Round Tale

Perhaps the most important aspect of operating an online business is keeping your investments secure at all times. The internet is a very dangerous place, especially for business that conduct hundreds or thousands of dollars in eCommerce each and every day. Having a secure website not only prevents the loss of profits, but it also boosts sales as your customers will be more confident when shopping with you if they know that your site is safe.

Considering that most hackers spend hours every day trying to find new exploits, hacking into sites and looking for opportunities to steal cash form hard working business owners, you need to put forth the same effort to protect your website. Since most do not have the time to work around the clock in keeping their website secure, you need a web hosting company that offers state-of-the-art server security. There are however some things that you can do to protect your website from  hacking attacks.

Firewalls

Many people overlook the importance of securing their operating system when dealing with their website’s security. Having a strong firewall is very important to the security of your operating system, and your website. When you upload information from your hard drive to your website, it can be intercepted if you do not have a solid firewall protecting you from the outside world. There are many firewalls available, and your web host will often have one setup on your server by default. However, it is best to have a high quality firewall set up on your server and your operating system for maximum security.

Securing Your Login Credentials

When security experts talk about keeping your website protected, they are actually referring to securing the control interface of your website, as this is the area that can be used to hijack or destroy your website if accessed. When a hacker gains access to your administrative interface they are capable of executing any task that you as an administrator could do. This means they can upload content, delete content, and even steal your entire domain by transferring it another host! Thus, the first line of defense is having a strong password. Make sure your password is at least 8 characters long, with two special symbols and two upper case letters. The best way to create a secure password is to use a password generating software. You can find these online for free, and they generate highly secure passwords at the click of a button.

Strong Antivirus Software

Having a solid password and firewall will do you no good if your system is vulnerable to viruses. Viruses like keyloggers can infiltrate your system and collect personal information, such as your passwords Even if your password is 20 characters long, it can still be hacked if your computer is infected with spyware and keyloggers. Keyloggers actually log everything that you type into your computer, which means that every time you enter your passwords, the info is sent to the hacker. To prevent something like this from happening, you’ll need a strong antivirus working to protect your computer at all times. Some antivirus suites come with a firewall and a password generator, so it is possible to handle all of the above precautions with a single powerful antivirus suite.

One of the biggest priorities when running an online business is website security. Having a secure website will cause your customers to trust your business, thereby boosting sales and increasing your return on investments. The online community is teeming with malicious hackers that are willing to do whatever it takes to penetrate your site’s security and compromise the delicate financial information of your clients. You should have the same fervor when attempting to deter these careless intruders. Most customers will not shop at an online store that is not secure, therefore creating a secure environment is essential in the world of online business. The following 4 tips will help make your website a safer place for your customers to shop.

Strong Administrative Passwords

Protecting your website means protecting the administrative interface. Once a hacker gains access to your site’s administrative interface, they can gain control of your entire online business in a few short steps. Once they’ve access the administrative control panel, hackers can do anything from defacing your website, to committing identity theft or fraud in the name of your business. To prevent hackers from easily gaining access to your website, you’ll want to use strong passwords that are mix of letters and numbers. These alphanumeric password should be at least 10 characters in length. Try to avoid using any commonly used words or names. Also try not to use dates that are significant in your life, as a hacker may be able to access this information.

Firewalls

Firewalls filter information that is transferred to and from your website. By configuring a secure firewall, you’ll be preventing all unauthorized access to your website. Setting an industry standard firewall at the highest possible security preference is one of the best ways you can deter hackers with ease. Remember that simply having a firewall is not enough to keep you site safe. The firewall must be configured properly.

Antivirus

Make sure you use only the best antivirus programs. If your computer contracts a virus, the hacker that distributed this virus could gain access to sensitive information on your computer. Some viruses will install hacking utilities known as KeyLoggers, which record the data inputted from your computer’s keyboard. This means that everything you type is recorded and then sent to the hacker, including your system and website passwords.   It is imperative that you ensure that your antivirus program is regularly updated to the latest definitions. This will help you to protect your computer from hackers who attack your system in efforts of gaining control or information. Simply having an antivirus program installed is not enough. New viruses are created everyday, so it is important to keep your Antivirus program updated regularly.

Security Testing

Once you have all of the above security measures in place, you’ll want to test the security of your website routinely. Try to use a security analyzing tool regularly. These tools will usually find any existing security lapses and assist you in correcting them. Remember that in order to have good website security, these security measures must be practiced regularly.