5 Practical Steps to Secure Your Website and Reduce Cyber Risks

Keeping your website secure has become essential for businesses of every size, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which face growing risks and fewer resources to address them. Cybersecurity isn’t only about having top-of-the-line software, it’s about consistently following best practices to protect data, keep customers’ trust, and prevent the damaging effects of an attack.

If you're wondering where to start with securing your website, here are five practical steps:

1. Keep All Software and Plugins Up-to-Date

Cyber threats evolve fast, and any outdated software or plugin can serve as a gateway for attackers. By ensuring that your website’s software, plugins, and any other extensions are up-to-date, you block common vulnerabilities before hackers can exploit them.

• What to Do: Regularly check for updates on your CMS (like WordPress) and enable automatic updates when possible. Many cyber incidents can be traced to unpatched vulnerabilities.
• Why It Matters: Updated software helps to “patch” known flaws, ensuring that your website stays secure against the latest threats.

2.                  Install an SSL Certificate

An SSL certificate, which provides the “https” before your website URL, encrypts data exchanged between your website and its users. This not only protects sensitive information but also helps build user trust, as visitors know their data is safe.

• What to Do: SSL certificates are widely available from hosting providers. Adding one is simple but provides critical protection.
• Why It Matters: SSL protects any information that travels between your site and users, like passwords and payment details. Plus, Google favours secure sites, giving you an SEO boost.

3.                  Use Strong Passwords and Two-Factor Authentication

Weak or repeated passwords are a primary target for attackers. Adding an extra step, like two-factor authentication (2FA), can further protect against unauthorised access.

• What to Do: Create strong, unique passwords for all users and enable 2FA to make it harder for anyone to access your site.
• Why It Matters: Two-factor authentication and complex passwords make it more challenging for hackers to breach your site, especially with common brute-force attacks.

4.                  Back Up Your Website Regularly

Ransomware and data loss can spell disaster, and backups are your best defence. Regular, secure backups mean that if you fall victim to an attack, you can quickly restore your site without suffering major downtime.

• What to Do: Automate backups and store them in a secure, off-site location. Many hosting services provide backup options as well.
• Why It Matters: A solid backup routine ensures you’re prepared for the unexpected, like ransomware attacks, and can get you back online with minimal fuss.

5.                  Limit and Monitor User Access

Giving only essential access to your site’s admin and back-end areas is a fundamental practice. If everyone has full access, you’re more exposed to mistakes or malicious actions.

• What to Do: Assign permissions based on job roles, giving administrative privileges only to those who need them.
• Why It Matters: Fewer people with admin access means fewer potential entry points for attackers and less chance of accidental or harmful changes.

Implementing these steps will ensure that you minimise the risk of your website being taken down and if it is, you can recover quickly. 

Ever thought of diving into the world of cybersecurity? Visit our blog on Getting Started in Cyber!