4 Ways to Keep Your Small Business Website Secure
- Written by NewsServices.com
If there is one thing which can be said about a website of any kind, there is always a potential for some form of nefarious attack. It could be ransomware, malware, phishing, business email compromise (BEC) or any other form of hack. Even as security technology progresses, there is always going to be a vulnerability to address. Staying on top of security is an ongoing battle but the following four tips should help keep your small business website safe.
1. Keep Your Software Continually Updated
This is something many people don’t realize. The reason you need to keep software updated is because to do anything less gives hackers time to find that one backdoor in and that’s something you definitely want to avoid. Even as hackers are looking for a way in, software developers are continually looking for a backdoor they may not have locked so as they find those vulnerabilities, they will update with patches as necessary.
2. Highly Rated API Security
Any form of online communication uses what is called an Application Programming Interface. This is how your website and any of your apps easily communicates with third party sources. Think of an API as a messenger that goes back and forth receiving and delivering messages to and from two or more parties. APIs make it easier to develop apps and software that utilizes these ‘messengers’ to communicate securely. There are a number of API Management Tools that will help you keep every communication secure so that no information can be intercepted. Perhaps it would be like the security that rides on a Brinks truck. Who can intercept the shipment of money with armed guards onboard?
3. SSL Encryption
Secure Sockets Layer, SSL, encryption is hard to crack. You are probably familiar with the difference between http sites and https sites. Those with the ‘s’ means that they have been encrypted with that secure layer. It is much more difficult to intercept information being passed with these extra security layers, so if internet security is important for your small business, make sure to keep your site’s communications encrypted.
4. Continually Monitor and Assess for Weaknesses
Unless you stay on top of online security, you are liable to miss something. For this reason, it is recommended that you continually monitor your website for any weaknesses you may have missed. For example, it is quite easy to overlook the fact that you have been running the same software for over a year without updating it. If you don’t have a tech team, appoint someone to stay on top of each and every one of these security measures.
Even huge government sites like NASA have been hacked, so don’t let your guard down – ever. Always monitor your security measures to make sure you have the latest encryptions, API management tools, and software updates. Also, you may want to limit the number of people who can access your website’s dashboard because you really never know if you have a savvy hacker hiding in your midst. It is always better to be safe than sorry.
