Last updated on February 24th, 2021 at 06:09 am
In this article, you are going to learn how to improve website security.
Web security is a means of protecting a website or web application through detection, prevention, and response to threats.
Some of the threats include phishing, hacking, eavesdropping among others.
According to siteefy, thousands of websites are uploaded every day, and reliance on these systems is increasing exponentially. Websites hold sensitive individual information that needs to be safeguarded against any data breach. The main recommended information security approaches are bottom-up and top-down approach.
Web security isn’t the sole responsibility of the site owner and all users have a part to play in overall security. However, the site owner holds a major role in employing the standard security measure to secure the information.
First,
What are the benefits of having a secure website?
A secure system accords more benefits to the organization.
And they include:
- Reduced losses
- Increased trust
- Reduced business disruption
- Deters crimes
- Increased privacy
However, a secure system is hypothetical and it’s always the best security patch system to reduce system vulnerabilities.
Website developers or administrators often tradeoff performance and easy usage to employ a secure system.
How to improve website security
Web security is a multifaceted practice with threats always originating from different areas. Below we discuss some of the practices to help you improve web security:
Use a secure web host
Always choose a secure and reputable web hosting company. I advocate for a provider whose services are geared to meeting industry standards.
Use SSL certificates
SSL certificates create secure communication between a client application such as browsers and servers. The certificate activates an HTTPS protocol that encrypts all communication between the peer devices.
Perform backups
Backup your site regularly. You should maintain backups of all of your website files in case your site becomes inaccessible or your data is lost.
Your web host provider should provide backups of their servers, but you should still back up your files regularly.
Strong password security Policy
Password is the main used authentication mechanism.
Websites should define the minimal password requirement.
This includes password length, use of special characters, password expiration(such as the use of OTP), multi-level authentication, among others.
Aso, a website can implement a secure password generator that auto-produces strong passwords for users.
Encrypt confidential information
This involves converting information into an unintelligible format.
It’s important to encrypt sensitive information such as passwords, PIN, card numbers before transmission or storage.
Perform vulnerability testing
This is a test on a system to identify a weakness or loopholes that may be exploited by a malicious individual(s). It involves hiring a whitehat hacker to perform a penetration test on the system.
Stay updated
Technology changes very fast, and some practices become obsolete whilst new ones are inverted. Obsolete technology is vulnerable and there is a need to stay up to date with technological changes to play with this advancement.
Conclusion on how to improve website security
Security enthusiasts always check out techniques on how to improve website security.
You cannot set up security without maintenance.
As mentioned, technology is ever-evolving and having a website flexible enough to incorporate this advancement is vital.
