In October 2016, popular websites such as Twitter and Reddit, among others, became inaccessible by millions of users. This happened because of a distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack that targeted Dyn, an internet performance management company. It went to show that even the best in the business are not immune to website security issues.
If you won’t leave the front door of your home open, why would you carry on with a website that is vulnerable to attacks? Consequences of operating a website that lacks in security can be severe, and if your business does not have an in-house IT department, it makes sense to look at what website security companies have to offer.
Take Heed from Your Competition
Whenever there is a large scale cyber-attack, it makes it to the news. While people had no real indication of what cyber security entailed until a decade or two ago, most people now know better than to use untrustworthy websites. Consider this – your website relies on HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP), whereas your competitor’s website makes use of HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS). Since the latter offers increase security, guess which one your target audience would prefer.
In today’s world, customers expect businesses that are online to offer the best website security possible. If they see any red flags there’s a good chance they’ll simply look for competitors that provide more secure websites.
Exponential Rise in Digital Data
We have been used to securing our important data in physical locations, but what happens when the data is accessible using the internet? Given the rapid and exponential growth in digital data, one can imagine that cyber-criminals look upon it as gold that is there for the picking. Modern day hackers have the ability to cause more damage than installing viruses or stealing information. Besides, they can work around even the most complex website security software to access desired data.
Earning and Building Customer Trust
A 2015 UK-based study revealed that more than 85% people were not likely to return to a business that was subject to a serious breach in credit card data. This, in today’s world, should not come as a surprise because the average consumer knows better. While earning a customer’s trust is no easy task, maintaining it becomes even more challenging because of the vulnerabilities the online world presents. If there’s a breach in your website’s security at any level, expect it to have a negative effect on your company’s reputation.
As a business leader it is imperative that you get your customers to trust you, not just with their money, but also with all the information they provide online. If your customers feel your business in no longer worthy of trust, winning them back using even the best techniques in marketing becomes an uphill task.
Hackers Are Learning Too
If you think that going through a website security tutorial will give you all the information you need to keep your website secure, think again. For starters, there is no telling how old the tutorial is and how relevant its content is for you. Besides, hackers continually upgrade their skills, which is why even the best website security checklist needs to be overhauled every now and again.
Hacking incidences have increased considerably in the recent past, mainly because technology has become more cost-effective and easily accessible. No business, big or small, should consider itself immune from potential cyber-attacks, and paying attention to all probable website security issues that may arise remains crucial.
