How to Protect Your Website from Hackers: 7 Tips and Best Practises

The internet is a powerful tool that has revolutionised the way we do business, communicate with each other, and access information. However, with this power comes a great responsibility to protect the sensitive data that we share online.

Hackers are constantly looking for vulnerabilities in websites to gain access to confidential information. As such, it is important for website owners to take the necessary steps to protect their websites from these attacks.

Here are 7 tips and best practices on how to protect your website from hackers:

1. Secure Passwords
2. Keep Software Up-to-Date
3. Implement HTTPS
4. Secure Hosting
5. Prevent SQL Injection Attacks
6. Implement Firewalls
7. Educate Employees

Secure Passwords

Passwords are the first line of defence against hackers.

A strong password policy is critical to ensuring the security of your website. Some of the best practices for creating secure passwords include using a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.

To thwart the efforts of hackers to access your sensitive information, password managers are your best bet. A handful of popular ones include LastPass, Dashlane, and 1Password which allow you to effortlessly create, store, and use hard-to-guess passwords that provide better protection for your accounts.

In addition to password managers, adding two-factor authentication provides an extra layer of security by requiring a second form of identification before granting access. Google Authenticator and Authy are popular options that generate time-based, one-time passwords or send SMS codes to the user’s phone, adding an additional layer of security to the login process.

Keep Software Up-to-Date

As a website owner, you should take security seriously. Thankfully, software updates help to patch vulnerabilities that hackers could exploit. But keeping your software updated is just the first step. You also need to test updates before deployment to ensure they don’t disrupt your website’s functionality.

By doing so, you can ensure your website stays safe and runs smoothly.

Implement HTTPS

The HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) protocol is essential for website security. It secures all the sensitive information shared between a user’s browser and a website by encrypting the data. This ensures that hackers cannot access or steal the data.

By using HTTPS, website owners can guarantee the confidentiality and integrity of their data, protecting their users’ personal information and maintaining trust in their websites.

To implement HTTPS, you will need an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate or its successor, a TLS (Transport Layer Security) certificate. These certificates can be obtained from your hosting provider or a third-party provider.

Most hosting providers, like SiteGround and Bluehost, offer SSL/TLS certificates for free, so be sure to check if your hosting plan includes this feature. If not, you can purchase an SSL/TLS certificate from a third-party provider like SSL.com or DigiCert.

Additionally, you can obtain a free SSL/TLS certificate from Let’s Encrypt, a non-profit certificate authority that provides free, automated, and open certificates to help secure the web. Many hosting providers also support the integration of Let’s Encrypt certificates into their platforms.

Secure Hosting

When it comes to website security, secure hosting is a crucial factor to consider. Your website’s hosting provider plays a critical role in keeping your website safe from cyberattacks.

A reputable hosting provider with robust security measures can offer you peace of mind knowing that your website is secure.

When selecting a hosting provider, it is essential to consider a range of factors, including their security features.

Look for hosting providers that offer regular security updates, secure data centres, and data backups. Regular security updates ensure that your website’s security is up-to-date and can patch any vulnerabilities that hackers may exploit.

Secure data centres are vital to protecting your website from physical attacks such as theft, vandalism, or natural disasters. Additionally, data backups are essential, as they can help you restore your website in the event of a hack or data loss.

Several hosting providers offer top-notch security features to safeguard your website. Bluehost is one of the most popular hosting providers that offers robust security features, including free SSL certificates, two-factor authentication, and daily backups.

SiteGround is another hosting provider known for its advanced security features, such as malware scanning, website isolation, and daily backups.

Both Bluehost and SiteGround have strong reputations for providing secure and reliable hosting services, making them excellent choices for safeguarding your website from potential threats.

Prevent SQL Injection Attacks

SQL (Structured Query Language) Injection attacks are a prevalent security threat that targets the database of a website or web application.

This type of attack occurs when an attacker exploits vulnerabilities in the application’s code to insert malicious SQL code, which can then be executed by the database.

The consequences of a successful SQL Injection attack can range from unauthorised access to sensitive data, such as user credentials and personal information, to taking control of the entire system.

To prevent SQL Injection attacks, developers and administrators should take several measures, including:

1. Implement parameterized queries: Also known as prepared statements, parameterized queries separate the SQL code from the data, making it harder for attackers to inject malicious code. Most programming languages and database management systems (DBMS) support parameterized queries, such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, and Microsoft SQL Server.
2. Use input validation: Validating user inputs helps ensure that only expected and safe data is passed to the database. Input validation can be done using built-in functions or third-party libraries, such as OWASP’s ESAPI (Enterprise Security API) for Java or .NET.
3. Limit user privileges: Restricting the permissions of database accounts used by the application can minimise the potential damage caused by an SQL Injection attack. For example, avoid using an account with administrative privileges for routine tasks, and instead, create accounts with limited access to specific tables or operations.
4. Employ a Web Application Firewall (WAF): A WAF can help protect your application from SQL Injection attacks by filtering and monitoring HTTP traffic between the web application and the Internet. Popular WAF solutions include Cloudflare, Imperva, and AWS WAF.
5. Regularly update software and libraries: Keep your application’s software, libraries, and dependencies up-to-date to minimize the risk of known vulnerabilities being exploited. Make sure to follow the security best practices for your programming language and framework.
6. Perform security testing: Regularly test your application for vulnerabilities using tools like OWASP ZAP (Zed Attack Proxy) or Burp Suite. Additionally, consider conducting code reviews and engaging in penetration testing to identify and fix potential security issues.

Implement Firewalls

Firewalls are a crucial component of network security, designed to monitor and control incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules.

They act as a barrier between trusted internal networks and untrusted external networks, such as the Internet.

Firewalls can be hardware- or software-based, and their primary purpose is to protect websites, web applications, and network infrastructure from various types of cyberattacks, such as Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, SQL Injection attacks, and other malicious activities.

Hardware Firewalls:

These are physical devices placed between a computer or network and the Internet, acting as a gatekeeper that filters traffic based on predefined rules. Hardware firewalls are typically used in businesses and organisations to protect their network infrastructure. Some popular hardware firewall vendors include Cisco, Fortinet, and Juniper Networks.

Software Firewalls:

Software firewalls are installed on individual computers or servers and protect them from malicious traffic by filtering network traffic based on the configured rules. They are often used by individuals and small businesses to secure their devices and networks. Examples of software firewalls include Norton, McAfee, and ZoneAlarm.

Apart from traditional firewalls, there are specialised firewalls designed to offer advanced protection for specific types of applications, such as:

1. Web Application Firewalls (WAF): WAFs are designed specifically to protect web applications from a wide range of attacks, including SQL Injection, Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), and DDoS attacks. WAFs inspect incoming and outgoing HTTP/HTTPS traffic and block malicious requests based on predefined rules or heuristics. Popular WAF solutions include Cloudflare, Imperva, and AWS WAF.
2. Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFW): NGFWs are advanced firewalls that offer more comprehensive security features compared to traditional firewalls. They integrate intrusion prevention systems (IPS), deep packet inspection, and application awareness capabilities to provide granular control over network traffic. Some well-known NGFW providers are Palo Alto Networks, Fortinet, and Check Point.

Educate Employees

Employee education plays a critical role in maintaining website security, as human error and lack of awareness are often the primary causes of security breaches.

By training employees on the importance of website security and how to identify, prevent, and report potential security threats, organisations can significantly reduce the risk of cyberattacks.

Key topics to cover in employee security training include:

1. Password hygiene: Teach employees the best practices for creating strong, unique passwords and the importance of changing them regularly. Encourage the use of password managers like LastPass, Dashlane, or 1Password to help generate and store secure passwords.
2. Phishing attacks: Educate employees on how to recognise and avoid phishing emails, which are fraudulent attempts to obtain sensitive information by disguising it as a trustworthy source. Provide examples of phishing emails and emphasize the importance of double-checking the sender’s email address, avoiding clicking on suspicious links, and not providing personal information through unverified channels.
3. Social engineering: Train employees on various social engineering techniques, such as pretexting, baiting, and tailgating, that cyber criminals use to manipulate individuals into revealing confidential information. Explain how to recognize these tactics and the importance of verifying requests for sensitive information before complying.
4. Safe browsing habits: Teach employees about safe browsing habits, including using secure (HTTPS) websites, avoiding public Wi-Fi networks for sensitive tasks, and keeping the software and operating systems updated. Encourage the use of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) like NordVPN, ExpressVPN, or CyberGhost for enhanced online privacy and security.
5. Two-factor authentication (2FA): Explain the benefits of using 2FA for added security and demonstrate how to enable it on various platforms. Recommend the use of authenticator apps like Google Authenticator or Microsoft Authenticator for added security.
6. Reporting security incidents: Establish clear procedures for reporting suspected security breaches or incidents, including who to contact and what information to provide. Encourage employees to report any suspicious activity without fear of repercussions.
7. Regular training and updates: Schedule regular security training sessions and updates to keep employees informed about the latest threats and best practises in cybersecurity. Consider using interactive training platforms like KnowBe4, Infosec, or PhishMe to engage employees and test their knowledge.