Cybersecurity may soon become an issue of higher concern than physical safety. We already share too much personal information online without paying attention. When it comes to businesses, the risks of data leakage and inefficient software is even more serious. Forbes has recently published 60 predictions regarding cybersecurity in 2019, and one of the first facts mentioned is quite obvious: data should be protected by technology, not just legal regulations. It is the right time to implement web security software for your business.
Top five must-have security tools
Computer Antivirus
Sensitive data on your PC often becomes an object of interest for competitors and hackers. The first thing you need to do is to install a good computer antivirus program to prevent data theft and deal with malware.
Computer antivirus programs can delete, isolate or cure a file, depending on a situation. In all cases, these programs aim to prevent expansion. However, they cannot provide 100 percent protection. A lot depends what regular updates are happening, new viruses that are constantly appearing and evolving, whether smart online behavior is occurring, etc. PCMag has come up with a rating of the best antivirus software, which can help identify an optimal solution for your business site.
SaaS Security
SaaS is a model of using business apps in the form of web services. These software solutions work on a provider’s server, and users get access via a web browser, by renting them and paying monthly.
A provider takes care of the proper software functioning, ensures technical support, installs the updates, improves protections, etc. Thus, users don’t have to think about technical support and can focus on their business goals. Other SaaS advantages include:
- low cost of exploitation
- short terms of implementation
- low barrier of entry (you can test it for free)
- providers provide full support
- full mobility limited only by internet access
- uniting geographically distant workers
- low requirements to computer specifications
- cross-platform solution
Some would argue that SaaS has serious disadvantages, like insecure commercial data transfer via third-party platforms, low speed, and difficulties with access in case of connection interruptions. However, the reputation of SaaS providers improves together with the development of encryption technologies and broadband web connection, helping business owners to address these challenges.
Content Management Systems
WordPress is currently the most popular CMS in the world, used by more than half of all website owners. Those who are familiar with its functionality will wonder how an ordinary CMS can help to make a website more secure? The advantages may not be as obvious as in the case with antivirus.
However, if you use WordPress, you don’t have to share files via emails that are easier to hack. Thus, it helps to prevent data leakage before a serious launch. You can create many accounts with different rights and permissions. One or multiple people can be in charge, while the access to some sections by other content managers will be restricted. Moreover, there are numerous extensions and plugins designed specifically for security upgrades. You just need to conduct research and start using tools that will make your business website a safer place for users.
CMS may not be the key software that serves security purposes, but the right choice of software will help to avoid some security issues in the future (particularly by easy integration of additional solutions).
Monitoring Tools
The more profitable your website is, the higher the cost of mistakes. Critical event monitoring helps to control your income and stay aware of the most important changes. Good monitoring tools help enable secure business sites do the following:
- Be the first to find out about the current indexation status of important pages. Set up email notifications to learn instantly about changes in server response code, indexation status in robots.txt files, meta tags, etc.
- Generate content ideas by learning what your competitors do. Just follow new URLs and changes on old pages of the chosen website. Use this information to evaluate SEO strategies and extend to your content plan.
- Estimate the activity of people involved in website development. Control your employees and contractors with the help of a detailed report.
- Don’t let anyone hack your website. Detect suspicious redirects, adding/deleting of pages, and similar activity during the early stages.
- Compare changes on particular pages to changes in ranking positions. It will help to detect the effect of changes and to build a successful strategy for website development in the future.
Monitoring tools are numerous, each offering a specific approach and solution for your business. Sitechecker.pro is one of the best. It offers convenient navigation, step-by-step guidelines, unique monitoring strategy, and an all-in-one platform that allows for performing audits of the website and of separate pages as well.
eCommerce Software
If you plan to sell something, you will need to deal with a lot of personal data: names, addresses, emails, phone numbers, credit card numbers, etc. This is a huge responsibility. Keeping this information secure in the digital environment is crucial for customers and for your business. A single mistake can infringe on your customers’ privacy and ruin your reputation.
eCommerce platforms help to simplify the process of securing your website, also by easy integration with the other software, plugins and other features. You will be able to view the history of changes and orders, and view or download reports without needing to share data with other programs. Only the authorized users will be able to access this information.
eCommerce software helps to integrate other software solutions and apps. If you choose a proper solution, you can handle all tasks at once:
- Process and manage orders on all stages, from current selection to delivery and feedback, with changing an order and payment processing in between.
- Manage the inventory to organize a convenient and attractive catalog, to replenish items that are in high demand, etc.
- Improve ranking positions thanks to built-in SEO tools that help to take your web resource to higher positions in the organic search without additional expenses.
- Computerize the calculations, including shipping costs and taxes that vary depending on the clients’ location.
Bottom line
According to TechRadar, the average costs of cyberattacks exceeds US$1.6 million. Over the next five years, it is expected to cost businesses over US$5.2 trillion. Sometimes an attack can lead to a data leakage that delays the start of a project. Sometimes it ruins a business completely, regardless of its type and specialization. A question is not whether to use the above tools or not. It is about which one to start using to keep your business successful.