01384 487 800
support@freecom.net
Customer Area
my.freecom.net LoginWebmail Loginfirst4apps LoginMicrosoft 365 LoginRemote Support
  • Home
  • Online Digital Services
    • Creative Website Design
    • Simple Website Hosting
    • Website Security
    • Search Engine Optimisation
    • Bespoke Development
    • Creative Design FAQ’s
  • Domain Names
  • Microsoft 365
  • Support
  • Contact Us
Product has been added to your basket.
Login
my.freecom.net LoginWebmail Loginfirst4apps LoginMicrosoft 365 LoginRemote Support

Why You Need Website Security in 2020

Posted on 4 January 2021
Web Design West Midlands - Freecom

In 2019, the headlines were filled with one data breach after the next. Notably, the launch of the much-anticipated Disney Plus service left thousands of users stunned to be locked out of their accounts, while cybercriminals swiftly sold them on the dark web for a quick profit.

Additionally, Macy’s revealed its website suffered a security breach that left customer payment details vulnerable for a week. Unfortunately, this trend is unlikely to pass as we venture into the new decade. As the threat landscape continues to evolve, cyber-attacks will become stealthier and more sophisticated.

While large corporate breaches like Disney Plus and Macy’s dominate the media headlines, the reality is no website is too small to hack. In fact, nearly 70% of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) experience cyber attacks. That’s why establishing website security as a priority in 2020 for your small business is crucial if you haven’t already. So, where should you get started?

Read on to learn more about the top four frequently asked questions about website security, and why it’s important for today’s small businesses to thrive and succeed online.

1. What is website security?

In a nutshell, website security gives you the power to protect your website and visitors from dangerous cyber threats. The average website experiences a staggering 62 attacks per day, and website security provides powerful protection from these attempts to breach your site.

Some key website security solutions include:

 

  • Website Scanning: A website scanner will check for and alert you to malware and vulnerabilities on your website.
  • Malware Removal – Malware removal automatically cleans malicious content from your website, creating a safe visitor experience. You can think of malware removal like having an immediate pest control for your site — if there’s a malware-related issue, it is removed automatically.
  • Web Application Firewall (WAF): A WAF acts as the first line of defence for your website, preventing cybercriminals and malicious traffic from entering your site.

2. Doesn’t my hosting provider protect me?

 

A common misconception amongst most website owners is that their hosting providers secure the websites residing on their servers. When, in fact, the hosting providers responsibility from a security perspective is simply to protect the server itself. You can think of the server like an apartment building, and your website like the apartment. The building management is responsible for providing on-site security staff, but each tenant is responsible for obtaining a security system for their apartment. That’s why it’s very important for website owners to proactively attain their own means of securing their digital storefronts.

Along with the security component, your small business should be aware of the revenue impact associated with leaving your site unsecured. In fact, one successful cyber attack can cost your business as much as $427 per minute from the downtime it takes to recover — and that doesn’t even factor in the costs associated with rebuilding your brand’s reputation.

3. What if I don’t sell anything on my website? Do I still need protection?

Ecommerce websites are undoubtedly significant targets for cybercriminals, but it’s still essential to secure your website even if you aren’t running an online store. Cybercriminals are interested in other assets, data, and resources outside of payment information.

What are cybercriminals looking for?

 

  • Email addresses: The email list you’ve worked so hard to build could be a target for phishers and scammers.
  • Your website’s traffic: A type of malware called a URL redirect could automatically send visitors from your website to a malicious website.
  • Your keyword rankings: SEO spam is a type of attack that injects spammy keywords and links into your website. These keywords and links tell Google what your website should rank for in their search results. SEO spam forces your website to show up in results for the unrelated keywords while preventing your landing pages from displaying in searches for terms related to your business.
  • Your visitors’ attention: Defacements, a type of attack that vandalizes your site, are often executed with the intent to push a political or religious agenda.
4. I’m not really using my site; how could I get hacked?

 

If you are using your website mainly to “keep the lights on” for your business’s online presence, or you have a basic personal or informational site, website security should still be in the mix. It might surprise you to learn that your website is still vulnerable to attacks even if you’re not using it. In fact, if you’re not maintaining your website, it could be even more susceptible to attack for the following reasons:

 

  • Outdated Plugins: Outdated plugins may contain unpatched security issues, which occur either because the patches were never downloaded, or never created by the developer in the first place. In fact, 44% of plugins in the WordPress repository have not been updated in over a year. When left unpatched, these issues may cause vulnerabilities.
  • Outdated CMS: 52% of infected WordPress websites were not running the latest security patches for WordPress core at the time of compromise.
  • With cyber-attacks becoming stealthier and more sophisticated by the day, ensuring you have the proper level of website security has never been more imperative. To defend your business’s reputation, revenue, and traffic, make it a point to tackle security for your website in 2020.

/images/doyouneedhelp.png

Check out some of our other top blogs here:

How To Double You Business Page Likes From Companies On Facebook In 1 Week
How SEO Services Can Give Your Business A Strong Online Presence
6 Ways to Tell if Your Website is Healthy or Terminal

 

 

Previous Post
Free Ways to Get on the First Page of Google
Next Post
Responsive Web Design How To Tailor Content For Different Screens

Recent Posts

  • How To Create A Website 8 September 2021
  • 5 Reasons Your Website Needs An SSL 21 June 2021
  • The Sales Sweet Spot Four Stages Of The Content Marketing Sales Funnel 4 January 2021
  • Drive Real Footfall To Your Business With Local SEO 4 January 2021
  • 6 Security Tips To Protect Your Website From Hackers 4 January 2021

Popular Tags

blogs business business growth business help business leads business tips business website ecommerce facebook food google search help with sales lead generation leads more clients more customers more leads more sales plugins responsive web design sales sales help sales tips Search Engine Optimisation SEO seo help seo support seo tips skype social media tips webdesign web design web design tips website design website design tips website help website optimisation website security website support Website Tips website traffic wordpress wordpress help wordpress support Zoom

Contact Us

01384 487 800
support@freecom.net
Cradley Enterprise Centre, Maypole Fields, Halesowen. B63 2QB

Social Media

Online Digital Services

  • Creative Website Design
  • Simple Website Hosting
  • Website Security
  • Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)
  • Bespoke Development
  • Domain Names
  • Microsoft 365

Additional Services

  • Hosted Email
  • Superfast Fibre Broadband

Useful Information

  • Abuse
  • Complaints
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Code of Practice
  • Terms of Sale
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Marketing Opt Out
  • Hosted Server SLA
Microsoft
Nominet

© 2021 Freecom Internet Services Limited

Company Reg No: 0665746461

VAT Reg No: GB 978 6092 61

Cookie Notice
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits.
By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
_GRECAPTCHA5 months 27 daysThis cookie is set by the Google recaptcha service to identify bots to protect the website against malicious spam attacks.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-advertisement1 yearSet by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to record the user consent for the cookies in the "Advertisement" category .
CookieLawInfoConsent1 yearRecords the default button state of the corresponding category & the status of CCPA. It works only in coordination with the primary cookie.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
CookieDurationDescription
_ga2 yearsThe _ga cookie, installed by Google Analytics, calculates visitor, session and campaign data and also keeps track of site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookie stores information anonymously and assigns a randomly generated number to recognize unique visitors.
_gat_gtag_UA_369221_61 minuteSet by Google to distinguish users.
_gcl_au3 monthsProvided by Google Tag Manager to experiment advertisement efficiency of websites using their services.
_gid1 dayInstalled by Google Analytics, _gid cookie stores information on how visitors use a website, while also creating an analytics report of the website's performance. Some of the data that are collected include the number of visitors, their source, and the pages they visit anonymously.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
CookieDurationDescription
_fbp3 monthsThis cookie is set by Facebook to display advertisements when either on Facebook or on a digital platform powered by Facebook advertising, after visiting the website.
fr3 monthsFacebook sets this cookie to show relevant advertisements to users by tracking user behaviour across the web, on sites that have Facebook pixel or Facebook social plugin.
test_cookie15 minutesThe test_cookie is set by doubleclick.net and is used to determine if the user's browser supports cookies.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT
Powered by CookieYes Logo
Open toolbar Accessibility Tools

Accessibility Tools

  • Increase TextIncrease Text
  • Decrease TextDecrease Text
  • GrayscaleGrayscale
  • High ContrastHigh Contrast
  • Negative ContrastNegative Contrast
  • Light BackgroundLight Background
  • Links UnderlineLinks Underline
  • Readable FontReadable Font
  • Reset Reset