It’s clear that cybersecurity is a major concern for many businesses, because hackers and scammers are always looking for new ways to fraudulently exploit our websites. And on this front, for several years now we’ve seen that cybercrime in Cameroon has been booming — one thinks in particular of the hacking of the Presidency of the Republic’s website in 2015, the dangerous attack on the Tax Ministry’s site in 2017, or more recently the hacking of the Cameroon Tribune website, a well-known newspaper followed daily by millions, where the hacker went so far as to post insults directly on the site for all to see.
But don’t panic, because the majority of cybercriminal attacks can be considerably reduced if you take the trouble to apply a few tips that don’t require a very large budget, and in the rest of this article you’ll discover 6 simple ways to improve your website security.
1- Limit the number of active plugins
Plugins can be the bane of IT security. On the surface, they’re extremely useful. The problem arises when you use too many of them and don’t keep them up to date.
There are many excellent, safe plugins that have good reviews and pose a very small security threat. However, there are also many less secure plugins. Rather than opening the door to potential problems, try to limit the number of plugins, have them reviewed by your web designer or your IT security manager, and then always keep them up to date.
2- Use a reCaptcha to verify forms
Using reCaptcha isn’t always a popular choice. The reason is simple: users find it annoying. Even people who understand the value and security it brings find it annoying.
That said, using reCaptcha will protect your site against about 90% of the various hacking and spam tactics used on the Web today. Yes, it will delay users by about half a second to confirm they’re not a robot, but that delay is worth it when you consider the number of customers you’ll lose because of a data breach.
3- Buy and install an SSL certificate
An SSL (Secured Socket Layer) certificate is a standard security protocol that creates an encrypted link between a browser and a web server. This encrypted link is then used for all customer data submitted on your websites, such as email addresses and credit card numbers. Hackers can’t intercept this data over an encrypted link. As a rule, you can get an SSL certificate for less than $100 (60,000 FCFA), which is well worth the peace of mind for you and your customers.
4- Outsource payment pages
Using a separate payment page is simply adding another wall to defend your castle. Your products are on a single page that then sends customers to another secure page to complete the purchase. There are third-party providers that can also supply this service.
5- Use a secret login page
A common hacking tactic is called a brute-force attack. In this type of intrusion, a hacker goes to the login page and attacks with software that tries many username and password combinations.
Of course, this type of attack can only work if the hacker knows where the login is. If they can’t find the door, how can they knock on it? With WordPress, you can use a custom login address that helps hide the front door, thereby limiting attacks.
6- Change your hosting service
The more protected the host, the more protected your website will be. The reason is that a good web hosting provider offers network monitoring, firewalls, damage-recovery programs, anti-malware software and even free SSL certificates.
At the end of the day, there will always be hackers in the world. For that reason, you must always take security seriously. Our 6 simple tips to improve your website security can help you strengthen your protection, which will help protect your customers and their data as well as your reputation.
If you’d like to build a secure website or improve your website security for free, don’t hesitate to contact us.