you've spent months building your website and are excited to finally launch it. But in your enthusiasm don't forget one of the most important things: security. Hackers are constantly on the prowl, looking for vulnerabilities to exploit, and if they find their way into your site it could be a disaster. You could end up with malware infecting visitors, customer data breached, and even your website being held at ransom. Not the kind of excitement you were hoping for! The good news is there are some easy website security best practices you can implement right now to lock down your site and keep the baddies out. By making security a priority today, you can launch your site with confidence knowing you've done your due diligence to protect yourself and your visitors. Follow these 10 must-have website security best practices and you'll be well on your way to a safe, successful launch.
Use Strong Passwords;
Use Strong Passwords:
To secure your website, using strong, unique passwords is a must. Hackers run automated programs that try common passwords and combinations, so make yours difficult to guess.
A strong password:
Is at least 12 characters long, the more the better
Includes a mix of letters, numbers and symbols
Doesn’t contain common words or personal information
Isn’t reused across websites
Coming up with a 12+ character password that meets these criteria may seem challenging, but here are a few tips to make it easier:
Use a passphrase instead of just a single word. For example, “EatMoreChocolate2021!” or “KeepCalmAndCodeOn”. These are easier to remember but still secure.
Include numbers and symbols, like “C0mputer5&C0ffee”. The more variety, the better.
Don’t use common keyboard patterns like “1234” or “ababab”. Mix up the letters, numbers and symbols.
Use a password manager app like LastPass, Dashlane or 1Password. They can generate strong, unique passwords for all your accounts and remember them for you.
Implementing a strong password policy and enabling two-factor authentication on your website are two of the most important things you can do to improve security. Require all users, including administrators, to follow the same password rules. Make it a habit and encourage your users and team to use a password manager. Their security depends on it!
Enable Two-Factor Authentication;
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Enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) on your website is one of the best ways to improve security. 2FA adds an extra layer of protection for user accounts by requiring not only a password but also another piece of information like a security code sent to your phone.
Even if a hacker manages to steal a user's password, they would still need access to the user's phone or authentication app to log in. This makes it much harder for criminals to break into accounts and access sensitive data. ###Use an Authentication App
Using an authentication app like Google Authenticator, Authy or Duo is one of the most effective ways to implement 2FA. These apps generate one-time security codes that change every few seconds. Users enter the current code along with their password to log in.
Since the codes expire quickly, hackers would need to steal the physical device to use them. Even if they phished a code from a user, it would no longer be valid by the time they try to use it. For maximum security, require 2FA for all user accounts, especially admin accounts.
SMS Text Messages:
If users don't want to use an authentication app, sending one-time codes via SMS text message is another option for 2FA. However, SMS is less secure since the codes can be intercepted through phone hacking or SIM swapping. Only use SMS 2FA as a last resort.
Enabling 2FA, especially using an authentication app, should be mandatory for any website that collects personal information or financial data. While it may require some extra effort on the user's part, 2FA is one of the most important website security best practices and a key tool for protecting your website and your users.
Keep Software Up-to-Date;
Keeping your website software up-to-date is one of the most important website security best practices. Outdated software is a major vulnerability that hackers can exploit.
Update Your CMS and Plugins:
If you're using a content management system (CMS) like WordPress or Drupal, be sure to update it regularly. CMS updates often contain security patches to fix vulnerabilities. The same goes for any plugins or extensions you have installed. Older versions of software contain known security issues that have likely been addressed in updates.
•Log into your CMS and check for available updates at least once a month. Update to the latest version to ensure you have the most secure software and plugins powering your website.
•Enable automatic updates for your CMS and plugins if possible. This will automatically update software in the background to keep your site secure. You may have to enable this feature and check a box to opt in.
•Review update details to see what's changed. Updates frequently contain "bug fixes" and "security enhancements" - install these updates right away.
•Delete any unused plugins or themes. Extra software bloats your site and provides more opportunities for vulnerabilities.
Update Server Software:
The software that powers your web server, like Apache or Nginx, also requires regular updating. Server software updates contain security patches just like CMS and plugin updates.
•Log into your server control panel and check for available software updates. Run updates for Apache, MySQL, PHP and any other technologies powering your website.
•Reboot or restart your server after running major updates. This ensures the latest software versions take effect and any vulnerabilities in the previous versions are eliminated.
•Consider using a managed hosting provider. Managed hosts automatically handle server software updates and security for you. This hands-free approach helps ensure your site is as secure as possible.
Keeping your website software current is a simple step that significantly improves your security. Updates contain critical patches to fix vulnerabilities and help prevent hackers from infiltrating your site.
Use a Web Application Firewall;
A web application firewall (WAF) is a must-have for any website. A WAF protects your site from common web vulnerabilities and attacks like SQL injections, cross-site scripting, DDoS attacks, and more.
Use a reputable WAF provider:
There are many WAF services available, both paid and free. For most sites, a paid commercial WAF is the best option to get robust protection. Look for a WAF from a reputable company with a proven track record of protecting websites. They will have teams of security experts constantly updating rules and signatures to protect against the latest threats.
Deploy in "blocking" mode:
To get the full protection of a WAF, deploy it in "blocking" mode. This will actively block malicious requests to your site in real-time. Some WAFs also have a "monitoring" mode which will log threats but still allow them through. Blocking mode is the most secure.
Tune the WAF rules:
Most WAFs come with predefined rule sets to block common attacks. However, you'll want to spend time tuning the rules to fit your specific site. The WAF provider can help determine which rules can be safely disabled or customized based on your site content and functionality. Tuning the rules helps reduce false positives that block legitimate traffic.
Monitor and review logs:
Even with a WAF in place, it's critical to actively monitor your site and review WAF logs for signs of attempted attacks. Some threats may get through, and new vulnerabilities could emerge. Review WAF logs regularly to look for spikes in blocked requests that could indicate an ongoing attack. Work with your WAF provider to address any new issues.
WAFs require maintenance:
Like any security solution, WAFs require ongoing maintenance to remain effective. WAF rules and policies need to be updated as new vulnerabilities emerge and as your site changes. Be prepared to work with your WAF provider to tune and optimize the configuration over time based on your site's needs and the current threat landscape. A WAF is not a "set it and forget it" tool.
Using a robust WAF and maintaining an active approach to monitoring and optimizing its protection are two of the most important things you can do to keep your website secure. A WAF, combined with good security hygiene overall, will help protect your site from the majority of common threats.
Regularly Backup Your Website;
One of the most important website security best practices is to regularly backup your site. If anything were to happen to your site like a hack, malware infection or server issue, a recent backup can save you from losing all of your hard work.
Backup Schedule:
You'll want to backup your entire site including your database, themes, images, posts and pages. Aim for backing up at least once a week, or more often if your site changes frequently. Also be sure to backup before making any major changes to your site or updating plugins.
Store your backups in multiple places like on your computer, an external hard drive and a cloud service. That way if anything happens to one backup, you have other options to restore from. Some popular cloud options are Dropbox, Google Drive and OneDrive which offer plenty of free storage space for most small websites.
What to Backup:
Your WordPress database contains all of your posts, pages, comments, users, metadata and more. So backing up your database is critical. You should also backup your wp-content folder which contains your themes, images, plugins and uploads. If you have any custom themes, make sure you backup the entire theme folder.
How to Backup:
The easiest way to backup a WordPress site is using a plugin like UpdraftPlus, BackWPup or BackupBuddy. These plugins can schedule automatic backups, backup to multiple locations and allow you to download backups to store offline. They handle backing up your database, files and everything else.
For tech savvy site owners, you can also manually backup your database and files. Export your database using a tool like phpMyAdmin and download your wp-content folder using FTP. Then be sure to store copies of the database export and wp-content folder in multiple locations.
No website is 100% safe from disasters, so implementing a regular comprehensive backup plan for your WordPress site is critical. With frequent backups in multiple places, you can rest easy knowing your hard work is protected. And if anything does go wrong, you have the peace of mind that you can quickly restore your site to get things back to normal.
Conclusion
So there you have it - 10 website security best practices you need to put in place right away. Hackers and cybercriminals are working around the clock to find vulnerabilities, so make sure you lock up your site and protect your users. Stay on top of the latest threats, use strong and unique passwords, enable two-factor authentication whenever you can, and keep all software up to date. Monitor for suspicious activity and be wary of phishing emails. Protecting your website and customer data should be a top priority. Follow these tips and give yourself some peace of mind that you've made your site as secure as possible. The internet can be a dangerous place, but with vigilance and the right safeguards, you'll be able to avoid being an easy target. Stay safe out there!
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