Website Security Protection for Small Businesses

Website security for small businesses helps protect customer data, prevent cyberattacks, and maintain trust online. Without proper protection, your site may be at risk of data loss, downtime, or reputation damage. Using tools like SiteLock ensures your website stays secure and your business runs smoothly.

To boost your site's protection against cyber threats, start investing in Bluehost's Sitelock.

How SiteLock Protects Your Small Business Website

Sitelock is a service that offers website security protection for small businesses. It can safeguard your website and business from various online threats. Your website is at a greater risk of being hacked now than ever, with hackers using complex techniques such as malware, SQL injection, cross-site scripting, etc., to steal your customer data, redirect your traffic, and damage your site's reputation.

To protect your investment, SiteLock provides daily security scanning that identifies vulnerabilities and secures your site against potential threats. The SiteLock Trust Seal is another valuable feature that increases customer confidence and has been proven to boost sales and conversions significantly. In fact, 70% of web visitors seek a verifiable third-party certification before sharing their personal data, and the SiteLock Trust Seal offers just that.

As a Bluehost customer, you receive up to 80% off the retail price of SiteLock's products.

• Importance of Website Security for Small Businesses
• SiteLock Packages and Features
• Benefits of Website Security for Small Businesses
• What Does SiteLock Monitor?
• 12 Tips to Boost Website Security Protection for Small Businesses
• Summary

Importance of Website Security for Small Businesses

The value of website security is becoming increasingly important as website attacks are on the rise from many new sources. Small businesses are particularly vulnerable as they are less likely to have adequate security measures in place. A customer data breach could lead to the shutdown of these businesses, while loss of search engine traffic or ranking can have devastating consequences.

SiteLock offers security scanning and remediation services for small businesses, including:

• Proactive security vulnerability scanning
• Automated malware removal
• Reputation monitoring
• Third-party security validation
• Easy-to-use dashboard

With online security becoming increasingly important, more than 70% of customers check for a trusted security seal before sharing personal information on a website. The SiteLock Trust Seal helps reassure visitors that your site is safe, promoting customer confidence and encouraging engagement.

SiteLock Packages and Features

Benefits of Website Security for Small Businesses

360-Degree Scanning

360-degree scanning is a lightweight technology that detects vulnerabilities in your website’s code and outdated applications without affecting performance. The scans include the following:

• Defacement
• Database vulnerabilities
• Application vulnerabilities
• Drive-by Downloads

Instant Alerts & Reports

If a threat is detected, instant email and dashboard alerts let you take action before being blacklisted by search engines, which can destroy a site's reputation and credibility.

On-Demand Expert Services

If you need assistance removing malicious files or securing your website, our expert technicians are available to help clean and protect your site from future threats.

Verifiable SiteLock Trust Seal

Display the SiteLock security seal on your site, and your visitors will know your site is safe and that you've taken the necessary steps to protect them. This has been proven to increase sales and site conversions.

What Does SiteLock Monitor?

SiteLock is a website security monitoring tool designed for small and medium-sized businesses. It continuously scans your website for vulnerabilities and alerts you to any of the following potential security issues:

• Search Engine/Browser Blacklisting
• Spam Blacklisting
• Application vulnerabilities
• SQL Injection vulnerabilities
• Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities
• Virus Scanning
• Network vulnerabilities

SiteLock also verifies a business's reputation:

• Domain ownership
• Phone verification
• Postal address verification
• SSL certificate validity
• Third-party trust seal

12 Tips to Boost Website Security Protection for Small Businesses

By incorporating these additional tips into your website security strategy, you can further strengthen the defenses of your online presence and protect your business and customers from potential threats:

• Regular Security Scans - Run regular website security scans using trusted tools to identify vulnerabilities or malware before they cause damage.
• User Permissions Management - Review and update user permissions regularly to ensure that only authorized users can access sensitive areas of your website.
• File Upload Restrictions - Limit or control file uploads on your website to prevent malicious files from being uploaded or executed.
• Error Handling - Implement proper error handling to prevent exposing sensitive information in error messages that attackers could exploit.
• Content Security Policy (CSP) - Use a Content Security Policy to reduce the risk of cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks by defining trusted content sources for your website.
• Disable Directory Listing - Disable directory listing to prevent unauthorized access to directories and files on your web server.
• Website Hardening - Employ website hardening techniques such as removing unnecessary functionalities, minimizing server information exposure, and securing file permissions.
• Secure Hosting - Choose a trusted web hosting provider that prioritizes security and includes features like DDoS protection, regular backups, and server-level safeguards.
• Email Security - Set up email authentication methods such as SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to prevent spoofing and reduce the risk of phishing attacks.
• Educate Customers - Help your customers understand common online security risks and remind them to stay cautious when sharing personal or payment information on your website.
• Monitor Third-Party Integrations - Regularly monitor and update any third-party integrations or services used on your website to ensure they are secure and up to date.
• Response Plan for Security Incidents - Create a clear response plan outlining the steps to take during a security breach, including containment, communication, and recovery procedures.

Summary

SiteLock helps small businesses protect their websites from common online threats such as malware, SQL injection, and cross-site scripting. It runs daily scans to detect and fix vulnerabilities before they cause issues, keeping your site secure and reliable.

With continuous monitoring and the SiteLock Trust Seal, you can show visitors that your website is safe to use. SiteLock also offers expert support if your site ever needs cleanup or additional protection.