So you’ve started a simple website without much in the way of bells and whistles. Perhaps a static informational site for your business or a simple blog as a hobby. You might think you’re good to go security-wise. Who would want to mess with such an unassuming site? Unfortunately, the fact of the matter is any site could become a target for malicious actors. Fortunately, you don’t have to put in too much effort or break the bank to ensure your site’s safety. Just follow these 3 tips.
1.Get Positive SSL
PositiveSSL is an SSL certificate from Comodo that’s perfect for simple websites and small budgets. In case you don’t know what an SSL is, it’s a digital certificate that you can install on your website to make sure that anyone accessing your site has a secure, encrypted connection. This means that any data exchanged on the connection can’t be read by prying eyes. Nice! PositiveSSL is one of the most affordable SSL options created specifically for small businesses and freelancers that can’t afford to hire a whole security team. This makes it an ideal option for smaller sites.
2. Use free plugins
This will be dependent on your website’s content management system (CMS), but plenty of them offer free plugins that will help make the everyday running of your site easy. Particularly when it comes to security. For example, WordPress has a wealth of free plugins that have a range of functionalities, such as all-in-one security applications that monitor your site for suspicious traffic, faulty code, and spammy comments. Just make sure to check a plugin’s reviews before installing it. Also, ensure it was recently updated and that the developers are still working on it. A plugin that isn’t continually updated runs the risk of being exploited by hackers.
3. Use common sense
Common sense doesn’t cost a thing, and it’s a great way to keep your site safe and secure. Things like making sure to use good password hygiene and limiting permissions for others working on your site are excellent protection in themselves. What does a good password look like? Well, not using passwords like “PASSWORD” for one! Such passwords are very easy to be guessed through brute force. Make sure your password has at least 10 characters and features a mix of letters, numbers, and special characters. Make sure to change it often. As for site permissions, if several people have access to your site’s backend, make sure they don’t all have admin rights. This will protect your site if any of their accounts ever get hacked.
Conclusion
Your web security can be just as simple as your website. By taking a few simple precautions and using common sense, you can be confident that everything is going to be okay.
