Website security isn't just an IT concern � it's a business risk. A hacked website can lead to customer data theft, regulatory penalties under GDPR, reputational damage, and days of lost business while you get back online. The good news is that the majority of website attacks exploit basic, preventable vulnerabilities. Understanding the fundamentals of website security and taking straightforward precautionary steps puts you ahead of most.
This guide covers what every business owner needs to know about keeping their website secure.
Why Websites Get Hacked
It's easy to assume that hackers target specific businesses for specific reasons. In reality, the vast majority of website attacks are automated and opportunistic. Bots constantly scan the internet looking for websites running outdated software, weak passwords, or known vulnerable code � not because your business is a specific target, but because you're a door that's been left unlocked.
The most common reasons websites get compromised:
- Outdated CMS, themes, or plugins � The most common attack vector for WordPress sites
- Weak or reused passwords � Admin accounts with passwords like "password123" are targeted first
- No SSL certificate � Unencrypted connections allow data interception
- Insecure file permissions � Files writable by the wrong parties
- Insecure contact forms or login pages � Entry points for SQL injection or brute force attacks
- Cheap shared hosting � A compromise on one site on a shared server can sometimes spread to others
Essential Security Measures
1. Keep Everything Updated
For WordPress sites, this is the single most important security action. WordPress core, your theme, and every plugin should be on their current versions. Security vulnerabilities are regularly discovered and patched � running outdated software means running software with known, publicly documented vulnerabilities.
Enable automatic minor updates for WordPress core. For plugins and themes, update regularly and carefully � ideally with a backup taken first.
2. Use Strong, Unique Passwords
Your WordPress admin account, hosting control panel, FTP, and any other login should use strong, unique passwords � long, random strings that aren't reused elsewhere. Use a password manager like 1Password or Bitwarden to generate and store these securely.
The WordPress admin username "admin" is a specific target for brute force attacks. Change it to something non-obvious.
3. Implement SSL/HTTPS
SSL encryption (indicated by the padlock and "https://" in your browser address bar) encrypts the connection between your website and its visitors. Without it, data entered on your site � including contact form submissions � can be intercepted.
SSL is a basic requirement. It's also a Google ranking signal and increasingly expected by users as a baseline of trust. Most quality hosting providers include SSL at no additional cost. If yours doesn't, it's worth switching.
4. Use a Security Plugin
For WordPress sites, a dedicated security plugin provides a range of protections:
- Wordfence � Malware scanner, firewall, and brute force protection. The free version is excellent.
- Sucuri Security � Activity auditing, malware scanning, and a premium firewall option.
- iThemes Security � Hardens WordPress settings and monitors for suspicious activity.
These plugins won't make your site impenetrable, but they block a huge proportion of automated attacks.
5. Set Up Regular Backups
A current backup is your last line of defence. If everything else fails � if your site is hacked and defaced, or if an update breaks something � a clean backup means you can restore quickly without catastrophic data loss.
Backups should be:
- Automated � Not dependent on you remembering to do them
- Daily � At minimum, for active websites
- Offsite � Stored somewhere other than your web server. Plugins like UpdraftPlus can back up to Google Drive, Dropbox, or Amazon S3.
- Tested � Periodically confirm that your backups can actually be restored
6. Limit Login Attempts
By default, WordPress allows unlimited login attempts. This makes it vulnerable to brute force attacks � automated systems that try thousands of password combinations. Limiting login attempts (either via your security plugin or a dedicated plugin like Limit Login Attempts Reloaded) blocks this attack vector.
Two-factor authentication (2FA) on your admin account adds another layer � even if your password is compromised, an attacker still can't get in without your second factor.
7. Use Quality Hosting
Your hosting environment is the foundation of your site's security. Cheap shared hosting often means poor server security, no isolation between accounts, and slow response to security incidents.
Quality managed WordPress hosts (Kinsta, WP Engine, SiteGround) provide server-level security, automatic malware scanning, and proactive responses to threats. The cost difference versus budget hosting is modest compared to the risk reduction.
8. Secure Your wp-admin (WordPress Specific)
Your WordPress admin area should not be accessible to the entire world without friction. Options to restrict access include:
- Adding HTTP authentication (a username/password prompt before the WordPress login screen)
- Restricting access to wp-admin to specific IP addresses
- Changing the default login URL from /wp-admin/ to something less obvious
9. Monitor Your Site
You should know if your site goes down, is flagged by Google for malware, or is sending spam emails. Tools to set up:
- Uptime monitoring � UptimeRobot (free) alerts you immediately if your site goes offline
- Google Search Console � Alerts you to security issues, manual penalties, and indexing problems
- Your security plugin � Sends email alerts for suspicious activity
10. GDPR and Data Security
If your website collects personal data from UK visitors � through contact forms, mailing list sign-ups, or any other means � you have legal obligations under UK GDPR. At minimum, this means:
- A clear, accurate privacy policy
- Explicit consent mechanisms for data collection
- Secure handling and storage of personal data
- A process for responding to data access requests
Non-compliance can result in fines from the ICO. If your data handling processes aren't clear, it's worth taking professional advice.
What to Do If You Think You've Been Hacked
If you suspect your website has been compromised:
- Take the site offline if possible to prevent further damage and data exposure
- Change all passwords immediately � hosting, WordPress, FTP, associated email accounts
- Restore from a clean backup if one is available
- Run a malware scan via your security plugin or a service like Sucuri SiteCheck
- Check with your hosting provider � they may be able to identify the point of compromise
- Submit a reconsideration request to Google if the site has been flagged
Recovery is faster and cheaper if you have a recent backup and a security incident process in place before you need it.
Work With Elendil Studio
At Elendil Studio, we build websites with security built in from the start, and our maintenance plans include ongoing security monitoring and scanning. If your current site's security is a concern, get in touch for an audit.
Find out more about our web design services.