Top 3 Ways to Secure
a Website against Malware Infections
Malware infections continue to soar at alarming rates. In
fact, the number of malware attacks increased by 43% in 2016. From phishing
scams and virus ridden sites to unscrupulous attachments – it is imperative to
protect your computer and website against these digital invasions. With so many
anti-virus and anti-malware apps available on the market, however, how does one
select the right form of defense and security? According to industry experts,
there are myriad of ways to protect your sites and blogs against hacking and
foreign intrusion. Here are the top 3 suggestions according to leading IT firms
and professionals:
Updates and Patches
With over 1 million new strains of malware created each day,
all websites are susceptible to attacks and infection. In fact, Google
blacklists over 10,000 sites each day due to identified malware intrusions.
Malware does not even need to reside on your site in order to be blacklisted.
These threats can stem from downloads, uploads, and especially internal and
external links. They can also be triggered via faulty or suspicious plugins
when enhancing your pages.
With this in mind, make sure your system and plugins are
always up to date. It is essential to scan each external app that you want to
use on your website as well. Similarly, all site and system updates should be
run to ensure optimal functionality and maximum protection against malware and
cyber threats. If your site is running on a Content Management System (CMS)
such as WordPress, you can easily schedule daily or weekly maintenance. This
automatically updates your files and documents, while correlating with your
anti-virus programs to root out and address any potential vulnerability.
Scanning Your
Websites
With malware attacks on the rise across the world, many
viruses go undetected until it’s too late. This results in irreparable harm and
damage to systems, along with loss of revenue for countless businesses. In
order to combat malware before it gets a foothold on your site, it is important
to:
- Utilize website security scanning programs that detect and remove existing malware.
- Set up your site scanning apps to immediately notify you of any threats.
- Create a daily or weekly scanning schedule that removes harmful codes from your pages and/or blogs.
There are several malware alert and removal tools available
on the Web for your convenience. These programs are designed to eradicate
anything harmful on sites – similar to what virus removal apps do for PCs. Simply
review these programs on Google – along with customer testimonials – to make a
worthwhile and informed decision.
Strengthening
Passwords
In recent years, IT experts have strongly urged webmasters
to continuously change their passwords. Sadly, many site owners tend to
overlook or ignore this simple yet effective defense technique. Remember,
malware is elusive in nature and always looking for multiple platforms to
launch attacks. This includes weak passwords, which allow hackers to easily
crack your site with repeated login techniques. To prevent these mishaps from
occurring, you must:
- Create strong passwords with a mixture of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, and digits or special characters.
- Ensure all passwords are at least 8 characters strong.
- Create secret questions and answers that only you have access to (in case you forget your password).
Strong passwords help protect your most crucial and private
data. Frequent changing of passwords also forms a formidable defense against
hackers that are looking to invade your websites. If running a commercial site,
you should also advise your clients and customers to change their passwords and
login information regularly.
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