What’s Website Security and Why It’s Important for Your Start-up

In the era where technology is advancing every second, it has become easier to be unethical. Security is becoming a pressing issue – online or offline. With most people shifting their business online, the first step brands take is to ensure that their websites are totally secure.

Website Security

As the phrase says, website security is a way of protecting the website from getting hacked, and data stolen. According to a report, cybercrimes have increased by 37% during Covid. The hackers have developed programs to determine which websites are vulnerable and unprotected.

Security of the website is fundamental if it is a start–up; otherwise, customers lose interest in them. And losing the customer means losing sales, thereby making a loss. It is a tough but a must-do and a priority task. It can only be done by web development companies who know how to care for the problems firsthand.

How to Protect the Website?

Cybercriminals specialize in malware capable of subtly entering a website and staying hidden so that your website does not get infected, and you may not even realize it. Thus, amongst numerous ways to protect your website, below – mentioned are a few of them:

· Create a Security Blueprint

Discussing this with your IT security team to decide on a detailed and actionable web security plan would be best. You need to know what is wrong with your website, when it is wrong and how to solve it. 

· Back Up Your Site Regularly

The website and apps should back up regularly. Not a single day or hour should pass that the website is not backed up because if your start-up is compelling enough, people will come in every minute. 

· Scan the Website Regularly

The website needs to be scanned regularly for the virus. The website can be secured with solutions like SSL decryption, URL filtering, installing antivirus, browser isolation, building a firewall, sandboxing, etc.

· Awareness Training

Employees should know how to preserve the website and data from viruses and hackers. They should be taught what to do and what not to do. When recruited, they should be educated on backing up the data and reporting to the authorities any suspicious activities.

· Ban Certain Malware Websites

The first step to securing a website is to make sure to ban all malware websites. These websites will enter your website when you download certain types of data or click something that’s clickbait. And then it will infect your website, eventually destroying it.  

Whom to Protect the Website From?

Now that you know how to protect the website, you must understand what you are protecting your website against. Thus, below – mentioned are the malicious software and practices that you protect your website against:

· Ransomware

Ransomware is malicious software designed to prevent you from accessing it until you pay the ransom. Most hackers go for this option to earn money. They have nothing to do with data and opt for this option because they know how valuable the data is for the company.

The start-ups that have just been introduced to the market should specifically protect their website from these hackers because they neither have the time nor resources to get back up once the website is down. Not to mention how much they will lose if the solution is not brought in immediately.

· General Malware

General malware disables or damages the website from the inside. Almost 10000 websites get hacked daily, including small and medium-sized businesses. This menacing software may stop your customer from visiting or transacting from your website, resulting in a loss for you.

· Phishing

People associated with tech will know what Phishing is, but others might not. It is illegal to send out fake emails on behalf of actual companies. This attempt tricks people into revealing their personal information, such as social security numbers, passwords, and credit card numbers.

And this is not limited to email marketing. Hackers often create fake login pages or spoof email workflows from social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram and ask users to “log in” to the page. Once the victim logs in, their credentials are stolen and used to either steal information or perform phishing attacks on friends and contacts of the victim.

Why Protect the Website?

As mentioned above, website security is essential, especially if it is a start–up. Along with taking care of other factors like digital marketing, advertisement, sales, and HR, here is why it is essential to take care of website security too:

· Improving the SEO of the Website

If the website is secure, the data present on the website will be protected, decreasing the bounce rate. When people consume the data of the website, it will be enabled to produce more data, thereby improving the SEO of the website.

· Increased Client Collaborations

When customers have faith in the website, clients will come to the website for collaboration. And when one client pours in, others pour in too. The good word for the website will be spread, and all the associations will become successful.

· Avoid the Litigation Charges

When the website is secure enough, it will help fight the legal charges if it comes down to that. It is crucial for start-ups because if they are tangled up in a legal battle with big shots, there are chances their website will be hacked. Thus, securing it beforehand will win them half the battle.

· Keeps the Website Operatable

When the website is hacked, everything needs to be closed down. And it takes ages and money to get it back up. Up until then, there are chances that the website will remain down and continue losing customers. Thus, to keep the website operational, it must be protected.

· Enhance Sales

When the website is reliable and comes with security, people trust it and go for its product. Otherwise, people will fear that their data is not in safe hands, which in turn will make them go to the competitors.

Wrap Up:

When you hire web developers, one of the first things to look for in a web design company is if they can provide you with a detailed plan for website security. Because if at all your website is hacked and data is leaked, people will stop putting faith in you. And your business will close before it has started. Thus, be safe out there, or BE SAFE ONLINE THERE.