Cybercriminals are targeting small business websites more than ever. They see them as soft targets and easy pickings. Fortunately, there are several different ways to secure your site. Let’s take a look at a few of them. Encryption, Firewalls, Bot monitoring, and Two-factor authentication are just a few of the many options you have.
Encryption
Encryption is an important part of small business security. Encryption transforms readable data into an unreadable form to prevent it from being accessed by unauthorized people. Encryption methods for small businesses include SSL (Secure Sockets Layer), which uses a public and private key system to protect data. Private keys are hidden, while public keys can be seen by anyone.
Small businesses often lack the resources and expertise to protect themselves from cybercrime. As a result, they are at risk of losing revenue and customer trust. Furthermore, they may have valuable proprietary information or records that could be exploited for profit on the Dark Web. Additionally, some cybercriminals may even wish to use small business computers and employ a virtual army of bots to steal valuable information.
The first step to protecting your website is to understand your specific security needs. Make a list of all of your digital assets and review each item for security vulnerabilities. This step should include reviewing stored data, as well as any sensitive information.
Firewalls
While big businesses may have a large staff of IT experts, small businesses often lack the necessary resources to maintain their firewalls. As such, they need a solution that is easy to install and configure, yet still provides complete visibility and control. A firewall that includes a centralized dashboard and reporting capability is ideal. Moreover, firewalls are cloud-based, meaning that administrators can quickly set up and manage the firewall without the need for an IT professional.
Firewalls can protect a small business website from hackers who want to gain access to sensitive client information. They can prevent intrusion by blocking all inbound traffic or limiting its performance. While large companies generally use physical hardware firewalls, small businesses typically invest in software-based firewall solutions. However, these are less expensive than their physical counterparts.
A firewall can also include VPN capabilities. This allows a company to securely connect to remote locations or employees who may be traveling. However, businesses with only a single location might not require VPN capabilities, and firewalls with VPN capabilities are often easier to use.
Bot monitoring
Bot monitoring is an important part of website security for small businesses. It helps keep bad bots from compromising your website and stealing your customers’ data. Bad bots are malicious code that can take over your website and hijack a customer’s device. This is a growing concern for small business owners, who should take proactive steps to protect their websites. It’s also important to have strong passwords for all website elements. Also, make sure that no one has administrator access to your website. And use a reputable website hosting provider that takes security seriously.
Another feature of Bot monitoring is the Customer Win-Back Analysis, which shows the entire journey of a particular user on your website. This feature helps you find bugs in your website, as well as bots that are inflating your website metrics. It also allows you to blacklist IP addresses and block their origin. This feature is useful for multi-website owners, since it can be used to monitor multiple websites at once.
Two-factor authentication
In the 21st century, a basic username and password is not enough to protect your business’s website. You need two-factor authentication to protect your business data and prevent hackers from accessing your website. The first step in implementing two-factor authentication is to notify your employees and business partners. Then, prepare all the materials needed to make the change. Once you have the materials, identify the mobile app and set a date for the complete implementation of the change.
There are two ways to implement two-factor authentication, but they all help to secure your website. One is by sending a numeric code to the user’s phone via SMS. The other is by using a smartphone authenticator app, such as Google Authenticator. You can download this app for free on Android, iOS, or BlackBerry. After entering your password, you will be prompted to enter the numeric code. If you don’t enter the code correctly, you will be barred from accessing the site.
Two-factor authentication is especially important for businesses with sensitive information. Health care providers and educational institutions have online portals with high-value data. Hackers can use these portals to steal personal information. Although these organizations can adopt encryption policies to protect their information, it’s still not enough to ensure complete security. With two-factor authentication, you can be sure that your customers and visitors are safe and secure.