These are the reasons you should keep security as a primary concern:
- Readers won’t trust a blog that is a known location where cyber criminals lurk.
- Readers rightfully demand that any information they give you is kept safe.
- If your blog is taken over by hackers, there is no guarantee you can get it back.
- Thousands of websites are hacked every day, many of them with stronger security than your own, due to human error and basic mistakes.
You might understand if a hacker gained access to your blog through a series of clever and intricate actions, but unfortunately, in most circumstances, a compromised website is the result of an easily avoidable mistake.
Bad habits are the death of countless blogs, and bloggers looking to make their websites among the best in the world need to kick the bad habits early on.
Here are seven of the most severe security errors bloggers need to stop making:
1. Neglecting to use a virtual private network
Bloggers often update their blogs while they are in cafes, travelling or otherwise using public networks. This is convenient and allows for fast response, but public networks are extremely risky to use from a security standpoint.
Cybercriminals often set up shop on a public network and use a “sniffer” program to intercept any data being sent over the network. This means, without protection, hackers can gain access to your passwords, usernames, personal information and reader information. None of this is acceptable, therefore you need to use protection whenever you use a public network.
The best protection is a Virtual Private Network (VPN), which connects your device to an offsite secure server using an encrypted connection. Using an offsite server to handle your requests means that no one will be able to track your online activity and that any hackers on public networks won’t be able to see a thing.
There are quite a few VPNs on the market for bloggers to choose from, so I recommended you read reviews from a website such as Secure Thoughts or Computer World to help you make a decision.
2. Using a vulnerable device to administrate your blog
It is important to remember the basics necessary to secure a device, such as the following:
- Use a strong password on any account or device you use. One account breach can easily lead to many others, including your blog. Your email is especially important.
- Any other verification measures should be to the highest standard you can provide. Make sure no one can guess your security questions, and try to personalize your other measures as much as possible.
- Any device used to administrate your blog should have a security suite or program installed. They should be updated as often as possible, and free programs are not recommended.
- Manual checks of all files should be done regularly, so that you can detect intrusion and gain a better knowledge of the files on your system.
3. Not using security plugins (or using the wrong ones)
You are likely already using plugins of some sort on your blog, but the plugins currently available to you are greatly varied and not all are to your benefit. Many could actually be malware or exploits waiting to happen, containing security holes built into the programming so hackers can get into your website.
On the other hand, there are plenty of good security plugins out there if you are careful about looking. They can often protect you from different types of attacks and solve security problems WordPress has ignored thus far.
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