Is your website vulnerable to hackers?
Most of use are only too aware of security threats on the web. There are viruses, hackers, malware, spyware and numerous other threats. Some threats are quite specific that could affect your website, and if the website is your business then the impact is going to be greater.
But it’s one of those things that only happens to other people. . . . .isn’t it?
There was a time when I would have gone along with that statement, but after working in the IT industry for so many years and seeing the people and businesses affected by these security threats I would disagree with people that shrug it off. You may notice that images are not being displayed on our site at the moment, which is due to a security vulnerability that we are fixing with one of the scripts used to resize images. I’ve just spoken to the web host and they are working overtime (and doing a sterling job) at cleaning malware off of the servers and fixing the security vulnerability across many sites. Security issues affect all websites and may leave your business at risk if you are not up to date.
What are the risks?
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If your site is not kept secure, you could find yourself the victim of one of the following:
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- Your website may go offline.
- Your website could be edited / deleted / hijacked.
- Your domain name could be stolen / ransomed.
- Your online data could be at risk.
- You could lose customers.
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What can I do to project myself?
Many websites are created using software called Content Management Systems, such as WordPress, Drupal and Joomla just to name a few of the most popular. These sites use modules and plugins to add functionality. The best way to keep your website projected is to keep modules and plugins up to date.
You could also read up on the latest threats and keep an eye out for things that could affect you or your website.
But I’m not a techie and I’m busy running my business!
To effectively minimise the risk of being affected by online security threats, you do need some technical expertise. Therefore I would recommend that if you consult a specialist. We certainly offer advice to our clients.
If you’re busy running a business, then I’m sure you’ll want to make sure it stays busy and keeps running so don’t be tempted to ignore online security threats; it could lead to your business failing completely and this is not an exaggeration.
What should I do now?
If you’re unsure where to start, then doing a back up is a good start! Once that’s done you need to assess the risks and fix security vulnerabilities, or appoint an IT consultant to undertake this for you.
