In the first six months of 2019, data breaches led to the exposure of more than four billion records.

Hacking is big business, with sophisticated tools available on the dark web, and some criminals even offering Hacking-as-a-Service software.

Keeping your website secure is more important than ever. The good news is that with a few simple steps you can make your site far less enticing to hackers.

Read on as we take a look at some website security essential practices.

Take Regular Backups

Before you take any measures to protect your site, it’s important to plan for the worst happening. Even with the best security measures in place, all it takes is one slip to allow a breach.

That’s why you should regularly backup your site. If things go wrong, you can restore your site from a previous backup and get it up and running again in no time.

The more frequently you can take your backups, the more up to date they will be if something does go wrong.

Keep Updated

Hackers are constantly looking for vulnerabilities in software that will allow them to get access to your website.

As soon as a vulnerability is discovered, hackers will pounce. Software developers will release updates once a vulnerability is found, but if you don’t take advantage of that update, you’re leaving yourself open to attack.

Make sure that all your software is updated regularly. A lot of software gives you the option to turn on automatic updates, which means you don’t have to worry about constantly checking for them.

Strong Passwords and 2FA

A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. You can have the best security measures in the world, but if the password to access your site is P4SSW0RD then you’re at serious risk.

The stronger your password the better. We would recommend using a password manager that will create a very strong password of random letters, numbers, and symbols that will be almost impossible to crack. The password manager does the job of remembering it for you.

We also recommend using two-factor authentication. When you log in, as well as your password, you will need to enter a code that might be sent to your phone or generated in an app. Without access to your phone, hackers can’t log in even if they have your password.

Use a Trusted Web Hosting Provider

One of the most important ways of keeping your site secure is to use a trusted web hosting provider. Their security needs to be strong enough to stop hackers attacking your site at source.

Look for a web hosting provider that has strong security measures and no track record of allowing security breaches. Going with the cheapest option could cost you a fortune in the long run.

Need Help With Website Security Essential Practices?

If you’re looking for support with your website security essential practices, then we’re here to help.

We offer curated web hosting that includes regular software updates and enhanced security measures, taking care of all the important details for you. We have the knowledge and resources to keep your site from becoming just another hacked site. We also offer web design and development as well as performance optimization.

Contact us today to find out how we can help you keep your website secure.