10 Easy Ways To Protect Your Site From Cyber Attacks [Hackers/Virus]

Cyberattack is to deliberate exploitation of technology-dependent enterprises, computer systems, and networks. Do you know that the average site is attacked 44 times per day?

In essence, your site is always under constant attacks from malware, attacks, and hackers. Site security is thus extremely important to protect all private and sensitive data from cyber-attacks. So,

What is a Cyber Attack?

A cyber attack is a malicious and deliberate attempt to exploit, disrupt, damage, or gain unauthorized access to computer systems, networks, devices, or data. These attacks are carried out by individuals, groups, or organizations with various motives, including financial gain, political objectives, espionage, or even just for the sake of causing disruption.

Forms of cyber attacks

1. Malware Attacks: Malware, short for malicious software, includes viruses, worms, Trojans, ransomware, and spyware. These programs infect a target system, either damaging data, stealing sensitive information, or providing unauthorized control to the attacker. Ransomware, for example, encrypts data and demands a ransom for its release.
2. Phishing: Phishing attacks involve deceptive emails, websites, or messages that impersonate trusted entities to trick recipients into revealing confidential information, such as login credentials or financial data. Phishing aims to exploit human psychology and is a prevalent tactic for identity theft and fraud.
3. Denial of Service (DoS) and Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Attacks: DoS attacks overload a network or system with excessive traffic, rendering it slow or unavailable. DDoS attacks use multiple compromised devices to achieve the same result, disrupting online services or websites.
4. Hacking: Hackers gain unauthorized access to computer systems or networks by exploiting vulnerabilities in software or using techniques like brute force attacks to guess passwords. Once inside, they can steal data, disrupt operations, or take control of the system.
5. Data Breaches: In data breaches, cybercriminals infiltrate systems to steal sensitive data, which can include personal information, financial records, or intellectual property. These breaches often result in significant financial losses and reputational damage for organizations.

How Do I Protect my site from Cyberattacks?

These attacks are directed from one computer or more computers against another computer system, multiple computers or networks using malicious code to modify computer codes, logic, and data that would compromise a computer’s data and lead to cybercrimes like identity and information theft.

Hackers can be compared to a burglar who breaks into a house (site/computer) to steal and destroy. They are always on edge seeking new ways to hijack a user’s data through cyber attacks. You can protect your site from cyber-attack using any of these methods.

1. Perform Regular Backups

This is the simplest preparation for a possible malware attack. This maneuver allows you to resort to your website to the original state before the attack.
If you’re prepared with a reliable backup, this attack will not hurt you at all. Follow the basic rule of saving your data online and/or offline on a separate disk.

2. Update Regularly

New updates usually have enhanced security functionality that protects your website from malware and viruses.
By staying constantly up-to-date on the latest software, the new set of the program prevents series cyber and malware attacks, thereby increasing website security.

3. Site Monitoring & Development

It is not easy in any way to instantly recognize all cyber attacks. But to prevent an attack, check your website at least once a day. This gives you a preview of the cyber threat at hand.

4. Use a Firewall

One of the best ways to prevent a cyber attack is to activate a firewall that would monitor all the outgoing and incoming traffic on your computer.
If your antivirus software does not include a firewall, make sure your windows firewall active.

5. Choose a Reliable Hosting Company

A handful of host provider cab boost of never being hacked, unfortunately, this attribute is no common. A reliable host provider can help shield your website from cyber-attacks.

As you choose a web hosting provider, look for a Host that provides frequent backups, constant monitoring logs for access from known malicious actors, SSL certificate, along with a thorough knowledge of database protection.

A reliable hosting provider will partner with you to filter out malicious traffic & prevent any permanent damage to your site’s files and reputation.

6. Install an Antivirus Software/Malware Scanner

Some hackers who have limited access to your site would use a backdoor file to add malware to your site, thereby getting the needed information and crashing that site. It is advisable to use a file-based, inside out antivirus scanner/malware scanner to protect, filter and remove all viruses and malicious code on your site.

7. Use an Advanced Security Tool

A website security tool is a program/app/system that scans a website at periodic intervals to identify if there is any suspicious activity. Once identified, it alerts the user. This program will sure save you a lot of trouble.

8. Use Security Questions & Passphrases

What is your Maiden name? What is your Favorite Movie? What is the name of your first pet? Simple security questions like this can put an attack to a standstill. And passphrases are of multiple complicated words, numbers, letters and special characters and emoji are superb when it comes to preventing a cyberattack.

9. Use a Strong Password

A strong password is your number #1 line of defense against a cyber attack. A weak password will just make you easy pickings. Your password should be a minimum of 12 characters, 1 uppercase letter, a few numbers, avoid dictionary phrases and use a good password manager.

10. Use proper Plugins

Your site can easily be compromised by a plugin, use proper, tested and WordPress recommended plugins.
You should also encrypt your data, and remove any private file or information from your website.

In conclusion, be prepared. An average website gets attacked 44 times a day, the step you take today guarantees your Website integrity tomorrow.

A cyber attack can easily cause identity theft, being blacklisted on a search engine, defacement, blackmails and make pay ransoms. So, protect your site from cyber-attack using any/all of the methods above.