How to Secure Your Website?

As technology is touching new highs and businesses focus on digitization, the number of websites is growing. Every business owner wants to focus on digital presence and building websites, but cyber security remains a significant concern. 

Many business owners are clueless about website security, which leads to cyber-attacks. The incidence of data breaches is increasing at an alarming rate. 

According to a Statista report, more than 53 million individuals got affected due to data compromise in the first half of 2022. Most cyber-attacks happen because website owners do not take adequate security measures. 

If you are concerned about your website security and want to prevent a data breach, you are at the right place. This article enumerates how to secure your website and earn users’ trust.

Let us get started!

8 best tips to secure your website and gain customers’ trust

1. Install an anti-malware software

Malware attack is a common cyber-attack that costs millions to businesses. However, the good news is you can prevent these attacks using anti-malware software. Installing this software secures your websites from malware such as spyware, adware, and worms. Nowadays, there are different anti-malware software available – some provide free services while others will require you to take a subscription plan. Here are the security services malware software provides:

• Website Scanning
• Malware detection and removal 
• Web application firewall
• DDoS protection 
• PCI compliance

2. Install an SSL certificate 

Using an SSL certificate is an excellent way to secure your website and build trust with your customers. Installing these digital certificates ensures a secure connection between the users’ browsers and the website. It encrypts the user input into an unreadable form, thus preventing cyber criminals from stealing the data. 

SSL certificates are essential for businesses that take online payments. When you install these certificates, you can see a padlock and HTTPS before the URL. 

SSL is a security protocol that enables HTTPS in the address bar of a browser. However, SSL types include single SSL, wildcard SSL, UCC or Exchange SSL certificate, multi domain and multi domain wildcard SSL. A site holder can choose SSL type and secure the site.

Now that you know the benefits of these certificates, you may want to know about an SSL certificate price and its purchase process. You can buy these certificates online at a very nominal price from a certificate provider. Once you install an SSL certificate, you need to timely renew SSL to avoid expiry of a certificate.

3. Update your software and plugins

Many websites are compromised every day due to outdated software. Cybercriminals and bots keep on looking for vulnerable points to attack websites. 

Outdated software and applications expose your website to cyber threats. Updates contain security patches and vulnerability repairs for new threats and installing them can prevent the latest security threats. 

Check your website for updates and install them when they come. Some platforms allow the automatic installation of updates. 

4. Mandate strong passwords 

Passwords are a way to secure your website, but weak passwords can cause security threats that might lead to a cyber-attack. Many people use weak passwords that increase security risks. Hackers and other cyber criminals try random passwords to access websites. 

Many people habitually use a series of numbers of letters as a password, making it easy to crack. For example, using passwords like 123456…, abcdefgh, or QWERTY will put your website at risk. 

Instead, use a combination of lower and upper case alphabets, numbers, and special characters as passwords. Ensure it should be of at least 10 characters. Create a password policy and ensure everyone accessing the website adheres to it. 

5. Secure folder permissions

Your website has many files and folders that contain crucial information to make your site work properly. Cybercriminals look for ways to access that information and hack websites. Assign security permissions to those files and folders to avoid unauthorized access. You may be wondering how to do that. Visit your website’s file manager and change the attributes. You will see a section for numeric values. Use 644 for individual files and 755 for files and directories. 

6. Use a secure web host

Your web-hosting provider plays a critical role in securing your website. Choosing the right web hosting services is essential for securing the website. 

Enquire about the security measures before moving your site to a host. Top web hosts work with web security experts to ensure every website is secure on their platforms.

7. Install security plugins

You should take every measure to secure your website and earn customer confidence. Installing security plugins provides additional protection to your site. WordPress websites have specific security plugins that boost web security. 

However, if your website is not on WordPress, you can use other plugins. These plugins prevent cybercriminals from infiltrating your website and make it more secure. 

8. Include contact details on the website

Your visitors may have many questions when they visit your website. They might look for information about your products or services, but it frustrates them when they cannot find a way to ask questions. 

Providing contact information on the website proves legitimacy of your business, you indirectly build trust with your customers. 

Use a dedicated ‘Contact us’ link and update the phone number, mailing address, and email address to boost customer confidence. However, you must ensure the customers get a quick response to their queries.

In Conclusion

Website security is a major concern for businesses, and every business owner should prioritize it. An unsecured website is not only a security threat for your business, but it puts your users’ privacy at risk. 

A single data breach causes financial loss and damages your reputation. If you sell products through your website, you must install an SSL certificate to safeguard customers’ payment details. Responding appropriately can help you secure your website and prevent cyber-attacks. 

We have discussed the top security measures regarding how to secure your site. Implement these strategies and build trust with your customers.