5 Tips For Maintaining Secure Websites During Uncertain Times

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to infiltrate our world, online hackers and scammers are taking advantage of all the uncertainty to carry out cyber attacks.

Unfortunately, COVID-19 scams and other security incidents related to it have been on the rise in the past few weeks while scammers are preying on fears and anxieties amid the virus outbreak. 

Due to work environment changes, such as working from home and possibly using non-secure software or programming, cyber security might be reduced or limited.

Below are five important ways to help keep your business and personal accounts safe and secure.

#1: Use Strong Passwords And Change Passwords Regularly

Do you give much thought into creating a difficult password? Using your date of birth, "12345" or something similar will not protect your personal information from hackers. Even more, using a mix of letters, numbers, and special characters might not be the most secure as previously thought.

According to one report by the FBI, password length has been shown to be more important than password complexity. Plus, all those special characters often result in users forgetting their password, which is rather inconvenient and frustrating. Rather than creating short, complex passwords that are hard to remember, use a longer passphrase instead. You can do this by combining multiple words into one password.

#2: Do Not Share Sensitive Data

A password is only secure if you keep it private. Sharing passwords or having the same password for multiple people to log into the company server is simply not safe. Think carefully about who needs access to which pieces of information in your business, and then seal off any loose ends.

#3: Back Up Everything Often

Whether you lose data because of a problem with technology or a lack of security, having extensive, validated, and up-to-date backups is extraordinarily important. Make sure you aren’t just keeping a handwritten copy of critical files, but that they are somewhere safe and password-protected.

#4: Take Advantage Of Security Patches

When it comes to things like website hosting packages and financial software, it’s critical that you install patches and updates as soon as they come out. Software providers are constantly closing the door on hackers, so take the protection offered by ongoing updates.

#5: Keep a Close Eye On Websites And Accounts

It goes without saying that you should not visit unsecure websites, nor should you respond to messages, click on links, or download attachments from others you don’t know. Review email addresses in your inbox and see whether or not they are truly from the person you know. Do not respond if something looks off, such as the email provider is different than usual. 

Also, take time about once a week to review your business website and financial accounts. Often, the easiest way to tell you’ve been a victim of cyber crime is with a simple review. Discovering hacking or fraud is always unpleasant, but it's better to be caught sooner rather than letting it go undetected after too much damage has been done. 

WebRevelation is here to help your website operate securely. Contact us today for website hosting information or to design and create a secure, modern website for your business. Call us at 817-283-3324 or online here. We look forward to working with you.