be effective, websites need to be high quality and secure. Just by looking at the fallout, various companies have experienced as a result of security breaches should be enough to indicate that it’s important to take a proactive approach to website security.
Keep Your Site Up to Date
From maintaining relevance and authority to maintaining your site’s security, there are lots of reasons to keep your site updated. More importantly, any software you’re using needs to be updated regularly as well. Failing to do so leaves your site vulnerable to viruses, malware, and hackers. It’s especially important if you’re using any third-party software. Make sure you apply any security patches immediately after they become available. If you’re using a content management system, you may receive notifications as system updates become available.
Enable Encrypted Connections
When it comes to protecting data on your site, both yours and your customers, data encryption is an essential tool. You can enable encrypted communications with a Secure Sockets Layer certificate. SSL certificates make having a private interaction between two parties possible. Without an SSL certificate, most browsers will flag your website as insecure. Your customers can look for visual cues that indicate that you have one. A padlock left of the URL, an HTTPS prefix to the URL, a trust seal, and a green address bar are all visual indicators of an SSL certificate.
Use Website Security Tools
Once you think you have your site secured, it’s important to test it using website security tools. These tools mimic hackers by testing your site for weaknesses and attempt to compromise it. After the test, you may discover that your site isn’t as secure as you initially thought. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the results. Focus on the most critical issues first and work your way down to those that matter less. You may find it beneficial to repeat such tests periodically to ensure that your site remains secure.
Website security is arguably one of the most important aspects of your website. Help keep your website secure by making sure it’s up to date, you have encrypted connections enabled, and are using website security tools. Your customers are trusting you with sensitive information every time they purchase through your website. Respect that trust by keeping your website protected and secure.
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