World Wide Web
Securing Your Data from Hackers
The hackers and scammers have made internet an unsecure area. The magnitude of risk makes it tough to be overlooked. We all know the case with Sony Corporation following the “The Interview” controversy. Neither can we pretend to move on, from the 2014 Gmail hack incident which revealed more than a million login credentials. It’s high time we take steps to secure our website from hackers, scripts of any element that would bring harm. Most hacks have been result of careless web-mastering more than intelligent hacking activities. Here we have discussed a few failsafe rules and tips to help you boost website security.
SSL is your ticket:
Use SSL protocol to safeguard passage of personal details of your users and website. SSL can help prevent attackers from sniffing login credentials and other confidential information.
Essential website security tools:
A full packed security tool set would come in handy to deal with cases of security breach. “Netsparker” and “OpenVas” would help testing vulnerabilities, XSS and SQL injections
Managing file uploads:
When you even permit your user to upload a new avatar, there is a prospect of security risk. Treat every upload with suspicion and make sure you allow a limited set of file formats.
Dealing with SQL injection:
SQL injection has been the classic attack tool ever since WWW launch. SQL injections require only the URL parameters and form fields. Always use parameterized queries in site.
Updating software:
Outdated software always leaves security holes for hackers to launch an attack. Make sure to update server side software regularly or switch to managed hosting solution.
Smart error messages:
Always make sure you don’t give too much information via error messages. Use generic messages instead of transparent ones which give away which part of query was right.
Fix your gadgets:
Securing website begins with securing your devices. Keep your phone, PC or any other device you use to login to your website c-panel, virus free.
Using complex passwords:
Use complex passwords and make it virtually impossible for hackers or scripts to crack your combination. Include numbers, special characters and upper case letters to help your case.
What is YOUR Best Hosting Fit?
Choosing your web hosting provider is not a daunting task. However you must have the basic know-how of web hosting to choose provider wisely. Most of the times, your decision would be dependent on your preferences. We are going to discuss the common criteria and personal preferences which play a significant role in deciding right web hosting service.
Reputation of the company:
Before we rush to check the packages and plans, reputation of the company needs to be examined. Years of existence of the company speaks volume about the reliability they bring to table. You can check for reviews on popular web hosting review sites.
Customer Service:
Customer service is what you are going to need the most once, you turn into an active webmaster. It is natural to have few issues once in a while considering the software updates that need to be done. Check for the responsiveness of the company’s support staff prior to purchasing a package.
Availability of trial period:
Check whether the hosting provider offers prospective clients with a trial period or not. A week of trial period should be sufficient to rate the hosting plan. Some hosting companies may ask for credit card details in order to avail their trial packages.
Package Composition:
These factors decide the value of packages and plans listed in the company’s website:
Disk size and bandwidth:
Amount of storage and bandwidth forms the core of your web hosting package. A video hosting site may require loads of storage space or bandwidth. Depending on the number of visitors you expect to have, the required bandwidth would vary.
Server calibration:
Depending on the type of website you manage, your server requirements would vary. When you have user management system, the server should support MySQL at the least. It’s always good to have a high end web hosting server, but a lot depends on your budget and requirements.
Number of domains supported:
When you are an active webmaster, more often than not you would be in need of another domain. One can imagine the mess of managing different hosting account for every domain they own. Therefore having a hosting plan which supports more number of domains is preferred.
The Importance of Websites for your Business
With today’s modern world, having the ability to connect with your customers as well as other businesses is the number one way to pave the road to success. In the old days, businesses used to rely on advertising and physically handing out business cards to do the work for them, but the digital age has made the process so much easier. Websites have become the means in which businesses have started to advertise and provide the information that customers need to start connecting with them and finding out more about them.
Not only does it disseminate key information about new products and services, but customers can also find your location. This provides them with the foundation they need to trust the validity of your business if they choose to send physical mail to your location. It also puts their mind at rest that you are legitimate business with a solid location that they can rely on. Despite the aspects of the digital realm, customers are still more trusting of service providers who have a physical office at a fixed location, instead of something less tangible.
Hours of operation is also an important piece of information to include on business websites, as customers can be aware of when they can visit your location, should they require your services and/or products. It also provides them with future planning during special occasions, such as public holidays, so that they can plan accordingly if you are not operating on those days. Including the hours of operations can be very important for those who work until late into the evening, and require some means of determining whether you’re open or not, before visiting your physical location.
Websites not only serve to provide information to your customers, but they can also be used to promote your new products and services that you’re putting out into the market. Customers tend to do research online about the specific products that they’re looking for before they decide to purchase anything, and providing them with this information through an easily-accessible medium ensures that they make the informed decisions that they need.
If you’re keen on expanding your market and making your websites more functional, there always exist the options of transforming part of your site into an online store. This makes it easy to operate the old-fashioned way as well as digitally so that you can increase customer loyalty, as well as your conversion rates.
Establish your credibility as a business within the digital realm with websites stating your hours of operation and your location so that customers’ minds can be put at ease. Having websites to represent your business can make all of the difference in the world, and transform your small business into the thriving enterprise it was always meant to be.
Is Your SSL Still Trusted?
Google is gradually starting to sunset SHA1 Encryption. This will mean that if your SSL is using SHA1 Encryption, it will eventually show that your site is untrusted despite the fact that you have purchased the SSL from a reliable issuer.
How do you know if you are affected?
- If you have a website that has an SSL installed, you will want to verify the encryption for your certificate.
- If you have an active SSL, you will want to visit https://shaaaaaaaaaaaaa.com/ to check the encryption of your secured site.
- If the site shows that the SSL is SHA1 Encrypted, please contact the issurer of your SSL to have it reissued using SHA2.
- If the site shows that the SSL is SHA2 Encrypted, you are not required to take any further steps.
How to Know if Your Website Needs an SSL
Do you need an SSL and just what IS an SSL?
Internet is all about credibility. Or to be more precise, e-commerce or online businesses are all about being well-known, trusted and reliable. If people don’t trust a webpage or company, they won’t be willing to consider doing business with it, specially since nowadays private information is consistently being targeted and leaked.
In order to be a trustworthy name on the Internet you need to have an SSL certification. Of course the question is, do you need to be trustworthy? The answer will depend on your website type. Not all webpages need to have an SSL certificate to function. But SSL is a basic need for some sites.
What is SSL Actually?
SSL means Secure Sockets Locker. This protection makes sure that whatever information is shared by people on your website, remains secure and seen only by you. Without it, there is a chance anyone can easily intercept private information of your customers and misuse it. So SSL basically acts like a safe or a locker in which information remains secure while traveling between your webpage and your customers’.
So do You Need an SSL Certification?
Now as mentioned earlier, if your website runs anything which requires information like usernames and passwords, you will need an SSL certification to safely keep this data secure. People rarely enter data or share anything private on pages which start with http inside of the SSL certified https. This applies especially for e-commerce websites. if you don’t have an SSL, no one is going to use a credit card to purchase your awesome product. However, websites using third party payment processors can avoid getting SSL. This is because in this case credit card and personal details are shared on another party’s webpage and not yours.
The point to always keep in mind is that if your website requires private information, you require an SSL certificate.
Generating Traffic to Your Business
In this fast and ever growing world, there is always something new for humanity to ponder upon. New discoveries are made every day and everyday there is something new for us to learn. To be successful as a business and as an entrepreneur, it is essential that you keep up with time and modify your means of generating traffic to your business.
These days, every business has their own personalized website so their clients can visit them online. When it comes to the advantages, there is more than one when it comes to having your own website. Below are some main reasons as to how you can boost your work force potency and give you more income out of your business.
- A Wider Plane: As we all know, billions of people surf the internet every day. Having a website of your own in a particular niche puts you out there to a much wider range of viewers, and the more viewers the more you will be perpetuating your potential clientele. It’s just the idea that your business is now on a bigger domain for everyone to view that has driven business to acquire their own websites.
- Traffic through Search Engine Optimization: Once you acquire a website, the opportunities are endless. To generate more freight and traffic and to get even more out of your business website, you can have it Search Engine Optimized. There are two methods to Search Engine Optimization, you can either have On Site Optimization performed on you website to increase search engine credibility for your website.
Another way to optimize your website is with the help of a creative writer. When your website content has lots of creative keywords, your website will show up in results more often when someone makes a search on a search engine with a related keyword. These clever methods have helped many to improve their revenue extensively.
- E-Commerce Websites: For those who don’t know what E-Commerce websites are, these websites provide your viewer with an option to buy your products online. By having a professional design an E-Commerce, you can upload your entire inventory online for people to buy. This allows further advancement to you business and even your website visitors can turn into potential buyers.
Clients are able to pay with their Credit or Debit Cards and have your products delivered to their homes. Having a website where people can directly buy from you, as mentioned before, makes you accessible for a wider range of customers, thus helping you generate more revenue online.
So, what are you waiting for? If you run a business and don’t have a website yet just contact us at Stone Field Site Services and we will give you the best service out there. We are a professional webhosting company and with professionalism and finesse being our objectives, we will deliver to you the best work. Just give us call to inquire about our service and we will be more than pleased to assist you!