It is an unfortunate state of affairs, but the fact remains that there are hackers and spammers out there who are set to destroy other websites. Spammers and hackers attack other websites for a variety of reasons. Some can be fraudulent situations where they are trying to access personal customer information or customer databases, whilst others can simply be to redirect links and information to other sites or distribute spam links within the site. Whatever the reason for them doing this, it is something which any company must avoid at all costs, as once a hacker or spammer gets into your site, there is no going back.
In case you are still a little dubious about hackers or believe it will never happen to you, think again. There is nothing worse than spending a lot of your hard earned cash on professional SEO services only for a hacker to come in halfway down the line and ruin it all for you. In some instances you can block specific links and change all your passwords, however if a hacker gets in too far then it could result in the search engines perceiving your site as spam, and they could even ban it altogether. If this happens then you will need to start from scratch, and any SEO experts or web developer will tell you that this is not an ideal situation to be in.
There are a few simple security measures which all companies can put in place to prevent access from unauthorised sources. Prevention is better than cure in all instances, especially when business or customer reputation is at risk. The majority of hacker opportunities occur during communication, whether this is communication between staff members or from business to consumer.
Passwords are a major area of concern, and any system passwords should only be known by a few select people. If you do need to distribute passwords to other staff members then do not do so over unsecured email connections. Always change passwords on a regular basis and try to make them as complex as you can. Your web design or SEO company can tell you what counts as a strong password and it will generally include multiple character formats and little pattern or obvious connection with the business.
File sharing is another area where security can come under attack and are very easy to intercept. FTP sites are commonly used and whilst they are a fantastic method of transferring files, they are easy to log in to as the passwords required are not usually very complex. There are alternative file sharing resources out there such as FTPS versions and the winSCP; which are good to use. Always ensure that customers or clients are provided with clear instructions on how to download files or send files via this way.
Lastly, always use a SSL server for any connection or web applications. This not only protects your business but also gives faith to your consumers. This allows users to confirm the identity of the server and its source, which is particularly important when personal details are being exchanged.
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Posted by Charlie.
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