First 5 Steps to Secure Your New Website

Data breaches are alarmingly common. Just last year, there were as many as 1,473 major data breaches exposing 164.68 million private records, according to Statista.

The last thing you want when launching a new website is to continually worry about its security or to risk customer data provided for purchases and subscription lists. Along with security, here are five steps you need to accomplish with your web design services before launching your new site.

1. Pick A Host

Today, nearly all businesses operate their websites using the cloud. This cut costs and corners, but it can also present a number of security risks. “Essentially, you have to trust an outside organization with the data on your website as well as with its overall stability and reliability,” Business.com writes.

To properly vet a web host, web design services and website programmers recommend gathering a list of your needs first. Determine the technical requirements of your website, the level of security you will need, the amount of data you will be serving and storing, your best estimation of traffic volume, and your hosting budget. Once you know your requirements, choose a reliable and thoroughly vetted host that is able to meet them.

2. Secure An SSL certificate

A secure sockets layer (SSL) certificate is necessary for any website using sensitive information and data. It is vital for ecommerce websites, for example, to obtain an SSL certificate right away. SSL encrypts data coming into and leaving the browser to mask it from third party viewers.

Customers will be able to see if you have an SSL certificate by the telltale padlock symbol preceding a secure web address. SSL certificates instill trust. Without them, you risk customers’ sensitive information and data and customers will be able to see that you are taking that risk as well.

3. Choose A Content Delivery Network

Speed up webpages and take an extra step to make sure your website is secure with a dependable content delivery network (CDN). According to Business.com, “A CDN functions like a highway for your website traffic.” In other words, a CDN uses multiple servers and caches to load content as quickly as possible.

This is ideal not only for security but also for your bottom line. Over half — 53% — of users will leave a website that takes more than three seconds to load. Using a CDN keeps customers on your website and increases your potential for higher conversion rates.

4. Invest In A Software Firewall

The best web design services want their customers to know that firewalls have evolved over the years. Years ago, a firewall described a security program for a private desktop computer. Users installed a firewall onto their computers and the firewall protected that specific system.

Now, software firewalls enable businesses to install and run a web-based firewall. The web-based firewall protects your website as well as those engaging or interacting with it. It blocks potentially threatening connections to prevent breaches like a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack. If successful, DDoS attacks flood webpages with traffic from unsafe sources. Once a firewall is in place, it is important for businesses to keep an eye on viruses and threats and adjust firewall settings accordingly. Businesses who do not have the know-how to do this themselves can hire web design services to do it for them.

5. Back Up Servers and Data

It is important for any business to regularly back up their servers and data. Even with strong security measures in place, new web attacks or cyber-attacks can exploit unknown vulnerabilities and ultimately put sensitive information at risk. In fact, Business.com reveals that cyber-attacks threaten the average website up to 22 times per day! To keep your data secure, frequently back it up on the cloud and on trusted hardware in your office.

Keep your data secure and your business booming! Team up with web design services to create a website that is as secure and trustworthy as possible.