Nothing is as terrifying for a website owner as seeing their work compromised or completely wiped by a hacker. 

As a small business owner, you may be thinking your site isn’t worth anything to hack. Data breaches are common, though; we see such cases on the news all the time. Hackers do not discriminate; they target businesses of all sizes in all sectors. 

In most cases, security breaches are fueled by financial gains, stealing data, or compromising website layout. In other instances, a hacker will attempt to use your site as an email relay for spam or set up a temporary avenue for serving files of an illegal nature.. Even though you might have a small business website, you are not immune from hackers.

You have worked extremely hard on your website and seen your brand blossom despite tough times. You can lose it all within a second. So, it’s crucial to take the necessary steps to protect your website from gray hat hackers. 

Steps to Protect Your Website

Invest in a Good Firewall

Hackers will attempt to access your network by exploiting possible vulnerabilities. Smart cyber attackers use bots to sniff out vulnerable sites and automate hacking. You can address vulnerabilities in your network by getting a healthy firewall system. A firewall serves as a protective barrier between your network of users and the external environment. It will detect and block any malicious activities on your website. 

Keep Software Up-to-Date

Ensuring your website platform and software are up to date is vital to protecting your business. Such updates include your server’s operating system and any tools you use to run your website, including CMS, extensions, and plugins. Because some of the tools are created as open-source software programs, their code is easily accessible, both to good-intentioned developers and malicious hackers. Therefore, ensure any installed content management system, apps, plugins, scripts, or other tools are always up-to-date. 

Use Strong Password Policy

Securing your password may seem cliché advice, but it is imperative. You’d be surprised to know how many websites are hacked simply because of weak passwords. Make your passwords long; use a mixture of special characters, numbers, and letters. Avoid easy-to-guess keywords like your child’s name or birthday. In addition, you must hold yourself to a high standard for password security and ensure everyone with access to your website has a similar password policy. 

Install SSL and Use HTTPS

The secure sockets layer (SSL) certificate, a security protocol, will help encrypt all communication to and from your website. With such a protocol, even if a hacker intercepts data from your website, they will not be able to understand it. Therefore, the SSL certificate is particularly crucial if you run an e-commerce website where financial information is shared. 

Keep Gray Hat Hackers from Your Website

The online space is filled with hackers constantly scanning websites to identify vulnerabilities to abuse; most of them have malicious intentions. Avoid being a victim of security compromises that can potentially destroy your business with the tips above. 

Most importantly, partner with us for a more robust cybersecurity system for your website and business. At Thinline Technologies, we specialize in providing businesses with innovative solutions to their security needs. As your cybersecurity provider, you will no longer have to worry about your enterprise’s “technology.” Instead, you will have peace of mind and focus more on the core purpose of your business. 

Reach out to our support or call 410-453-9300.