Business websites have increasingly become a target for hackers. While some of the hacks are sophomoric pranks, many are far more nefarious in nature. Some may even involve injecting malicious code into your website so visitors’ computers become infected with malware – which is risky for your customers, your prospects and your image.

All public-facing websites are at risk, but here are five steps you can take to reduce your exposure.

#1) CHANGE THE PASSWORD TO YOUR WEBSITE MANAGEMENT CONSOLE REGULARLY

This is the site where those with the proper credentials can make updates to pages and post new content. But a hacker who gains access can make changes to the look and feel of your website as well as its underlying code.

#2) DELETE OLD USER ACCOUNTS FOR YOUR WEBSITE MANAGEMENT CONSOLE

These can include accounts for former employees and/or consultants.

#3) UPDATE YOUR WEBSITE FRAMEWORK (e.g., WORDPRESS) PLUGINS FREQUENTLY

Popular applications like WordPress are frequently targeted by hackers. For that reason, make sure all of your plugins are up to date to protect against vulnerabilities.

#4) HOST YOUR WEBSITE WITH A WELL-KNOWN, TRUSTED PROVIDER

The cheapest hosting option may not provide the best defense against malware attacks. Do your research. Better yet, put your trust in a professional company to do the hosting legwork – and have a firm understanding of how they will maintain, update and protect your website. Many hosting providers offer services to check your site’s code for malware and back up your site on a regular basis.

#5) IF YOU HOST ANY SITES AT YOUR BUSINESS LOCATION, MAKE SURE THEY ARE BEHIND AN ENTERPRISE-GRADE FIREWALL

There are a variety of reasons why it’s a good idea to have certain websites (e.g., mail servers, customer portals) hosted on your premises. We recommend protecting these sites with a robust enterprise-grade firewall that constantly monitors inbound internet traffic for viruses and malware.

Lastly, how prepared are you should your email accounts become compromised? Find out how to make a better plan with Three Email Policies Every Business Should Have in Place.

As always, if you have a question or concern, give us a call at (804) 918-7815 or send us an email. We’re standing by, ready to help.

It’s critical that you have the latest generation firewall protection in place and your anti-virus software is up-to-date. Learn more on GroundForceIT’s YouTube channel.