Forget about your products and services. Ignore all of your marketing efforts. The most essential aspect of a successful online business is security.
If your security is lackadaisical, this could ultimately spell the end for your business – whether it’s due to a loss of finances or because it destroyed your reputation.
As a result, you have to ensure your security is at its best. This also means you need to make sure your customers are 100% safe when using your website.
Sadly, this is easier said than done. New security threats are always being developed, which means you always have to stay one step ahead of the hackers.
For advice on how to achieve this, below is a guide for keeping customers safe while they’re on your website.
An SSL connection is a must
If you want to keep your customer information secure – and let them know that’s the case – you need to use an SSL connection. A secure sockets layer (SSL) is an encryption method between the customer browser and your web host’s server. This means that any data they submit to you will remain secure, whether it is their address or payment details.
As mentioned, customers will also be able to see if your website is utilizing SSL. An SSL certificate is represented by a lock symbol next to your website URL, and this alerts users that your site is secure.
Avoid account takeovers
There’s a new growing threat for your website: account takeover. This is where malicious individuals take over a customer’s account, where they exploit their sales promotions, loyalty programs, and so on. If a customer has their account compromised, they’re instantly going to lose trust in your business, and that trust – and potential repeat sales – won’t be coming back.
Fortunately, you can take steps to apply for account takeover protection. There are specialist solutions available that can keep your customer accounts secure, which means you don’t have to worry about hackers attacking this aspect of your site.
Keep everything up-to-date
Each day, new vulnerabilities are being discovered and exploited in existing code. This is why hackers prey on websites that are outdated, as they can easily gain control due to those exploits resting in their code.
This is why it’s essential you keep all of your website’s software up-to-date. Yes, those WordPress update notifications can get annoying. Yet when you think of the potential damage that can be caused, it’s a no-brainer to avoid any delays when installing updates.
Use strong passwords
Your software is up-to-date. You’re using top-of-the-line security solutions. Yet, there’s one certain thing that can lead to the downfall of your efforts: human error. All it takes is for an employee to make a mistake for your website’s security to come crumbling down.
This is particularly the case if they use weak passwords. Therefore, ensure you enforce a password policy where employees have to use strong passwords, the type that wouldn’t be at risk from a cyberattack.
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