Your website is often one of your most valuable business assets, but a website that is not properly protected can leave your business vulnerable to hacking, malware, data loss, website downtime and damage to your reputation. Even small businesses can be targeted, particularly when websites are running outdated software, using weak passwords or are not properly maintained.
The good news is that improving your website security does not have to be complicated. During Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we have put together 10 practical checks every business can make to help keep its website safer, more reliable and better protected.
Understanding Cybersecurity: Why It Matters for Your Business Website
Your website may be the first place a potential customer interacts with your business. It could also collect information through contact forms, store customer details, connect with other online services or provide access to business systems. This makes website security an important consideration alongside design, function and marketing.
Cybersecurity covers the measures taken to protect websites, systems, accounts and data from unauthorised access, disruption or malicious activity. A compromised website can have a significant impact on a business. Depending on the nature of the problem, customers could encounter malicious content, unfamiliar pages, broken functionality or even be redirected away from your website. Your website could also become unavailable, preventing potential customers from contacting you and disrupting your normal operations.
There is also the issue of trust.
If a customer visits your website and sees a security warning, encounters suspicious content or finds that your website is not working correctly, it can affect their perception of your business. Even if the underlying issue is resolved quickly, the experience could make a potential customer think twice about getting in touch.
Cybersecurity therefore needs to be considered as part of your wider website strategy. Choosing appropriate website development, reliable hosting and ongoing maintenance can all contribute to a more secure and reliable online presence.
10 Things Every Business Should Check to Improve Website Security
You do not need to be a cybersecurity expert to take some sensible steps towards protecting your business website. Many important checks relate to everyday website management, hosting and maintenance.
The following checklist provides 10 areas worth reviewing. If you are unsure about any of them, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with the knowledgeable team at Safetech, who can help you understand your current setup and identify areas that may need attention.
1. Check That Your Website Uses HTTPS
One of the simplest things to check is whether your website uses HTTPS rather than HTTP.
You can usually see this in your browser’s address bar. A secure website will begin with https://, often accompanied by a padlock symbol.
HTTPS uses encryption to help protect information exchanged between a visitor’s browser and your website. This is particularly important if your website collects personal information through contact forms, enquiry forms, bookings or other online interactions.
An SSL certificate helps enable HTTPS, making it an important part of modern website security.
If your website is still using HTTP, it is worth speaking to our team about upgrading it.
As part of Safetech’s website and hosting services, we can help businesses understand their website setup and ensure the right foundations are in place for a professional online presence.
2. Make Sure Your Website Software Is Up to Date
Keeping your website up to date is an important part of website security.
Many websites use content management systems such as WordPress, alongside themes, plugins and other software. Updates can introduce new features and performance improvements, but they can also address known security vulnerabilities.
Leaving software outdated for long periods can therefore increase your website’s exposure to potential attacks.
Regular maintenance should include checking your website’s core software, themes and plugins and applying appropriate updates.
However, updates should not simply be applied without consideration. Compatibility issues can sometimes occur, which is why professional website maintenance can be useful for businesses that do not have the time or technical expertise to manage their website themselves.
Safetech can provide ongoing website support to help businesses keep their websites maintained, functional and aligned with their wider digital requirements.
3. Check Who Has Access to Your Website
How many people can currently access your website?
This is something businesses can easily overlook, particularly if a website has been around for several years and different employees, developers, agencies, or freelancers have worked on it.
Old user accounts that are no longer required should be reviewed and removed where appropriate. You should also make sure that people only have the level of access they actually need.
For example, someone who only needs to update website content may not need full administrator access.
Reviewing website access regularly can reduce unnecessary points of entry and help you maintain better control over who can make changes to your website.
If Safetech manages your website development or ongoing support, our team can help you understand how your website is structured and what is involved in keeping it properly maintained.
4. Use Strong, Unique Passwords
Passwords remain an important part of website security.
Using simple passwords, reusing the same password across multiple accounts or sharing login details with several people can increase your security risk.
Website administrator accounts should use strong, unique passwords that are not used elsewhere. Where available, two-factor authentication can provide an additional layer of protection by requiring another form of verification when someone logs in.
It is also worth considering who has access to your hosting account, domain account, email accounts and other services connected to your website.
Your website security is only as strong as the access controls protecting it.
If you have concerns about who currently has access to your website, hosting or domain, speaking to our experts is a sensible first step.
5. Check That Your Website Is Being Backed Up
What would happen if your website suddenly disappeared?
Whether the cause was a technical problem, malicious attack, software issue or human error, having a recent backup could make recovering your website considerably easier.
Backups should form part of your wider website maintenance strategy. Ideally, they should be performed regularly and stored securely rather than relying on a single copy of your website.
It is also important to know whether your backups actually work. A backup that cannot be restored when you need it is not much help.
Ask your website or hosting provider how your website is backed up, how frequently backups are taken and what the recovery process would involve.
Reliable hosting and ongoing website support can make it easier to keep these important areas under control. If you use Safetech for your hosting and website services, our team can help you understand what is involved in looking after your website behind the scenes.
6. Check Your Website Hosting
Website hosting plays an important role in the reliability and security of your website.
Your hosting environment is where your website’s files and associated data are stored, so it is worth understanding what your hosting package actually provides.
Depending on the provider and package, this can include features such as SSL, backups, caching, access controls and other measures designed to support website performance, reliability and security.
It is also worth considering whether your hosting is suitable for your current website. A business that has grown significantly since its website was first created may have different requirements from when it started.
We provide web hosting as part of our wider website services, giving businesses the opportunity to manage their website, hosting and digital requirements with support from one team.
If you are unsure what your current hosting package includes, we can help you understand your options and identify a solution suited to your website.
7. Make Sure Your Website Is Regularly Maintained
Website security is not something you can simply set up once and forget about.
Websites need ongoing attention. Software changes, vulnerabilities can be discovered, plugins can become outdated, and website requirements can change over time.
Regular website maintenance can help identify potential issues before they become bigger problems. It can also help keep your website functioning properly and ensure that important updates are not missed.
For businesses, this is one reason why having an ongoing website maintenance arrangement can be valuable. Instead of waiting until something goes wrong, your website can be checked and maintained as part of a proactive approach.
At Safetech, our website services do not have to stop once your new website goes live. We can support businesses with their ongoing website requirements, alongside hosting and digital marketing services designed to help their online presence continue working towards their goals.
8. Check Your Website for Suspicious Changes
Do you know what your website should look like?
It sounds obvious, but being familiar with your website’s content and appearance can make it easier to spot unusual activity.
Unexpected changes could include unfamiliar pages, strange links, unknown users, altered content or unusual redirects. You may also notice that your website is behaving differently or that visitors are being directed somewhere they should not be.
If you notice anything suspicious, avoid simply ignoring it. Contact us today so the issue can be investigated.
The sooner a potential security problem is identified, the sooner appropriate action can be taken.
Having a website development and support team you can contact when something does not look right can provide valuable reassurance. Our friendly team can help businesses with their wider website requirements and advise on the appropriate next steps where an issue needs investigating.
9. Review Your Website Forms and Data Collection
If your website collects information from visitors, it is important to understand what information you are collecting and how it is being handled.
Contact forms, enquiry forms, newsletter sign-ups and other features can involve the collection of personal information.
Businesses should make sure their website is only requesting information that is necessary and that appropriate security and privacy measures are in place.
You should also ensure that your website’s privacy information is kept up to date and reflects how your business handles personal data.
We can help businesses build and maintain professional websites with functionality designed around their requirements. However, specific legal or data protection questions should always be discussed with an appropriately qualified professional.
10. Know Who Is Responsible for Your Website Security
Perhaps the most important question is a simple one:
Who is actually responsible for keeping your website secure?
For some businesses, website security may be managed internally. For others, it may be shared between a web developer, hosting provider and internal team.
The important thing is to know who is responsible for what.
Ask questions such as:
• Who manages website updates?
• Who manages the hosting?
• Who takes website backups?
• Who has administrator access?
• Who would I contact if the website was hacked?
• Who monitors the website for technical problems?
• How quickly could the website potentially be restored?
If you do not know the answers, now is a good time to find out.
Working with a single agency such as Safetech for your website design, development, hosting and ongoing digital support can make responsibilities clearer. We provide a range of these services, giving businesses a central point of contact for many aspects of their online presence.
Taking these 10 steps does not guarantee that a website will never experience a security issue, but they can help you identify potential weaknesses and take a more proactive approach.
Most importantly, website security should be treated as an ongoing responsibility rather than a one-off task. Regular maintenance, appropriate hosting and professional support can all contribute to a website that is more reliable and better prepared for the future.
FAQs
Why is website security important for businesses?
Website security helps protect your website, business information and visitors from potential threats, while reducing the risk of downtime, lost enquiries and reputational damage.
Can a small business website be hacked?
Yes, businesses of all sizes can experience website security issues, so small businesses should not assume their website is too small to be targeted.
What is an SSL certificate?
An SSL certificate helps create an encrypted connection between your website and its visitors, allowing your website to use HTTPS and providing an important layer of website security.
What happens if my website is hacked?
Contact us as soon as possible so the issue can be investigated and appropriate recovery measures considered.
Can Safetech help with my website security?
Yes, at Safetech, we provide website design, development, refreshes, hosting and digital marketing services, helping businesses maintain a reliable and professional online presence.
Ready to Give Your Website a Security Check?
Whether you need a new website, a website refresh, reliable hosting or ongoing support, our friendly team can help you find the right solution for your business. Contact us today for a FREE consultation and personalised quote.
