Security should always be the top priority in website building.
Worldwide, the number of websites is growing to an unprecedented 1.86 million in the first half of 2021. Attacks on US websites are on the rise. They have increased by 400% since 2020. According to the FBI, there are approximately 4,000 cyberattacks per hour. This number is expected to rise to 15.4 million by 2023.
Website security is now a major concern due to sophisticated cyberattacks. From choosing the right web developer to the actions you can take, we’ll discuss how to protect your website from cyber-attacks.
What’s website security?
Website security is the protection of your website against malicious online attackers who could access, alter and steal your content, data, and privacy. Every person or company that owns a site must be familiarized with cybersecurity basics.
You need to feel confident in your website’s security and data. So that you can focus on your business, a good website builder will do this.
Website attack examples
There are many methods to secure a website.
SQL injections
SQL injections involve the use of search query language (a type of computer code) to gain access to a database and extract sensitive information. It can also be used to retrieve information and user passwords. Akamai’s Security Report estimates that there were 6.2 billion SQL injection attempts in the period between January 2020, 21, and June 20,21. They are the most popular web attackers.
SQL attacks are serious threats to your site’s security and data. Passwords retrieved from your site could be used to hack accounts across multiple platforms.
Ransomware
Ransomware infects computers with malicious software. The hackers ask for ransom money and decrypt all files.
Ransomware attacks were a problem for many organizations in 2021. This included large corporations and public hospitals. Employees clicked on malicious links in phishing emails to infect their computers and systems.
Ransomware attacks are on the rise. Ransomware attacks are on the rise. In 2021, 37% percent of all corporate organizations were reported to have been the victims of ransomware.
Cross-site scripting (“XSS”)
Cross-site scripting is when malicious Javascript code is transmitted from a trusted website to the user’s browser. It exploits browsers’ inability to distinguish malicious from harmless markup. Instead, it renders any text that is given to them regardless of intent.
Cross-site scripting is a way to steal stored data (user cookies) and pose them online. Cross-site scripting is a threat to website security.
Credential reuse
The theft of user credentials can have serious consequences for your website.
Site security is at risk from credential reuse attacks. Because users frequently reuse their credentials across many websites, this is a major threat to site security.
DoS/DDoS attacks
DoS attacks (denial-of-service) are designed to interrupt the functionality and usability of a website. Bots can send large amounts of traffic from multiple sources to a website in an attempt to overload it.
DoS attacks may cause server timeouts and render the targeted website unavailable.
Website security breaches have a significant effect
Cyberattacks have the potential to have a serious impact on your website’s functionality. These can lead to a reduction in traffic and conversions.
Customer churn
Trusting your website is key to attracting customers and retaining them.
Blacklisting search engines
Search engine blacklisting can result from a site security breach. This can be very harmful. Google might blacklist a website if it discovers malicious code or malware on the websites it crawls. This will make it more difficult to search for the site in the search engine. It can also cause a drop in traffic and decrease the site’s ability to generate and retain customers.
Websites with frequent downtime and server errors may also experience page indexing issues. Google can refuse to crawl a page if it finds a server error (typically a 500 error).
Site suspension
Security attacks can affect site services like signups, shopping, login, and log in. It is better to prevent security breaches and have a solid website security plan rather than deal with them once they occur.
7 ways you can increase your website security
Choosing the best website builder for your site is the first step in ensuring security. Now let’s look at what steps you and your web developer should take to protect your website.
1. Updating the Core Platform and Third Party
You should not take your site’s security for granted, despite cyber-attacks threatening it.
You can build your website securely with a platform that monitors your site 24 hours a day. A platform that detects and updates vulnerabilities is ahead of the pack when it comes to protecting your website.
Third-party apps can cause security breaches to websites. This allows you to concentrate on your business.
2. SSL protocols
Secure websites will use an HTTP0_ protocol (Secure Sockets Layer). Secure websites will have an HTTP0_ (Secure Sockets Layer) protocol. This is especially important for websites that sell online and conduct transactions. SSL protocols have been updated to handle sophisticated attempts to crack its encryption.
Kobe Digital offers additional security features and is a website builder. Kobe Digital uses TLS1.2, which is the most secure protocol. It can manage any type of site, including personal sites and online stores. You can rest assured that both your data and that of your customers are protected according to industry standards. Visit our Security hub for more information about Kobe Digital’s site security.
3. Secure web hosting
To protect your website from hackers, you need reliable web hosting. Regularly scan your hosting to ensure it is up for any threat including DDoS attacks.
Secure hosting must be monitored around the clock and subject to constant testing to ensure that it is secure from the latest cyber threats.
4. Administrator privileges established
Multiple people are required to manage large websites. Multiple people are required to manage large websites.
We also recommend that site administrators create a security plan. It should include the following: a password selection process, third-party app downloads, and other site management tasks.
5. Site backup
The best way to protect your website is to prevent attacks. Your site’s security is best if you have a backup.
Many website builders (Kobe Digital included) automatically back-up all their websites. It is important to check with your web developer to make sure your site is properly backed up.
6. Change default CMS settings
Hacking is easier if your default CMS (content management system) settings aren’t changed.
Hackers won’t be able to understand your system if there are changes to the default settings. This makes it harder for hackers to attack it. Bots can break many CMS default settings and carry out cyber attacks.
7. Use password best practices
Protecting your credentials against hackers can be as simple as changing your website password regularly. You can use a combination of numbers, letters, or characters. Pro tip: Use a mixture of numbers, letters, and characters.
Multi-Factor authentication (MFA), is highly recommended. This makes it more difficult for hackers to gain access. Push notifications from mobile devices are one example of an additional level.
