5 Essential Website and Online Security Tips for Busy Small Business Owners

In today’s digital age, small businesses face an increasing number of online security threats. From cyber-attacks to data breaches, the risks are real and can have devastating consequences for your business. But fear not! With the right strategies in place, you can protect your business and your customers from harm.

Here are five essential website and online security tips tailored specifically for busy small business owners:

1. Strong Password Management

In the realm of cybersecurity, strong passwords are your first line of defense. Follow these tips to ensure your passwords are up to par:

• Use complex passwords: Include a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters.
• Avoid using easily guessable information like birthdays or pet names.
• Consider using a reputable password manager to generate and store your passwords securely.
• Regularly update passwords and avoid reusing them across multiple accounts.

Here are three easy to use and implement password management apps, we are users of Proton Pass at the present time. Previously used BitWarden and prior was LastPass.

1. LastPass: LastPass is a popular password manager known for its user-friendly interface and robust features. It offers secure password storage, autofill capabilities, password sharing, and multi-device synchronization. LastPass also provides options for generating strong, unique passwords and includes features like password auditing and security alerts.
2. 1Password: 1Password is another widely used password manager that offers strong encryption and a seamless user experience. It allows you to store passwords, credit card information, and secure notes in a vault protected by a master password. 1Password offers browser extensions, mobile apps, and desktop applications for easy access to your stored credentials across devices.
3. Proton Pass: Proton Pass is a password manager developed by ProtonMail, a renowned provider of secure email services. Proton Pass prioritizes user privacy and security, offering end-to-end encryption for stored passwords and other sensitive data. It features a user-friendly interface, cross-platform compatibility, and secure synchronization across devices. With Proton Pass, you can generate strong passwords, store them securely, and access them easily whenever you need them.

These password management apps provide robust solutions for securely storing and managing your passwords, helping you maintain strong security practices across all your online accounts.

2. Implementing Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security to your online accounts, making it significantly harder for hackers to gain unauthorized access. Here’s how to get started:

• Enable 2FA wherever possible: Many online services, including email providers, social media platforms, and banking apps, offer 2FA options.
• Choose the right authentication method for your needs, whether it’s SMS codes, authentication apps, or hardware tokens.
• Educate your employees about the importance of 2FA and encourage them to use it for their accounts as well.

3. Regular Software Updates and Patches

Software vulnerabilities are a common target for cybercriminals. Stay one step ahead by keeping all your software up to date:

• Enable automatic updates whenever possible to ensure you’re always running the latest versions of your applications.
• Regularly check for and install security patches released by software vendors.
• Don’t forget about plugins and extensions! Keep them updated to minimize potential security risks.

At Six10 Digital, we understand the importance of maintaining a secure and high-performing website. That’s why we offer WordPress care plans designed to ensure your website is always up to date, secure, and performing optimally.

Here’s how our WordPress care plans can benefit your business:

• Regular Updates: Our team will handle all software updates and patches for your WordPress website, including core software, themes, and plugins. By keeping your site’s software up to date, we help minimize security vulnerabilities and protect your website from potential threats.
• Security Monitoring: We provide continuous security monitoring to detect and mitigate any security risks or suspicious activity on your website. Our proactive approach helps prevent security breaches and ensures your website remains secure for both you and your visitors.
• Performance Optimization: In addition to security, we focus on optimizing your website’s performance to deliver a fast and seamless user experience. From caching and image optimization to code optimization and database maintenance, we implement strategies to enhance your site’s speed and responsiveness.
• Backup and Restore: Our WordPress care plans include regular backups of your website’s data, ensuring that you always have a reliable backup in case of emergencies. With our backup and restore services, you can rest assured that your valuable website data is safe and secure.

By partnering with Six10 Digital and enrolling in our WordPress care plans, you can enjoy peace of mind knowing that your website is in good hands. Let us handle the technical aspects of website maintenance so you can focus on growing your business with confidence.

4. Data Backup Practices

Data loss can occur due to various reasons, including cyberattacks, hardware failures, or human error. Protect your valuable business data with these backup best practices:

• Implement a comprehensive backup strategy that includes both onsite and offsite backups, our agency recommends either BackBlaze or Wasabi for cloud-based backup retention.
• Consider using cloud-based backup solutions for added flexibility and scalability.
• Test your backup systems regularly to ensure they’re working as intended and that you can restore your data quickly in case of an emergency.

One great WordPress backup plugin that Six10 Digital recommends is WPVivid. This backup plugin allows you to do the following to make sure your website is backed up properly.

1. User-Friendly Interface: WPvivid offers an intuitive and user-friendly interface, making it easy for beginners to set up and manage backups without technical expertise.
2. Comprehensive Backup Options: With WPvivid, you can create full backups of your WordPress site, including files, database, themes, plugins, and uploads. It also supports incremental backups, allowing you to save storage space and reduce backup times by only backing up changes since the last backup.
3. Flexible Backup Destinations: WPvivid supports a wide range of backup destinations, including cloud storage services like Google Drive, Dropbox, Amazon S3, and Microsoft OneDrive, as well as FTP/SFTP servers and local storage.
4. Scheduled Backups: You can schedule automatic backups with WPvivid to ensure your site is backed up regularly without manual intervention. This helps you stay consistent with your backup routine and ensures that your data is protected against loss.
5. One-Click Restoration: WPvivid makes it easy to restore your site from a backup with just a single click. Whether you’re recovering from a disaster or migrating your site to a new server, WPvivid streamlines the restoration process for maximum efficiency.
6. Migration and Cloning: In addition to backups, WPvivid offers migration and cloning features, allowing you to effortlessly move your WordPress site between different domains, hosts, or environments. This is particularly useful for developers and site owners who frequently work with staging sites or need to replicate their site for testing purposes.

Overall, WPvivid is a reliable and feature-rich backup plugin for WordPress that offers flexibility, convenience, and peace of mind when it comes to protecting your valuable website data.

5. Educating Employees on Security Awareness

If your business has employees, they can either be your greatest asset or your weakest link when it comes to cyber-security. Invest in their education and awareness with these tips:

• Provide regular cyber-security training sessions to educate employees about common threats like phishing scams and malware.
• Encourage a culture of security awareness where employees feel comfortable reporting suspicious emails or activities.
• Lead by example! Practice good security habits yourself and demonstrate the importance of cyber-security to your team.

Conclusion

By implementing these five website and online security tips, you can significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to cyber threats and protect your small business from harm. Remember, cybersecurity is an ongoing process, so stay vigilant and proactive in safeguarding your digital assets. Your business and your customers will thank you for it!