{"id":219,"date":"2024-02-04T01:49:07","date_gmt":"2024-02-04T01:49:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/davagordon.co.uk\/blog\/?p=219"},"modified":"2024-05-12T02:31:18","modified_gmt":"2024-05-12T01:31:18","slug":"ensuring-success-in-2024-a-practical-guide-to-strengthening-your-website-security-and-building-trust-online","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/davagordon.co.uk\/blog\/ensuring-success-in-2024-a-practical-guide-to-strengthening-your-website-security-and-building-trust-online\/","title":{"rendered":"Ensuring Success in 2024: A Practical Guide to Strengthening Your Website Security and Building Trust Online"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Securing a website has never been so important in an era of frequent cyber\u00a0attacks.\u00a0By 2025, the cost of these criminals running the internet is expected to be worth approximately \u00a38.5 billion which makes them see the urgency on how they should improve their online\u00a0defence.\u00a0Unfortunately, 43% of those attackers seeking to execute this criminal activity attack small businesses whereby only about less than one out of seven does not suffer from possible\u00a0intrusions.\u00a0In order for a complete security strategy that matches the trend in an ever-changing digital world, there would be need for specialists, as well as entrepreneurs and executives\u2019 interactions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But there is more beyond the baseline; we are going to dwell deeper into user friendly approaches so that your website can become secure and offer a smooth experience for your web\u00a0surfers<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Secure Your Website First With HTTPS And SSL\u00a0Certificates<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To kick start the journey to security, ensure that your website uses the HTTPS and SSL\u00a0certificates.\u00a0This will not only encrypt data transmission but also give a secure perception to search engines about your\u00a0website.\u00a0You may consider the use of <a href=\"https:\/\/letsencrypt.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Let\u2019s Encrypt\">Let\u2019s Encrypt<\/a> for SSL certificates which is free and well recognized by many\u00a0users.\u00a0For more features and help, choose suppliers like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.digicert.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"DigiCert\">DigiCert<\/a> or\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.comodo.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Comodo\">Comodo<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Continuously Keep Software Updated: A Protective\u00a0Umbrella<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Updating a website\u2019s software is much more than just addressing security concerns; it means committing yourself to delivering the best user experience&nbsp;possible.&nbsp;The CMS, plugins, themes and other software should be checked on a regular basis for any&nbsp;changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can use <a href=\"https:\/\/managewp.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"ManageWP\">ManageWP<\/a> to do quick modifications in WordPress-based content management systems or any other CMS you may be\u00a0using.\u00a0Moreover, you might want to consider enhancing its security aspects through <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wordfence.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Wordfence\">Wordfence<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/sucuri.net\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Sucuri\">Sucuri<\/a>\u00a0plugins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Enforcing Use of Strong Passwords and Multi Factor Authentication.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All users should have strong passwords which are longer than fifteen characters with a combination of letters, numbers, symbols, and capitals. To manage passwords more easily and securely, use password management software like <a href=\"https:\/\/1password.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"1Password\">1Password<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lastpass.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"LastPass\">LastPass<\/a>. Moreover, Many-factor authentication options can be found in <a href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.google.android.apps.authenticator2&amp;hl=en_GB&amp;gl=US\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Google Authenticator\">Google Authenticator<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/duo.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Duo Security\">Duo Security<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Regular website security audits to keep up with ever evolving threats.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Proactive management is essential for a secure website. Perform quarterly security audits that include both automated and manual tests. Use <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tenable.com\/products\/nessus\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Nessus\">Nessus<\/a> \/ <a href=\"https:\/\/www.openvas.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"OpenVAS\">OpenVAS<\/a> technologies to carry out extensive vulnerability scans. In order to detect issues missed by automatic checks during their manual counterparts, consult security consultants or penetration testing services such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zaproxy.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"OWASP ZAP\">OWASP ZAP<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. Safeguard Your Digital Fortress: Make A Backup.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the case of an incursion, regular backups can act as a refuge. There are backup options such as <a href=\"https:\/\/updraftplus.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"UpdraftPlus\">UpdraftPlus<\/a> for WordPress or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.acronis.com\/en-us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Acronis Cyber Protect\">Acronis Cyber Protect<\/a> that offer a complete data protection and security. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Dropbox\">Dropbox<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Google Drive\">Google Drive<\/a> are other examples of cloud storage service providers who also double up as offshore backup options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">6. Unite Your Team Against Cyber Threats: Create Awareness<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Consider having biannual meetings to inculcate cybersecurity awareness into your employees so they can integrate it into their daily activities. From engineers to marketing teams, everyone in the firm should be aware of and involved in safeguarding company information. Apart from technical departments, use simulated phishing campaigns aimed at making non-tech colleagues more familiar with common threats enabling them to detect and deal with risks. This coordinated effort improves your organization\u2019s overall cybersecurity posture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Platforms like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.knowbe4.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"KnowBe4\">KnowBe4<\/a> help run such programs where employees can engage in simulated phishing exercises coupled with training on cyber frauds which really works well for all organizations irrespective of their sizes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">7. Unearth Emerging Technologies: AI and Beyond<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Consider augmenting your security arsenal with emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI). Threat detection and response capabilities can be improved by using AI powered systems like <a href=\"https:\/\/darktrace.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Darktrace\">Darktrace<\/a> and Cylance. Also, you should examine <a href=\"https:\/\/guardtime.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"Guardtime\">Guardtime<\/a> which provides blockchain based security solutions for protecting vital information through immutable ledgers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">8. Collaborate with cybersecurity experts for continuous improvement.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Consult with cyber <a href=\"https:\/\/davagordon.co.uk\/blog\/tag\/security\/\" title=\"security\">security<\/a> experts or specialised firms to ensure that your safety measures are up to date. Regularly seek outside opinions in order to find vulnerabilities that may not be noticed internally. This outsider\u2019s perspective could go a long way in helping you improve on an ever improving website security strategy. For instance, consider partnering with popular cyber attack prevention firms like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.crowdstrike.com\/en-us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"CrowdStrike\">CrowdStrike<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trellix.com\/en-gb\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"FireEye\">FireEye<\/a> for advanced threat insight and mitigation options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the end, it is not hard to secure a website. By integrating these easy to use strategies, combined with the adoption of new technology, a brand is safeguarded from potential dangers while creating a frictionless safe online experience for its customers as well. It also involves being proactive, communicating effectively to your team and adapting to changes in the world of cybersecurity if you want to achieve long term success.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Securing a website has never been so important in an era of frequent cyber\u00a0attacks.\u00a0By 2025, the cost of these criminals running the internet is expected to be worth approximately \u00a38.5 billion which makes them see the urgency on how they should improve their online\u00a0defence.\u00a0Unfortunately, 43% of those attackers seeking to execute this criminal activity attack [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":223,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[10,17,8],"class_list":["post-219","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-security","tag-how-to","tag-security","tag-wordpress"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/davagordon.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/219","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/davagordon.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/davagordon.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/davagordon.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/davagordon.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=219"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/davagordon.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/219\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":246,"href":"https:\/\/davagordon.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/219\/revisions\/246"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/davagordon.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/223"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/davagordon.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=219"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/davagordon.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=219"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/davagordon.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=219"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}