Website Safety & Security Check - Is This Website Safe?
Today, many businesses and individuals use the internet as their source of information, communication, and transacting deals for the money. However, the internet is also prone to threats, malware, and hacking, making it unreliable. It is, therefore, crucial to check the website is secure or not, especially if you have a platform such as WordPress.
Threats come in many forms. No matter how careful you are, people with bad intentions use advanced and sophisticated hacking techniques will what they want. Other times even interactions with the wrong people in the digital world can lead to website insecurity. An unsafe website can also lead to loss of crucial data information, loss of clients due to lack of privacy issues, and even theft of finances.
Tips to Check Website is Secure or Not
Check the URL
Criminals take advantage of the fact that many people do not pay much attention to details, especially when it comes to links. People type some words in a hurry, which hackers use to trick them into visiting their malicious sites. For example, many people unknowingly spell the following words in ways wrongly, and hackers know that- Yah00, Go0gle, and Paypa1 instead of Yahoo, Google, and PayPal.
It is also advisable to check the destination of the link before clicking on it. The best way to do this is by holding the mouse over the URL for a few seconds to verify its link.
Check the SSL certificate-HTTPS
If your website URL is HTTPS instead of HTTP, it means that it is secure. The s at the end means it is has a secure SSL certificate. The work of the SSL certificate is to secure every data going to the website server through the browser.
If you click on the small padlock that appears on the blog's address, you get a message that reads, "The connection to this site is secure." This means that modifying or intercepting communication between you and your website security company is impossible.
Use security tools for site safety evaluation
Security tools are other means you can use to check website secure or not. Many website security companies develop website protection software that detects malware and other issues. You can also install an antivirus on your computer to prevent hacking and malicious data manipulation. Security tools prevent hackers from navigating your site when there is no security certificate or after it expires.
Furthermore, some companies also allow users to evaluate their sites first before deciding whether to continue browsing or stopping. Before installing any antivirus on your computer, you should run a background check on the company and read what other users say about its reputation. Some of the best-unbiased safety tools to use include- VirusTotal's free website security checker and Google Safe Browsing.
Check for a privacy policy
Another way to check website is secure or not is by looking for a privacy policy, especially if you have doubts about the site. In many countries worldwide, it is the law to have a privacy policy page, and most reputable websites abide by this regulation. In some cases, the privacy policy, usually in small fonts and located at the bottom of a page, is incomprehensible.
If you cannot comprehend anything, search for the most critical words such as "store, data, third parties and retain." The terms enable you to understand what the particular site intends to do with your information and how it handles it.
Check the theme of the site
Many people forget to analyze the theme of the site because they assume it does not help to check website is secure or not. Themes use codes that keep changing with advancing technology. If not upgraded, obsolete codes open the websites to security vulnerabilities.
WordPress sites are susceptible to vulnerabilities from themes and plugins. Others take the easy way out and use pirated themes similar to original themes. However, using them makes your site vulnerable. Using website vulnerability scanner tools helps to protect the site from obsolete themes.
Check the authenticity of trust badges and trust seals
Our last tip on how to check secure website or not is by analyzing the trust seals and badges that appear when you are shopping online. E-commerce and shopping sites exhibit the badges and seals on their sites to display their level of trust.
Legitimate companies use seals and badges, but you also have to note that they are easy to add to a site. It is, therefore, crucial to carry out enough research on the legitimacy of any online shopping site before making a purchase. If you do not, you might end up losing your hard-earned cash to fraudsters using fake trust seals and badges.
Wrapping it up - How Can I Tell If a Website is Secure?
It is important to check website is secure or not, irrespective of the size of your business. Maintaining a secure and safe website enables your users to browse safely without the fear of losing their data to cybercriminals. It also saves you from using costs to clean up the system after malware or hacking. It is safe to invest in website security than be sorry.
