The Importance of Website Security

Posted by Evelyn Rayner on June 1st, 2017

In the same year, WhiteHat Security also said that at least 86% of all websites online today have one form of serious vulnerability or more. Years down the line and you can only assume that hackers have gotten better and more sophisticated at what they do. Which brings into sharp focus the need for website security. 

Just how secure and safe is your website? Or how secure and safe are the websites that you use for your day to day online transactions? As a layman, all this website security talk might not mean as much to you as it does to the people tasked with keeping your information secure online. You do, however, need to have some idea as to why great importance is placed on website security. 

Why do hackers hack?

The vulnerabilities in online security are largely exploited by highly skilled individuals known as hackers. These people typically do what they do for the following reasons:
- To get access to customer information for identity theft purposes.- To hijack your website for personal objectives online such as spamming people or crippling your business/brand.- To get access to banking information for their own fraudulent gains. 

Most of the information they steal is often sold in the dark web or is used for other forms of personal gains. Needless to say, if someone you do not even know could access your bank account without your express permission, the kind of financial damage that they can do to you is unimaginable. As a brand, if your customers cannot trust you with the credit card or other forms of payment information, then you are quite literally not going to get their business. That is why web security is so important. 

Why is web security so important?

It raises a trust issue. Think about it, would you bank with an institution that so willy-nilly gives away your banking information to any Tom, Dick and Harry? Of course not. This is highly sensitive information that appertains to your financial wellbeing and if you cannot trust your bank to keep it safe then you will go looking for one that can do so.

The same logic applies to online security. Even though there are websites that do not require banking information, most of them still require things like login passwords and emails addresses. Maybe not as sensitive as banking details, but these things are still very valuable to your customers. A hacked email list could lead to your customers being spammed or worse still, your customer emails being used to spam other people and share inappropriate information online. It is inconveniencing and it betrays your customer trust, which once lost, is almost impossible to regain. 

Security Breaches on Websites Becoming Common Place Now

Security breaches could bring about stiff penalties by the law of the land
Most states and countries have very strict data breach laws. These laws come with extremely stiff fines that could easily cripple, if not bury, your business. It is your responsibility as a website owner to do everything in your power to protect your client information and data. Should you fail to do so, your Government will hold you responsible for that failure and you could face a total shut-down, stiff fines and other forms of penalties as well as costs. For a small business, this kind of setback could mean the end of business. 

It goes without saying that website security is of utmost importance. In most cases, there are several different ways to ensure that your website stays as safe as it can be online:

Hire an expert who will be on staff and is tasked with making sure that no security breaches take place. - Hire a professional web security company that dedicates a vast team of cyber security professionals to ensure that your website stays safe online. 
In many cases, hiring a highly specialized website security firm is the better choice. Not only do these companies have the resources to keep up with all the threats that keep coming every other day, but they also have a team of experts who have a vast set of skills. This team is more equipped to face any threats that may occur and is best placed to deal with them in a proactive and preventive manner.