6 Tips to protect your website from hackers
Huh! The world is catching a break after a weekend of worry that we could be the next victims to WannaCry Malware attack. Luckily, the spread has finally slowed down as reported by various news outlets, although they warn that the threat remains. Now, take a few minutes and scratch your brain. What measures do you take to protect your website from hackers?
6 Tips to protect your website from hackers
Most of us have misconceptions about hacking. Why would a hacker hack a local website? My site is not big, why would he waste time hacking something not worth being hacked? For all we know, your site could be a guinea pig to more profitable hacking prospects in the future.
For whatever reason, a hacker could come after your site. You need to be ready for anything. Here are a few measures to help you. You could also consult with your web developer for more insights.
1. Keep software up to date
Consult with your developer to ensure that any software you might be running on your website is up to date. Outdated software including plugins leaves your site vulnerable. As your web host we take care of security updates for the operating system, this should not worry you.
2.Limit login attempts.
With limited login attempts, you limit the probability of the hacker successfully accessing your website after trying a number of passwords.
3. Don’t encourage uploads.
We have experienced a number of sites that allow their visitors to upload content. That is super fun, right? As fun as it may be, it also poses a big threat to your website. Uploads could contain malicious viruses or malware.
4. Use strong passwords.
123456789 is a TERRIBLE password. I mean, we can do better than this. We are way past the date of birth passwords and nicknames. If you are not good at random- mix game, try online password generators for more ideas.
NB: Regular password change is an added advantage.
5. Switch to HTTPS
Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) is a secure transfer protocol that transfers information between a web server and a website. This adds an encryption layer to boost the security of a site. As a web host, we have taken measures including providing all our clients with a FREE SSL(Secure Sockets Layer) which ensures data passed between the web server and browser remain private.
6. Conceal Admin directories.
Is your administrative account named admin? This looks harmless but you have already given the hacker the username and he only has the password to think about. Make sure you change your admin folders to a concealed name to reduce potential breach.
We assume that hacking is only harmful when you have clients making online payments directly on your website. You should know that a hacked website can be used as a spam-email dissemination platform or serve illegal files. This could ruin the reputation of your website and affect google rankings.
Take action!
