Protect your website from security issues

February 10, 2015 — Simon Kelly

All websites are vulnerable and if you’ve custom built your website and you manage your hosting then you’re even more suceptible to attacks.

The unfortunate reality of running a website is that it is publicly available to everyone, including hackers. These attackers are not usually actual people, they are mostly scripts written by people that can automatically scan through the web looking for vulnerable websites to hack.

In a similar way to your immune system constantly fighting off viruses and bugs, your web server is constantly fighting off spam and attackers. Prevention is the key and choosing a reliable web host and keeping your website software up to date is the most essential first line of defence.

Fortunately, there are great services to help keep your website safe, secure and to fix security issues quickly

Website Firewall with Sucuri

Sucuri’s ultimate prevention tool is their website firewall which proactively patches any issues in your server or web application before you even fix the issue so the vulnerability is not exposed. The firewall also speeds up your website by using caching and a Content Delivery Network. This level of protection will prevent your site from being hacked, even if it is not secure.

Sucuri’s website firewall showing the source of the prevented attacks

Sucuri are the leaders and the yearly cost is minimal compared to the impact an infected site could have to your business. Keep your site protected – we recommend Sucuri.net to all website owners.

Considerations for a secure website

It’s not enough to just react to a hacked site, you need to make sure your site won’t get hacked in the first place. I’ll just briefly touch on the most important aspects of keeping your site secure and go into detail in another post. Here are the key aspects of maintaining a secure website:

Use quality web hosting
Backup your site daily
Use secure passwords
Keep your website software up to date, including your content management system and plugins
Only use themes and plugins from trustworthy providers that provide regular patches and updates
Use Sucuri security scanning to monitor your site
Use an SSL certificate to encrypt traffic

Share this article:

Author

Simon Kelly

Simon started his first web agency in 2009 which he merged with the SGD team in 2023. With a strong background in digital strategy and a history of working with fast-growing Australian companies, including CyberCX, Envato and Agency Mavericks, he's passionate about using ethical digital marketing that delivers business value. Simon's experience includes coaching digital agencies, running digital marketing workshops, driving growth and excellence within the SGD team.