With how often hackers launch attacks on websites everywhere, why aren’t there already permanent security measures in place to stop them?
In our other blog posts about brute force attacks, we explained what hackers do to get access to your site and what they do once they have access. Preventing the vulnerabilities that lead to attacks can be easier said than done, however, because security is an ever-changing landscape.
Unfortunately, Security Can Never Be a One and Done Affair
Security is a continual battle because man-made computer systems, such as the internet, though complex, were engineered and, with effort, can be reverse-engineered. This creates an eternal struggle between security measures which operate like puzzles and puzzle-solvers (i.e. hackers). As humans continually attempt to make an unhackable system, an arms race escalates between puzzle-makers and puzzle-solvers.
Staying Up To Date
This is why updating your system can be the most important step you take to secure your site. Security must continually evolve and develop to keep you safe. By making sure that you are using the latest WordPress updates, you avoid being caught bringing a proverbial knife to a gunfight.
Updating your CMS gives your website the latest level of security available. WordPress, as an open source platform, is under continual attack and much update every so often to remove the vulnerabilities that hackers exploit to get control of your small business’s website.
Updating your plugins also ensures that your site is safe. This can get a bit sticky, however, as many plugins that are fundamental to your site’s design might cause issues with new updates. A web design firm can check the site with their regularly scheduled SEO updates and make sure the you are not at risk with out of date plugins without breaking your site.
What Can You Do About Hackers?
If your site has already been hacked, give us a call. It is possible that we can clean your site of malware and keep your online presence safe.
If you are worried about future attacks to your site, consider installing a security plugin on your website. Security plugins can do everything from hiding the login portal to banning suspicious IP address with too many failed login attempts. Some can even block countries where you don’t plan to do business so that only potential customers can view your site. These plugins gather data about hacks when they happen and update their program to block the latest threats.
For Key Web customers, our Pro website hosting package includes the installation of several security plugins to cover all of the bases. By continually monitoring your security, we will ensure that you win the ongoing battle of website security. Your website will stay safe.
