They say prevention is better than cure. I concur, for I know how expensive data recovery can be. Losing data, example your website files, databases and emails means you are likely to over. Years-worth-hard-work all gone! It's therefore vital to tackle how to prevent data loss but first, what are the most common causes of data loss?
One of the simplest ways to reduce the impact of data loss is to keep recent backups of your website, files, databases, and emails. Here are 5 reasons why a website backup is extremely important if you want a practical reminder of why backups should never be left until later.
Top leading causes of online data loss
Human error: Part of being human is the realization that mistakes are inevitable. We are not infallible and for this reason, an intentional or unintentional mistake could happen. Eg, there are instances where one has deleted the etc and mail folders from the cPanel which deletes all email accounts and their contents. Often, the etc folder is mistaken for an unuseful file.
Solution: Ensure that you have a backup of your website files and emails. You can backup your emails on outlook. We also recommend that you limit the number of team members accessing your cPanel and train your staff members on the basics of cPanel. This is why you should always have backups, even when your website seems stable. A single deleted folder, overwritten file, or wrong cPanel change can cause hours of unnecessary downtime.
Viruses and Malware: Usually, you'd assume you will see the attack coming, movie style- click something online and get a notification, 'you have been hacked' with some binary digits showing and a lot of things you don't understand. Realistically, this is how you could get viruses & malware;
- Opening unsafe emails being used for phishing
- Downloading malware infected attachments
- Accessing unsafe websites
- Using weak or obvious passwords
- malware from external devices and local area network etc
If your website is malware infected, it could be blocked by search engines such as Google and have clients browsing your website unable to access it. Mostly, your website will display a red background with a warning that users should not visit your website. This will greatly damage your credibility hence loss of business.
Solution: Ensure you use strong passwords, use firewalls and antivirus(internet security recommended) for protection. Avoid opening suspicious emails and visiting suspicious sites. Malware prevention should also be part of your regular website maintenance routine. These tips on how to prevent malware attacks can help you reduce the risk of infected files, blocked websites, and lost customer trust.
Hacking: Hacking has become a more common problem and every company should be concerned about. The government of Kenya through the Ministry of ICT has been involved recently in coming up with a cybersecurity framework for Kenya. There has been several efforts and discussions made towards good cybersecurity measures especially during the Africa Cyber Defense Summit a few months ago.
Solution: As we move forward towards getting solutions, the basic preventative options are to ensure you have a firewall to blackout attackers and use strong access passwords. Website protection is not only about preventing hacks after they happen, it’s about taking security seriously before attackers find a weakness. Here’s why you should take website security seriously as part of your data protection plan.
Insiders: Insiders most times are employees and could be a threat, either without their knowledge or while being malicious for whatever reasons. They could maliciously delete data or create a loophole that can be used by attackers.
Solution: Just as mentioned under human error, ensure your employees are well trained and be very careful while giving out crucial access details eg, email login details, cPanel details etc.
Natural disasters: Disasters could happen anytime hence it's wise to always be prepared. As a hosting company, we ensure we have a remote backup on a different location. What about you? This is where backups become handy. You need to ensure that you have a backup of files as much as you trust your host to have a backup readily available for you upon request. Backups are even more useful when you already know what to do during an emergency. Use this crash plan checklist for your website to prepare for downtime, data loss, or security incidents before they become bigger problems.
Contact HostAfrica Team to Learn more!
Need help or more information on how to secure your online data to ensure your business runs smoothly? Or training for your employees on data security related issues? We've got you covered. Write to our support team via support@hostafrica.com.
We have reliable backup options for our clients readily available.
