If you have a website, you probably think it is safe from being hacked and loaded with malware. We hope it is. After all, only 90,000 websites are being hacked every day. Pretty good odds, right? Website security is a pretty hot topic right now. With all the data breaching and identity theft issues going on, you need to make sure your website is protected.
Below are 4 ways to secure your website by using CMS Updating, an SSL Certificate, a Web Application Firewall, and a Website Backup Feature. Website security is a must, especially with all the time and money you have put into it. We do not believe there is anything more terrifying than the thought of seeing all of your work altered or possibly entirely wiped out because of a hacker or a server crash. It can happen!
As we stated above, website security is a pretty hot topic right now. So, we highly recommend doing these 4 things to keep your website secure. And if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
CMS Updating
What is a CMS?
A lot of websites today are being built on a CMS platform, or also know as a Content Management System. There are several different platforms available for free on the internet. Our two favorites are Joomla and WordPress. A CMS is a platform that allows the backend user to manage the content within the website without technical training. Using this type of platform allows the administrator to very easily add, delete images, and edit content information in your website from anywhere at any time.
Why CMS Updating Is Important?
A CMS is a software application that is used to create and maintain digital content. So, like other software’s, it needs to be updated regularly. These updates are sometimes released quarterly, monthly, and evenly weekly. The updates can come in different forms also, such as feature updates, security patches, etc.
Technical issues and bugs that are often discovered with previous versions of a CMS are often resolved through the regular updates. By updating your CMS to the newest stable version, common problems such as coding errors, bugs, and incompatibility of plugins will be corrected. Not updating the CMS can lead to a broken site and a vulnerable source for easy hacking and
breaching.
How Do I Get CMS Updating?
CMS updating is something that you can do on your own. A lot of time, the system is a one-click update. The biggest issue is making sure that all the add-ons (plugins or components) are compatible with the new version of the CMS. It is also wise to generate a full website backup before starting an update. If you prefer to let your web developer handle the updating, it would be a good idea. They will probably offer some updating service, which includes creating regular backups. At Prime Art House, we offer website maintenance packages. Majority of our clients let us handle the updating headaches so they can focus on running their business.
SSL Certificate
What is an SSL Certificate?
SSL stands for secure sockets layer and is a form of security for websites that handle sensitive information such as a visitor’s personal information and credit card number. It creates a secure connection between the visitor’s web browser and the web-server of the website they are interacting with at the current time.
Why is an SSL Certificate Important?
Google is pushing website security hard, recommending every website eCommerce or not to switch from HTTP to HTTPS. Unfortunately, for those who do not comply, they will see a decrease in search rankings and their website being flagged as not secure. As you can imagine, having “Not Secure” listed before your domain isn’t going to make your customers feel very confident about safely purchasing services. This embarrassing notification could cause you to lose site visitors which in return losing potential profits.
Where Do I Get an SSL Certificate?
You can purchase an SSL Certificate from your current host provider, another hosting provider, or SSL provider. They are all pretty much the same. Sometimes the provider will offer SSL installation, which is a good option for people who do not know what they are doing. But make sure you get the right SSL Certificate. There are different types of SSLs, some that cover one domain, multiple domains, and subdomains. You can view our SSL pricing and options here: SSL Certificates
WAF
What is a WAF?
WAF stands for Web Application Firewall. The WAF helps protect web applications such as website files by filtering and monitoring HTTP and HTTPS traffic between a web application and the internet.
Why is a Web Application Firewall Important?
A website without a web application firewall is open to attacks such as cross-site forgery, cross-site-scripting, file inclusion, and SQL injections, among others. In other words, your site is accessible to hacking and malware, which is not a good thing. It is much like a firewall you install on your personal computer. The firewall help prevents viruses and malware from destroying your content. This firewall will protect your website with rules such as:
- Blocking unwanted website traffic from your website
- Protecting your website from hacking and brute-force attack’s
- Virtual patching before a standard CMS update is released
The awesome protection is not the only benefit of a Web Application Firewall. The firewall feature will also increase your site speed and performance with caching mechanisms; all-around, providing you with a wall of defense and a boost in a performance!
Where Do I Get A Web Application Firewall?
There are several places you can purchase a WAF. Most hosting providers offer this as an add-on, or it may be bundled into the hosting price. Make sure you ask your current hosting provider what security features they have to offer. Prime Art House provides Web Application Firewall packages from Sucuri.
Website Backup
What Is A Website Backup?
A website backup is what it sounds like, a backup of your website. Many people don’t think to back up their website that they just spent countless hours and money getting built. So, creating a full website backup is a smart thing to do! It is wise to create a full backup upon the completion of your website development; with doing this; you will always
have a starting point. It is an excellent practice to have your website backup generated every day. Especially if you have a website that allows user interaction such as forum posts, blog commenting, eCommerce, etc.
Where Do I Get A Website Backup Feature?
All website hosting companies offer a backup feature of some nature. If you are using a cPanel, there is a backup wizard you can use to create a full website backup, backup database tables, and email forwarders. A dedicated backup feature will store your website backup in a remote location on a schedule. Having an automated backup service will take the headache out of having to manually backup your website and download it from your hosting package. Prime Art House offers a website backup service to safeguard your website and data.
In Conclusion
By implementing these 4 security features, you’ll be to keep your website secure. The best method of prevention is to check your website often for updates and invest in a professional website security package. A bit of routine maintenance can go a long way on keeping your website safe and functioning well. Not to mention, this will help prevent complete site lose and costly fees.
If you are unsure about any of these features, please feel free to contact us at any time. We will be glad to answer any questions you have or look into what security features you may need.
