When designing and launching a new website, many small businesses assume they don’t need to address Web security since they are not "prime" targets. They could not be more wrong. As a small business, your website is a target for malware that can use it as a vehicle to attack others. After all, who would suspect the local florist’s website? To protect your business’s reputation, and your customer’s information, remember the following tips when developing a new website:
1. Start with Web security in mind. It’s much easier (and cheaper) to build a secure site than it is to fix a flawed one. Many times, development and design teams have not been trained to think about Web application security, putting the site at risk of a seemingly endless array of threats. Be sure you communicate your security concerns to your design team or hire a company with experience in secure Web development.
2. Before your website goes live, test for any security vulnerabilities. A high-quality, automated security scan will give you a sense of the general security level of your site. Even if you build a site with security in mind, without a security check you’ll never know where you stand. Even experts make mistakes.
3. Recheck the back end of your site every six months. Hackers get smarter every day, systems change, and security scanners get more sophisticated. Even sites with a perception of high security can be compromised, so keep in mind that your business must be proactive in order to keep your site secure and customer data safe.
