How to Secure a Website in 10 Simple Ways

Building a website can take a few weeks to months, but certain threats can cause irreversible damage or lead to companies losing their websites permanently. These threats include destructive ransomware, theft of SSL/TLS private keys, domain register compromise, persistent backdoors, DNS compromise, and more. The cost of a data breach in 2025 was estimated to be $4.88 million in 2026.

However, cyberattacks have evolved over the past few years. AI-powered attacks are the new normal in 2026. These AI-powered attacks have risen by 47%, surpassing 28 million incidents. Considering the evolving nature of online threats, companies must learn to how to secure their websites.

In this blog, we will discuss the various types of security threats that websites usually face and the measures to deal with them. Without further wait, let’s get started.

12 Common Threats Affecting Website Security

A company can only address a threat when it knows what it's dealing with. Understanding the threats will enable companies to take precautionary measures and neutralize the threat before it wreaks havoc. Below are 12 common threats affecting website security.

• Destructive Ransomware/Wipers

Destructive ransomware or malware targets databases, files, and backups by wiping the data. Retrieving data becomes challenging without immutable backups.

• Private Key/Secret Theft

By stealing SSL/TLS, SSH, or API keys, cyber criminals can pretend to be the company website. This leads to loss of critical data, malware infecting the system, and reputation loss.

• Domain Hijacking

This method is used by attackers to gain control of the website’s domain registrar account or DNS. Customers may lose valuable data, while the cybercriminal can redirect traffic to another site.

• Backup Deletion/Corruption

In such cases, cybercriminals and attackers delete or corrupt existing backups. This leaves no room for recovery.

• Supply Chain Compromise

Hackers and online criminals insert malicious code into the website’s tools or packages. Every new version of the website becomes infected.

• Persistent Backdoors/Rootkits

Hackers install hidden malware into the system. These rookits reemerge even after the company removes these threats. The only foolproof solution is to rebuild the website from scratch.

• Database Corruption

Often, an attacker or admin deletes or damages crucial website data in the database. Without backups, it becomes impossible to recover the data.

• DNS Poisoning/Registry Changes

Hackers alter the website address to redirect users to a fake website. Due to this DNS poisoning, users lose all their valuable information, including credentials and payment data.

• CA Compromise/Fraudulent Alerts

With CA compromise attacks, hackers create a fake certificate for a company’s website. This deceives users, making them think it's the actual website.

• Legal Takedowns

Legal issues can result in courts ordering the shutdown of domains. Companies risk losing traffic and brand image.

• Data Leaks

When a company or user's data leaks or gets into the wrong hands, people lose trust in the website. It can also invite legal trouble.

• Cloud Account Takeover

Cybercriminals or attackers who target the cloud root credentials can erase all the data. This data includes the website, files, and backups.

Partnering with a website development company can ensure optimal security of a website if they follow proper strategies. With the right expertise, proactive measures, and continuous maintenance efforts, companies can keep their website secure..

10 Tried and Tested Methods to Secure a Website

Hackers, cyber criminals, and threats will exist, but companies may stay ready to handle them. Below are 10 tried and tested methods to secure a website.

1) SSL/TLS Encryption

The website is the face of a company and helps it generate revenue. Protecting it should be a priority. SSL/TLS encryption is an excellent way to ensure optimal website protection. A secure website displays HTTPS in the URL as opposed to HTTP. An HTTPS website indicates that data exchanged between the website and users is encrypted, hence safe.

Moreover, SSL/TLS encryption provides a protection shield against hackers while safeguarding user data. Another big advantage is that Google favors an SSL/TLS-encrypted website. Such websites are ranked higher on search engines.

2) Install a Web Application Firewall

A web application firewall is similar to security personnel (in a website’s context). The WAF closely monitors website traffic and stops suspicious attempts before any damage occurs. Hackers may use deceptive methods such as SQL injections or cross-site scripting (XSS). Companies can choose from two WAF options to handle such attacks. These methods include cloud-based and on-premises.

• Cloud-Based WAF - Works on the internet, and it's quite easy to set up and manage.
• On-Premises WAF - The WAF is installed on the company’s servers.

A cloud-based WAF is usually more cost-effective and manageable. On-premise WAF allows companies to have more control, but it has certain challenges. A company must be ready to make significant investments in hardware and technical expertise.

3) Always Keep CMS, Updates, & Plugins

Old software that has not been updated for a long time is a perfect target for hackers and cybercriminals. As the software has not been updated for a long time, they won’t have the necessary patches to handle new security threats. So, companies must update the website’s system, such as WordPress or Joomla, in addition to the add-ons.

Basically, updating systems eliminates the vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit to gain control of the website. Updating the system should not be difficult. Companies must turn on automatic updates to stay a step ahead of threats. In this way, it will stay protected all the time without the need for human intervention.

4) Implement Robust Authentication Measures

With strong authentication measures, cybercriminals will have a hard time penetrating the websites. Multi-factor authentication is a simple but effective measure. This ensures that even a person who has the password will have to undergo multiple checks to access the website. This reduces the chances of breaches.

The secret lies in choosing complicated, hard-to-guess passwords, preferably a combination of upper and lower cases along with numbers. Limiting the number of attempts an individual can enter the password will also help strengthen website security.

5) Regular Security Audits

Hackers are always finding loopholes to exploit when targeting a website. Hence, a company must adopt a proactive approach when conducting security audits. Using tools like Nessus and Nmap can help considerably. Detailed security audits with a focus on penetration testing can also help find underlying security issues.

6) Regular Backup of Website Data

Losing website data is a huge loss for a website. The company has to create the content for all the pages, which can be time-consuming. To prepare for such situations, companies must make it a point to save multiple copies of website data. Additionally, copies of saved data must be stored in different locations. This ensures that even if a few copies of data get deleted or corrupted, the company has other copies. Conducting regular backups is advisable.

7) Role-Based Actions and Permissions

Not all individuals must have complete access to the website. Controlling people’s actions holds them accountable and identifies the individual who made the mistake. Role-based access and permissions ensure that users get access as per the actions they are required to perform. Only a select number of users should get full access. This will ensure website safety.

8) Secure File Uploads

Uploading files onto a website can be risky. These files may contain malware/spyware, which could compromise the website's safety. Before files are uploaded, they must be checked thoroughly. Also, rules must be implemented to check if the files are not harmful. These filters and checks ensure that harmful files don’t make their way into the system. These mechanisms ensure website safety and protection against hackers.

9) Website Traffic Tracking & Intrusion Detection

With website monitoring, companies get real-time updates related to activities on their websites. In case of suspicious activity, the system alerts the admin. Examples of such suspicious activity include a sudden surge in activity, users trying to access sensitive data, and unusual downloads. Intrusion detection systems go beyond traditional monitoring. They identify patterns and alert companies in case of hacking/intrusion attempts. This enables companies to address the situation before it gets out of hand.

10) Employee Education

Many individuals and departments work in a company. Even though there is a dedicated department to handle technical issues, a single employee’s mistake can undo all the hard work. Hence, companies must focus on training employees on how they can stay safe online while performing their duties. With proper training, employees will understand how to identify threats and not make mistakes that put the systems/website at risk.

Best security practices include using two-factor authentication, using strong passwords, and not clicking on suspicious links or files. Most importantly, it is important to build a culture that prioritizes security.

Wrap Up

Ensuring the security of a website is not rocket science. The above-mentioned points are just a few examples. The secret lies in staying aware of threats, educating employees, and creating an atmosphere that values reporting security-related issues. With that being said, even if a threat manages to infiltrate the system, the company must have sufficient technical expertise and relevant infrastructure to handle it. A cyber insurance plan can protect a company against financial losses, but things should not get to that point. When building a website, partner with a web development company that considers security risks and proceeds accordingly.