Data Breaches Concern WordPress Website Owners
Today, WordPress Data Breach Protection interests online businesses. Owners of websites constructed using the WordPress platform, and other popular platforms, face a growing threat from cyber criminals during 2020. In recent years, the problem of website data breaches has reached epidemic proportions in many nations.
The Scope of The Problem
Why should data breaches concern businesses? For one thing, these criminal acts sometimes cost significant amounts of money. In 2018, the SecurityToday.com website reported the results of a worldwide study conducted by the Ponemon Institute and IBM Security. It revealed the average data breach cost a staggering $148 per stolen record. The total number of data thefts during 2018 rose 4.8% compared with 2017.
Three nations reported the highest numbers of data breaches: the United States, Canada, and Germany. The world’s least impacted nations included Brazil and India. The sheer volume of data thefts from business websites has generated alarm internationally.
The Importance of Identifying Data Breaches Rapidly
Some useful findings emerged from the study. One of the most important indicated a way for impacted businesses to minimize their financial losses. The study found companies that identified a data breach rapidly (defined as identifying the criminal activity within a 30 day period) enjoyed significant advantages.
These companies, on average, saved considerable sums compared with business that failed to detect breaches quickly. Presumably, the ability to detect hacking allowed these firms to secure information and prevent further data losses. This goal suggests companies’ benefit by monitoring their sites for indications of hacking by cyber criminals.
Securing Your WordPress Websites
What steps can WordPress website owners take to help safeguard their sites against data breaches? Essentially, any step designed to bolster your website security and thwart hacking holds benefits in this effort. Today, online environments harbor numerous security threats: hacking, viruses, malware, phishing, and denial-of-service attacks all hold the potential to harm online businesses.
Cyber criminals use a variety of sophisticated technologies to gain unauthorized access to information through websites. Consider taking some of these measures to help harden your sites against these intrusions:
Utilize Security Software
Ensure you secure computer networks and servers with adequate antivirus and anti-malware protection. Select security software to help monitor these systems against cyber threats in real time. Also utilize firewalls to help you evaluate online traffic and identify potential threats to a website.
Register Online Visitors
Ask your online visitors and customers to register before accessing some website information. Require account holders to select strong passwords. Additionally, implement two-factor authentication for your WordPress website account holders to insert an extra layer of security into the identity verification process.
Use Current Encryption Technologies
Consider using SSL/TLS technologies to help encrypt any transactions conducted on your WordPress website. Obtaining an SSL certificate allows you to offer more secure https access to your site, an important upgrade. Today, most browsers alert visitors to the presence (or absence) of this security protocol.
Perform Regular Software Updating
You’ll want to keep plugins, themes, and other software as current as possible to help boost security. Today, many security software providers furnish automatic updates, too. Taking advantage of these updates helps prevent your website from becoming a target for some types of cyber crimes.
Consider Security in Seeking Website Hosting
Experts recommend selecting a website hosting firm carefully. Choose one offering 24/7 WordPress support for the best results!
