Why Website Security Matters to Your Online Customers

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Digital attacks are some of the gravest risks companies’ face today. Cases of data breaches, network outages, and ransomware are increasingly becoming a concern for entrepreneurs worldwide. A research done by Kaspersky found  that Small & Medium Businesses (SMBs) lost an average of $105k to data breaches in 2021. This just illustrates that no business is too small to be attacked! Remember, customers are also becoming wary of their cybersecurity. One survey found that customers now fear stolen credit card information when they transact online. So, as an entrepreneur understanding cyber threats and investing in cybersecurity is key to success in the online space. In this quick guide, we will tell you more on why your website security is growing essential to your customers and why you need to beef up your cybersecurity.

Importance of Website security

Cases of cyber security have become increasingly rampant. It is estimated that about 30-50000 websites get hacked every day! This means that being secure in the online world has become more and more important. Below are some reasons why website security is essential.

Allows you to protect customer’s data

As a business owner, the main reason that you should invest in cybersecurity is to protect your customer’s data. As a business, you are a trusted partner to your customers, and as a partner, you should strive to stay on top of the trends in cybersecurity to keep your customers protected. If your site is not protected, hackers can get hold of your visitors’ data and use it to their advantage. Remember that as a company, you bear full responsibility if your customer’s data, i.e., credit card information, is breached.

Protects your Data and Assets

Businesses often focus on protecting the customer and forget to protect themselves. Maintaining a secure website helps you protect your data and assets, including confidential business information. On the other hand, your hardware can also take a hit in case your website is compromised. Simply put, your hardware can quickly become unusable if attacked.

Reduces the risk of losing trust and sales

Did you know that Facebook lost 3% of share value following a cyber-attack that saw hackers access up to 50 million accounts? Bad, right? This example stresses the financial impact cybersecurity can bear on your business. Sadly, once such an occurrence happens, regaining your customers’ trust can be a hard nut to crack.

Protects your business and enhances normal operations

Investing in cybersecurity also protects your websites and enhances normal operations. Whether you are using your website to sell or stay in touch with your customers, investing in cybersecurity that will allow you to keep doing just that is paramount. The correct level of investment in cybersecurity ensures that your website runs smoothly

Enhance SEO efforts

Another reason why businesses should secure their websites is to enhance their SEO efforts. For starters, Google gives preference to websites that are secured by an SSL certificate from trusted provider like Thawte SSL. Also, when malware is injected into your website, the website’s load time is affected. As you might know, content speed is one of the ways in which search engine algorithms rank a website. This means when your website is slow, you run the risk of ranking lowly hence jeopardizing your SEO efforts.

What Are the Different Types of Website Security Threats?

Phishing

This type of social engineering attack is where an attacker masquerades as a trusted entity and dupes a victim into opening an email or text message. Clicking the malicious email can lead to malware installation, revealing sensitive and crucial information, or freezing of the system. Sadly, phishing can result in unauthorized purchases, identity theft, and stealing of funds.

Brute-force hacks

In the attack world, brute force attack is one of the most simple and reliable tactics for gaining unauthorized access to individuals’ accounts, systems, and networks. This type of attack uses trial and error to crack passwords, login credentials, and encryption keys. The hacker tries different usernames and passwords until they find the correct combination. The aim of such attacks is to hijack systems for malicious activity, spread malware, steal personal data or ruin a company’s website reputation.

Spam

Spamming is one of the most common forms of security attacks. While email spam has been one of the well-known types of spam, pop-ads on desktop browsers have recently created a name. With search engines dominating the market, hackers saw it as an opportunity to develop keywords and links- related to manipulating search results. Before creating compelling content or trying link building, it is crucial to understand the type of spam you are dealing with, ie. Is it search spam, traffic spam, or link spam?

Man- in- the middle attacks

This type of attack occurs when attackers interrupt an existing conversation of data transfer by inserting themselves in the “middle” of the transfer. The attacker pretends to be a legitimate participant in the conversation and intercepts information and data from either party. The interesting part about Man- in- middle, also abbreviated as MITM or MIM, is that attackers insert malicious data and links in a way that is indistinguishable from legitimate data.

Why Does Website Security Matter to Your Customers?

While many benefits come with protecting your website as a business owner, it is important to note that website security matters not only to you but also to your customers. The one simple answer that explains why website security is important to customers is that no one wants to put their money at risk. No customer will visit a site knowing they risk losing everything, including their private data and credit card information.

Website security allows the customer to put their trust in you. If a user sees that you are applying web security practices, they will feel more obliged to sign up for your newsletter, follow you on social media and even purchase something from you. This means that the security of your website can help your customers trust you more and aid in building strong long-term relationships with them.

Wrapping up

Maintaining an excellent website security track record can help you stay competitive and improve business performance. As an online business, the goal is to invest in cybersecurity tailored for you and your customers. Luckily, there are many excellent solutions that can help you battle cyberattacks and keep your online customer safe!

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