In our digitally-driven world, most businesses rely on having a beautiful and functional website to operate successfully. But unfortunately, there are more cyber threats than ever — particularly due to the pandemic and subsequent economic downturn. And that means every business owner should be concerned about their risk.
Security breaches are on the ups, which means just about any website is vulnerable to an attack. If you plan on redesigning a website in the near future or you simply want to take every possible step to protect your business, you’ll want to read on to learn just three ways you can prevent your website from being hacked.
Update Your Software and Plugins
Using a popular CMS (or content management system) for your website is among the top tips for website redesign, as this will often make it easier for you to update or maintain your site. However, popular platforms are also more familiar to hackers — which means they may be able to zero in on vulnerabilities more easily. To safeguard against this possibility, you should be sure to regularly update all necessary plugins, themes, and software systems. This simple step can ensure there’s much less for a hacker to potentially exploit. Look for updates each time you log in to your CMS and set a schedule for installation.
Change Login Info Regularly
Using a CMS like WordPress can make the updating process more user-friendly, which is why many tips for website redesign will mention this platform. But it’s important to ensure access to your site is truly restricted. That involves changing your site’s login info from its default settings — and continuing to update passwords regularly. If your current login name is “admin” or something similar, you’ll want to adjust that to make it more difficult for would-be cybercriminals and to remove any outdated legacy users. You’ll want to use strong passwords for each user and change those passwords on a monthly basis, ideally. None of your login information should be easy to guess.
Hire Professional Web Designers
One of the most important tips for both website redesign and improved website security is to hire website developers from the start. While do-it-yourself sites are gaining in popularity, these sites may end up doing you a disservice in the end. Not only do DIY sites often make search engine optimization more difficult, but they can also come up short in terms of security. Working with a professional team will ensure you choose the right CMS and web host and that security is factored into the design from the onset. And since only 11% of web designers say their clients have the ability to update their own websites once they’ve been built, you can rely on your team to make the updates necessary to protect your site.
Hacking attempts can’t always be prevented, but incorporating these cybersecurity tips can make it less likely for your organization to experience a breach or data loss. For more tips for website redesign or for information on how we can make your site more secure while providing an excellent experience for visitors, please contact MRN Web Designs today.