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A Secure Website Offers a Peace of Mind

Whether you run a business website or a high trafficked blog, it is critically important to make sure your security system is as tight as possible.  When it comes to security, relaxed is something you cannot afford to be.  You need to take all the necessary measures to ensure that you stay ahead of the game.  If you just sit back and do nothing, then your risk of falling victim to a security breach soars.

Update Your Web Applications

Running older versions of programs such as Joomla or WordPress is like inviting hackers right into your website.  Software developers make updates of their products available to keep a jump on ambitious hackers.  In fact, there is currently a very nasty battle brewing between software companies and hackers.  Cyber criminals make it their business to compromise new applications as soon as they are released on the market.  Because this takes more time than they would like, the new versions of software are typically safe until updates or upgrades are made available.  Unfortunately, this usually means that the old versions are rendered vulnerable and therefore, insecure.  To put it simple – if you really value your customers and have their best interests at heart, you will only make use of the latest and most secure web applications.  If the word gets out that your website or blog is insecure, then you might not be able to recover from the blow inflicted to your reputation.

Secure Your Administrative Systems

Web applications are not all you need to be concerned about.  You also need to pay special attention to your administrative systems as well.  Whether it is the job of your system administrator or web hosting provider, it is ultimately up to you to ensure that security is up to par.  One of the most effective ways to keep your administrative systems secure is to apply strong passwords.  You would be surprised at just how fast hackers can guess a password.  This is especially true if you choose to use something that can be easily associated with your personal life.  You also have to consider that hackers have access to automated tools that greatly simplify the guessing process.  If your website stores sensitive information about your business or customers, then choosing a smart, secure password is a must.

Conclusion

If you run an online business, then there is a great chance that your website is your main source of income.  When this is the case, you need to make sure your customers’ information is secure as this is the best way to maintain integrity and loyalty among your audience.  Don’t take any chances with security.  By staying ahead of the game, both you and your audience can enjoy the peace of mind a solid security system offers.

Seven Vital Tools and Policies for Better Website Security

Despite all the high profile security breaches that have made the news as of late, a large number of website owners are still leaving their sites vulnerable to attack.  In fact, Web Hat, a web application scanning vendor, recently reported that 63% of all websites have a critical or urgent security issue.  The increasing number of victims prove that these threats are real.  Therefore, website administrators and security teams are encouraged to utilize several mechanisms to ensure website security.

1.) Vulnerability Scanning

A vulnerability scanner is a tool that scans a website for known vulnerabilities.  The returned feedback can provide maintenance teams and administrators with the knowledge they need to tighten up web applications, firewalls and other areas to secure the health of a website.  If you run a high-traffic e-commerce site, a vulnerability scanner is certainly a tool you need to put to use.

2.) Penetration Testing

Penetration testing is quite similar to vulnerability scanning as it can help determine the weakness in everything from browser scripts to application code.  Security experts recommend that all consumer orientated sites pass penetration testing before production deployment.

3.) Web Application Firewalls

A web application firewall is a device that resides in the data path between client browser and web server.  Its purpose is to analyze HTTP traffic, prevent attacks and data leakage.  Although a web application can be very effective at blocking attacks, it needs fine tuning and every now and then to remain in sync with the web application.  Because of this, not all websites require the expense of such a security mechanism.

4.) Browser Security Tools

Most of today’s popular web browsers are equipped with features designed to minimize the risk of exploits such as XSS attacks.  You should advise your end-users running Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 to enable the built-in XSS filter and those using Mozilla FireFox to install the equivalent XSS Me add-on.

5.) Application Whitelists

For an added means of security, administrators can document the configuration of approved applications through application whitelists.  Implementing such a policy can detect and prevent unauthorized changes to the server environment.

6.) Do What You Can

There is a great chance that your budget will not be enough to apply all the security mechanisms and policies listed above.  If this is the case, prioritize and choose the features that are easy to afford, implement and most importantly, provide you with an adequate level of security.   For example, if you invested in a quality penetration testing solution, you may be able to get by without vulnerability scanning.

7.) Pray for a Little Good Luck

Even if you can afford to apply all the security tips mentioned in this article, you should assume that your website is vulnerable and can be exploited at any given minute.  With this type of mentality, you should always have processes in place to detect various attacks along with a plan that minimizes the damage and allows you to bounce back quickly.  On top of that, a little bit of luck can go a long way in keeping your site protected from the cyber goons.