What You Should Know About Website Security

Website security becomes more and more important each day. Technology is constantly improving, which means it’s becoming easier to hack into websites and steal valuable information. The great news is that there are many options for website owners and internet users to protect themselves against cyber attacks. This blog post will tell you what you need to know about website security and how to protect yourself from cyber attacks.

What are the Penalties for Website Spam?

Before we cover the many different forms of protection you can use for your website, we need to consider why you should protect your website in the first place. Website owners who become victims of computer hacking may experience consequences on their website. Websites are very valuable, and a computer hacker will take advantage if they come across your website passwords. This is why it is very important to secure your computer against spam. If you come across a website that has clearly fallen victim to malware, and is spamming you, you should report it to Google immediately to protect other website users from malware.

The CAN-SPAM Act of 2003

The Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing Act of 2003 (CAN-SPAM) has made several forms of spam illegal. If any business is found violating the requirements of the CAN-SPAM Act, they can face large fines. This is just one important reason you should take action to protect your computer from hackers. If given the opportunity, a hacker may put spam on your website so they can also hack your website’s visitors. In a separate blog post we will cover all you need to know about the CAN-SPAM Act and its requirements.

Search Engine Rankings

If you wish to practice SEO tactics, to increase your rankings on search engines, you should avoid spam on your website as much as possible. Google has stated that they penalize sites that include website spam. This can cause a major problem for your marketing strategy and your website.

To avoid the above circumstances, you should be proactive about cybersecurity. Everyone should avoid becoming a victim of cybercrime, but website owners should exercise additional caution. If a hacker gained access to the backend of your website, a lot of damage can be done. The following are some ways you can protect yourself from malware.

SSL Certificates

What are They?

SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer. SSL certificates create an encrypted link between the server and the website user. They protect sensitive information like login credentials, social security numbers, and credit card information. SSL’s even protect social media accounts and email addresses from being stolen.

Are They Necessary?

SSL certificates are necessary for certain websites, and could potentially be a waste of money for others. If you have a website where customers are entering their credit card information, then you should absolutely invest in an SSL certificate. They will protect both you and your customers from attacks when they are making a purchase on your website.

If you run a blog or another type of website where your website visitors are not making purchases, then you can easily get by without an SSL certificate. You should make sure that your login information for your website is very difficult to guess to prevent your website from getting hacked. It’s important to note that Google has mentioned they favor secured websites over those that are not, when deciding how to rank websites for Google search. Even if you don’t have a shopping feature on your website, if you care about your Google rankings, it would be a very good idea to have an SSL certificate installed on your website.

ReCAPTCHA

Google’s reCAPTCHA is a free service that helps decipher whether a website visitor is a human or a robot. You have probably encountered a reCAPTCHA test when making a purchase or downloading something online. It’s a test that has the user select pictures of a designated object (bikes, crosswalks, mailboxes, etc.). Similar to SSL Certificates, reCAPTCHA will help protect your website against malicious attacks, but from robots rather than humans.

Other Malware Protection Tools

In addition to the website protection methods listed above, there are many malware protection tools. The prevention of malware getting into your computer system can protect your website and your private information. The following tools will help assist you in preventing your computer system getting hacked.

Penetration Testing

Penetration tests, commonly referred to as pen tests, are self-inflicted cyber attacks on a computer system. These attacks show website owners and internet users where their computer systems are vulnerable. Pen tests often consist of many different steps and can take a lot of time. They are very valuable when trying to identify where your website or network is vulnerable to cyber attacks.

VPN’s

VPN’s, or virtual private networks, create a private network in a public network, securing users’ private information. With a VPN, you do not have to worry about your passwords getting stolen when you are on your local coffee shop’s WiFi. Luckily, there are many tools that help protect you from malware and malicious attacks on your website.

WAF’s

WAF stands for web application firewalls, which also protect files when being transferred between applications. WAF’s are different from typical firewalls, which only protect a single person. WAF’s protect entire servers from malware infections.

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General Cybersecurity Softwares

Tools like Norton or McAfee will protect you from multiple types of malware. Some packages even let you know when your web camera is in use by an unknown user. These services are very effective, but they can be costly. Even with these advanced tools, you should still practice caution when downloading files from the internet.

Do Not Open Suspicious Files

Even if you purchase the best malware protection tool, you should still surf the internet with caution. Be proactive about protecting your computer from malware and do not open any files that seem suspicious. Avoid visiting websites that may have criminal intent and do not download anything from those websites.

The security of your computer is very important for the security of your website and website visitors. Try using one, or more, of the tools listed in this blog post to ensure the protection of your website. If you have questions about website security, contact us by filling out the form below! We would love to schedule some time to speak with you.

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