Whether you’re a small or large business, the following website security checklist will help protect your site from online threats. Many items may not require developers and only take minutes to implement – even if it’s just one thing on this list-you can improve protection for all your data of those sensitive details.

1. Update your passwords regularly for maximum security

With increasingly complex security threats, it’s more important than ever to protect your website and its users with unique login credentials. Passwords are a frequent point of failure for companies that suffer from hacking-related breaches – 80% result from poor password practices like using the same one on different sites or never changing them at all. You can simplify the process using a password generator tool which can generate strong passwords automatically based on your current settings.

LastPass is a great tool for generating passwords that are both strong and unique. You can specify the length of your desired password, as well as decide whether it should include numbers or symbols. Make sure you change your password monthly or quarterly to keep your website secure.

2. Protect your customers’ data with an SSL certificate

With an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate, you can protect the personal information of your customers. If they place orders online on sites that have these security measures in place – like ordering products or checking out–you want to ensure their data stays safe during transmission. For many people who use websites for both business and pleasure, a secure site is key when it comes time to deciding where to invest their resources such as time & money; this includes making purchases from certain companies based solely upon trustworthiness (eCommerce).

Websites that have an SSL certificate display a padlock next to their URLs in web browsers like Google Chrome. The lock indicates secure transactions with your customers, so when you install one on any of your sites – even if they don’t say “secure” anywhere on the page- people will know what it means.

3. Automated website backups for business peace of mind

To stay on top of the latest security threats, back up your website regularly. Automate this process and you’ll never have to worry about losing data again!

Don’t let the thought of backing up your site put you off. There are many tools out there to help take care of this for you, like Easy CPanel Backup, eBackupper or Handy backups.

Website backup plugins can be automated with a plugin, such as UpdraftPlus which will keep your site up-to-date and secure. The best way to make sure these are the latest versions is by checking for updates regularly.

4. Limit user access to protect sensitive data

To ensure the best site security, you should limit user permissions. If your business uses WordPress as its CMS, you can employ three different user roles: Administrator, Editor or Author. With these roles you set up user permissions such as set up new plugins or publish posts etc. This will help protect against vulnerabilities if misused.

You need to limit access and keep track of who has been accessing your website in order for it not be compromised. For instance, if you use password management software like LastPass then don’t share those credentials with everyone else.

5. Safe and Secure Online Checkouts

The AVS is a great way for businesses with online checkout systems to protect themselves from fraud. With this in mind, your company can provide an additional layer of security that will keep customers safe and guarantee their purchase!

There are many reputable AVS providers. Some of them include: Melissa, Loqate and Square.

To give customers another layer of protection against credit card fraud, your company should add CVV form fields to the checkout process. With these extra measures in place, it’s important for all businesses–not just those that sell through their site exclusively!

6. Keep your website running smoothly 

The way to get more website traffic is by ranking higher in search engine results. If you’re like most businesses, then surely your CMS (such as WordPress) relies on a plugin like Yoast SEO for assistance with optimization and achieving high rankings that will help attract potential customers from around the world!

The problem is that many businesses end up with outdated, insecure WordPress plugins. If you want to make your website more appealing and engaging for visitors then it’s important to keep up-to-date on all of the latest trends in design software!

Installing the latest version of your company’s CMS after a week or two is important for many reasons, but most importantly it’ll keep you up-to date with any new security features. You can also take advantage of being able to use these upgraded versions without worry about bugs which were fixed in previous releases!

7. Protect your company with anti-malware software

Malicious programs are a serious website security problem. Everyday more than 350 thousand of them get discovered which is why anti-malware software should be vital to businesses operating online even if they don’t accept payments.

You can protect your website and business from malware for free with some anti-malware software, but you’ll need to purchase a paid program if you want it completely covered. Consider this cost an investment in security for your brand, business and clients.