October is cyber security month: Protect your website and customers 

As the number of online transactions and data exchanges increases, websites are becoming prime targets for hackers. Small businesses and websites are often considered easy prey due to inadequate security measures. A breach can not only result in financial losses but can also damage a company’s reputation.

Key reasons why cyber security is crucial:

• Protect customer data: Safeguard sensitive, personally identifiable information.
• Prevent downtime: Cyber-attacks can have a significant impact on your website’s performance, and even bring your website offline, affecting sales and productivity.
• Maintain brand trust: A secure website fosters customer confidence, helping build long-term loyalty.

Understanding potential threats is the first step in protecting your website. Here are some of the most common attacks that websites face today:

• Malware: Malicious software that can damage systems, steal data, or compromise website functionality.
• DDoS attacks: Distributed Denial of Service attacks can flood your server with traffic, causing your site to crash.
• SQL injection: Attackers can inject malicious SQL code to manipulate a database, potentially gaining access to sensitive information.
• Phishing and social engineering: Methods that trick users into revealing sensitive information through fraudulent emails or fake login pages.

There are several straightforward steps you can take to increase your website’s security. These methods will help reduce vulnerabilities and ensure a safer experience for both you and your users.

Ensure your website has an SSL certificate and operates over HTTPS. It encrypts the connection between your server and visitors, keeping data safe from interception. HTTPS is now a key factor in search engine ranking, so it’s essential for both security and SEO.

Actionable steps:

• Check whether your website is running on HTTPS. If not, install an SSL certificate. These are even available free through Let’s Encrypt.
• Regularly monitor the status of your SSL certificate to prevent it from expiring.

From your content management system (CMS) to plugins and themes, keeping all software up-to-date is crucial. Outdated software can have vulnerabilities that hackers exploit.

Actionable steps:

• Ensure you or your digital agency has a schedule for website maintenance checks to ensure everything is current.
• Only use well-maintained plugins which are frequently updated by their author.

Weak passwords are a common point of entry for cybercriminals. Ensure that both you and your users are using complex passwords, and where possible, enable multi-factor authentication.

Actionable steps:

• Use a password manager to generate and store complex passwords.
• Set up multi-factor authentication for your CMS login and any other key services.

Regular backups are essential in case of a data breach or cyber attack. If your website is compromised, a recent backup ensures you can restore it with minimal downtime.

Actionable steps:

• Set up automated daily or weekly backups depending on the level of activity on your website.
• Store backups in multiple locations, such as a cloud-based service and an external hard drive.

Ensure that only authorised personnel have access to your website’s backend. The more users who have access, the greater the risk of a breach.

Actionable steps:

• Review user roles and permissions regularly.
• Use the principle of least privilege—only give access to users who absolutely need it.

Cyber security isn’t just the responsibility of the IT team—it involves everyone. Educate your team and customers on best practices to reduce the risk of human error.

Tips for educating your team:

• Run regular training sessions on recognising phishing attempts and secure password practices.
• Implement a clear cyber security policy for your business, ensuring everyone understands their responsibilities.

Tips for educating your customers:

• Regularly update your website’s security page with tips on protecting personal data online.
• Consider adding two-step authentication for customer logins, and encourage the use of strong passwords.

For those looking to take their website security further, there are several tools and resources that can help monitor and maintain a secure environment.

• Web Application Firewalls (WAF): Protect your website from common cyber threats by filtering out malicious traffic.
• Security plugins: For CMS platforms like WordPress, plugins such as Wordfence and Sucuri provide an added layer of protection.
• Vulnerability scanners: Tools like SiteLock or Qualys can identify weak points in your website before hackers do.

Cyber security is not a one-time effort but an ongoing process. As hackers become more sophisticated, so must your approach to protecting your website. Regularly review your website’s security measures, stay informed about the latest threats, and invest in tools and training to keep your site and your customers safe.

At Granite 5, we specialise in helping businesses build, maintain, and protect their digital presence. If you’d like to review your website’s security or need advice on the best practices, feel free to get in touch with our team.