{"id":2602,"date":"2019-04-03T06:06:30","date_gmt":"2019-04-03T06:06:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/omaha-seo.com\/blog\/?p=2602"},"modified":"2025-10-26T22:03:25","modified_gmt":"2025-10-26T22:03:25","slug":"learn-to-secure-your-website","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/omaha-seo.com\/blog\/learn-to-secure-your-website\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Keep Your Website SEO Secure"},"content":{"rendered":"

Our top priority must be website security. We all know that nearly impossible for any website to be 100% safe and secure. But you can make this harder on them by taking security measures. As we all know, hackers are always going to find new ways to attack websites and steal information. When making sure your website security make sure as well that you improve your SEO audit<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"omaha<\/p>\n

How to make sure your website is secure?<\/p>\n

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Your website is at risk.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m not saying this to try and scare you, but that\u2019s the reality of the world we live in. More than\u00a050,000 websites\u00a0get hacked each day.<\/p>\n

You can\u2019t have the \u201cit won\u2019t happen to me\u201d mentality. I encounter businesses all the time who feel this way. They think hackers have bigger fish to fry and don\u2019t have any reason to target their website. That\u2019s simply not the case. In fact,\u00a043% of cyber crimes\u00a0are against small businesses.<\/p>\n

Roughly 54% of companies worldwide say they have experienced at least one attack within the last year. Just 38% of businesses say they\u2019re prepared to handle cyber attacks.<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t have a magic crystal ball or some way to see into the future, but my gut tells me that cyber criminals aren\u2019t going to just wake up one day and decide to stop hacking websites. So you need to take steps to improve your website security.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s what inspired me to write this guide. I\u2019ll show you what needs to be done to secure your website today, in 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Omaha SEO<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/span>Common website security threats<\/span><\/h2>\n

There isn\u2019t just one way that websites get attacked. So before we proceed, I want to give you a brief overview of some of the most common threats to your website security. These are the things that you\u2019ll want to avoid and be prepared for when taking security measures.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Spam<\/span><\/h3>\n

Usually, we perceive spam as something annoying. We all get spam emails delivered to our inbox or see the occasional spam popup when we\u2019re browsing online.<\/p>\n

However, sometimes spam is more malicious. Spam in the form of comments is extremely common on websites. Bots can hammer the comments section of your website with links to another site as an attempt to build backlinks.<\/p>\n

While those types of comments are annoying and don\u2019t look good on your website, they aren\u2019t always damaging. But, some of those links might contain malware, which can harm your website visitors if they click on them.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, Google\u2019s crawlers can often detect malicious URLs and penalize your website for hosting spam. This will crush your SEO ranking.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Viruses and malware<\/span><\/h3>\n

For those of you who don\u2019t know, malware stands for \u201cmalicious software.\u201d So malware and viruses are essentially the same thing. Malware is arguably the biggest threat to your website. As much as\u00a0230,000 malware samples\u00a0are created each day.<\/p>\n

According to Statista, these are the most common types of malware used in cyber attacks across the world:<\/p>\n

\"Common<\/p>\n

As you can see, malware comes in all different shapes and sizes. That\u2019s why it\u2019s such a big threat to your website.<\/p>\n

These types of viruses are often used to access private data or use server resources. Criminals also use malware to make money with ads or affiliate links by hacking your website permissions.<\/p>\n

With malware, both you and your website visitors are at risk. Someone visiting your site could click a link that downloads a malicious file onto their computer. It\u2019s your job to keep your website secure and prevent that from happening.<\/p>\n

<\/span>WHOIS domain registration<\/span><\/h3>\n

Buying a domain name is like buying a house. The company that sells the house must know who they\u2019re selling to and be able to contact them. This becomes public record.<\/p>\n

The same goes for buying a website. Depending on the country you\u2019re in, you\u2019ll be required to release some information about yourself that\u2019s recorded on WHOIS data. Outside of your personal information, this also contains information about your URL nameservers.<\/p>\n

Hackers can use this information to narrow down the location of the server that you\u2019re using. They can use this as a gateway to access your web server.<\/p>\n

<\/span>DDoS attacks<\/span><\/h3>\n

DDoS attacks deny access to users trying to visit a specific website. Basically, the hacker uses spoof IP addresses to overload servers with traffic. This essentially takes the website offline.<\/p>\n

Now the host needs to scramble to get the server back up and running as fast as possible, which leaves the server vulnerable for malware.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Search engine blacklists<\/span><\/h3>\n

Technically, this isn\u2019t a security threat. However, if your website isn\u2019t properly secured, it can impact your SEO rankings.<\/p>\n

According to a recent study,\u00a074% of hacked websites\u00a0were attacked for SEO<\/a> reasons.<\/p>\n

\"SEO<\/p>\n

I briefly mentioned this earlier when we were discussing spam comments. If search engines detect malicious content on your website, your SEO ranking will suffer.<\/p>\n

If lots of users are reporting your site as spam or unsafe, you could be added to a search engine blacklist. Once you\u2019re on that list, it\u2019s extremely difficult to get off.<\/p>\n

<\/span>How to keep your website safe<\/span><\/h2>\n

Now that you\u2019re familiar with some of the most common security threats, it\u2019s time to prevent them from happening.<\/p>\n

You can\u2019t just assume that your website is secure. If you haven\u2019t done anything to beef up the security, it\u2019s probably vulnerable for attacks. These are the steps you need to take to improve your website security in 2019.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Use HTTPS protocol<\/span><\/h3>\n

If your website isn\u2019t currently using HTTPS protocol, it needs to jump to the top of your priority list. This essentially tells your website visitors that they\u2019re interacting with the proper server and nothing else can alter or intercept the content they\u2019re viewing.<\/p>\n

Without HTTPS a hacker can change information on the page to gather personal information from your site visitors. For example, they could steal login information and passwords from users.<\/p>\n

HTTPS protocol will also improve your search ranking. Google is rewarding websites that use this security measure.<\/p>\n

This is comforting to people who visit your website as well. When they visit your site, they\u2019ll see this next to the URL:<\/p>\n

\"Secure<\/p>\n

It\u2019s secure and trustworthy. Now, compare it to a site that\u2019s not using HTTPS protocol. The URL in the web browser will look like this:<\/p>\n

\"Not<\/p>\n

Do you feel safe when you\u2019re browsing on a website and see this? I don\u2019t.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, you can improve this security measure even more by combining your HTTPS with an SSL (secure sockets layer) certificate. This is required for ecommerce websites since users are submitting sensitive information like credit card numbers, names, and addresses.<\/p>\n

While SSL certificates don\u2019t necessarily prevent an attack or distribution of malware, it encrypts the communication between the server and the user\u2019s web browser. Even if you\u2019re not selling anything on your website, I strongly recommend using HTTPS protocol and adding an SSL certificate to add security.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Update your software<\/span><\/h3>\n

Any software you\u2019re using on your website needs to be kept up to date. You need to update WordPress software, plugins, CMS, and anything else that requires an update.<\/p>\n

Why?<\/p>\n

In addition to fixing bugs or glitches, software updates typically come with security improvements. No software is perfect. Hackers will always be looking for ways to take advantage of their vulnerabilities.<\/p>\n

Lots of cyber attacks are automated. Criminals use bots to just scan websites that are vulnerable. So, if you\u2019re not staying up to date on the latest software versions, it will be easy for hackers to identify your site before you can do anything about it.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Choose a safe web hosting plan<\/span><\/h3>\n

In theory, if your web hosting<\/a> provider has security on its servers, you\u2019ll benefit from those same levels of protection. However, that\u2019s not always the case.<\/p>\n

Going with a shared hosting plan might be appealing because of the price, but it\u2019s not the most secure choice you can make. As the name implies, you\u2019re sharing servers with other websites if you choose this type of hosting plan.<\/p>\n

If one of those other sites gets attacked, a hacker can gain access to the server that you\u2019re using as well. I\u2019m not trying to steer you away from a shared hosting plan, but if you want to boost your website security, you\u2019ll be better off with another option.<\/p>\n

Check out my list of the\u00a0best web hosting services, which can help guide you in the right direction.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Change your password<\/span><\/h3>\n

Change your password! I can\u2019t stress this enough.<\/p>\n

All too often I speak to people who have the same password for everything they own, and it\u2019s something they\u2019ve been using since they were in college ten years ago.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the problem. Let\u2019s say you\u2019re a foodie. So you have an account with a popular restaurant review website that requires your email address and password to write reviews. If that platform gets compromised, hackers have access to your username and password. If they find out you own a certain website, they can try that same password and login to your administrative settings.<\/p>\n

Shockingly,\u00a025% of passwords\u00a0can be hacked in just three seconds.<\/p>\n

\"Password<\/p>\n

The information from this graph was obtained using an open source software called John the Ripper. Anyone can use this tool to crack passwords.<\/p>\n

If software like this can figure out 53% of passwords in just two hours, I can promise you that the best hackers are cracking passwords even faster.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why you need to constantly update your password. You can use a password manager like\u00a01Password\u00a0to help you generate long passwords with special characters that are nearly impossible to solve.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, you should pick a web host that\u2019s using two-factor authentication. This will add an extra layer of security for password protection. If your web host doesn\u2019t offer this, there are other ways for you to enable it on your own using apps or third parties.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Secure your personal computer<\/span><\/h3>\n

Don\u2019t allow your own devices to threaten your website.<\/p>\n

There is malware out there injects malicious files into websites by stealing FTP logins. It\u2019s easier for a hacker to accomplish this if they target your personal computer as a gateway into your website. So make sure your computer has antivirus software. Surprised that\u00a0antivirus software is still a thing\u00a0\u2014\u00a0it\u2019s especially important if you use a PC or are downloading files online. You might unintentionally install malware onto your machine without knowing it.<\/p>\n

The last thing you want is to be careless while you\u2019re browsing online and have that mistake end up hurting your own website. Scan your machine on a regular basis.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Use tools to monitor your security<\/span><\/h3>\n

You can\u2019t manually prevent attacks on your website. Instead, look for online tools and resources that will monitor your site\u2019s security for you. I highly recommend looking at my guide on the\u00a0best WordPress security plugins<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The plugins on this list add a firewall to your website while simultaneously fighting malware, spam, and other threats in real time. You can run security audits that will highlight your vulnerabilities so you can take preventative measures to stop an attack before it happens.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Limit user access<\/span><\/h3>\n

Don\u2019t blame yourself, but\u00a095% of cyber security attacks\u00a0are the result of human error.<\/p>\n

The best way to prevent this is to limit the number of humans who can make an error. Not every employee of your business should have access to your website.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re hiring an outside consultant, designer, or guest blogger, don\u2019t automatically give those people access to change settings on your website. Implement the principle of least privilege, also known as the principle of least authority or minimal privilege.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s say you assign a project to someone that requires a certain level of access to your website. By applying this principle, you only give them access for the time it takes them to complete the task. Once complete, the person goes back to their regular access abilities.<\/p>\n

Make sure each user has their own login credentials. If multiple people are sharing a username and password, it doesn\u2019t give them any accountability. Your team is much more likely to be careful with sensitive information if an error or change can be traced back to them.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Backup your website<\/span><\/h3>\n

When it comes to securing your website, you should always prepare for the worst. Obviously, you never want to be in a situation where your website is compromised. But in the event that something goes wrong, your life will be much easier if your content is completely backed up.<\/p>\n

So try using a backup plugin, like\u00a0BackupBuddy, to make sure you don\u2019t lose anything on your website as the result of an attack.<\/p>\n

\"Backup<\/p>\n

BackupBuddy is one of the five\u00a0best WordPress backup plugins\u00a0that I reviewed for this year. So check out the full list to see which option is best for your situation.<\/p>\n

Some of these backup plugins also come with built-in security measures as well, which can help you prevent an attack.<\/p>\n

<\/span>Adjust your default CMS settings<\/span><\/h3>\n

As I said before, so many attacks these days are automated. Hackers program bots to find sites with default settings. This way they can target a wider range of websites and gain access using the same type of malware or virus. Don\u2019t make it so easy on them.<\/p>\n

Once you install your CMS, make sure you change some of the default settings:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Comments settings<\/li>\n
  • User controls<\/li>\n
  • Visibility of information<\/li>\n
  • File permissions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    These are all examples of some of the settings that you can change quickly and right away.<\/p>\n

    <\/span>Restrict file uploads<\/span><\/h3>\n

    Letting website visitors upload files to your website can be risky. That\u2019s because any file could potentially contain a script that exploits vulnerabilities on your website when it\u2019s executed on the server.<\/p>\n

    In some instances, the nature of your website might require file uploads. For example, you may want users to add photos of your products when they\u2019re writing a review. In this case, you should still treat all uploads as a potential threat.<\/p>\n

    You could also set it up so that any files that get uploaded are stored in a folder or database in another location. You can create a script that will fetch those files from a private and remote location to deliver them to a browser.<\/p>\n

    This will require some coding and is a bit complex to set up, so I won\u2019t go into too much detail on this right now. The simple solution is to avoid file uploads altogether, or at least restrict the types of files that can be uploaded to your site.<\/p>\n

    <\/span>Conclusion<\/span><\/h2>\n

    Website security needs to be one of your top priorities.<\/p>\n

    If you haven\u2019t taken any steps to secure your website, you\u2019re currently at risk while you\u2019re reading this.<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s nearly impossible for any website to be 100% safe and secure \u2014\u00a0hackers are always going to find new ways to attack websites and steal information. But you can make this difficult on them by taking the security measures that I\u2019ve outlined above.<\/p>\n

    At the end of the day, if cyber criminals are having a tough time hacking a website, they\u2019ll just move on to other sites that haven\u2019t implemented the website security tactics that we talked about. You don\u2019t want your website on that list.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

    Via: https:\/\/www.quicksprout.com\/website-security\/<\/p>\n