Everyone operating online, especially handling sensitive data, needs security, and so does an author website.
One of the main reasons authors need security for their author website is due to the readers data as well as their book sales data they handle.
In the end, having a website allows them to share their thoughts, ideas, inspirations, and most importantly – books.
This time we will discuss some critical security-enhancing tools that authors can easily apply to their personal websites.
1. Opt For a Secure Hosting Provider
Avoid hackers attacking your author website by ensuring that you use a strong and trustworthy hosting service which is imperative for safeguarding your author website.
Their responsibility would include the provision of SSL certificates required to protect sensitive data from capture during transit.
On top of that, the use of firewalls along with the installation of updates on the software on a server is crucial in enhancing security against hacking.
In addition, the host provider must have uptime guarantees because nobody likes downtimes.
2. Activate SSL Certificates So as to permit HTTPS
Additionally, using HTTPS also for your author website security making use of SSL certificates.
It secures all the information exchanged between the users and the server from being accessed by any unauthorized party.
Enhancing the security of your site using HTTPS has its advantages.
These include protection against passive and active network attackers, hence better search engine optimization.
Also, providers of secure websites are ranked higher, and are reliable.
Users prefer to interact with websites that have a thumbnail of a lock indicating secured interaction.
Therefore, you are not only securing your content but also building a reputable online image for your audience by adding HTTPS on your site.
3. Updating CMS, Themes and Plugins religiously
It is crucial for the security of your website as well as its operability that you update the content management system (CMS) that you use for managing the website.
Cyber criminals look for vulnerabilities in outdated software because it’s quite simple for them to exploit it.
This then creates a data breach which leads to potential damage to your reputation online.
Updating your content management system, themes and other plugins not only offers protection from such threats, it also optimises the performance and usability.
This is by improving security, fixing bugs and adding new features.
4. Come up with passwords that are strong and unique
Passwords for funds, royalties, or any accounts associated with your author site need to be strong and unique as they are your first line of defense against attackers.
Using weak passwords or reusing passwords is dangerous since both practices or even one of them exposes the account to risk.
Repeatedly having to remember strong passwords can be made easier by using password managers.
This allows users to create and save unique passwords for different accounts.
When strong passwords have a high priority and management tools are well leveraged, the chances of being attacked are highly reduced.
5. Implement Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) is the reason why a wider range of users can access their online accounts with minimum worries.
A single password is not enough, hence, another identification is needed aside from other backup options.
One of the goals of 2FA was to minimize costs that hackers would incur while acquiring an account.
6. Integrate a WAF
A Web Application Firewall (WAF) is a security solution that protects web applications by monitoring, filtering, and analyzing the traffic between the Internet and the web application.
It secures web applications from cyber threats.
These include SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and cross-site request forgery (CSRF).
They do this by analyzing requests to the server and applying communication rules regarding which traffic is deemed malicious and should be blocked.
Consequently, as well as identifying and mitigating threats, a WAF ensures the provision of both active and passive protection features.
This safeguards sensitive information and facilitates compliance with regulations.
Recommended WAF services include:
—Cloudflare, which is reliable cloud shields
—AWS WAF, known for versatile managing tools
—Imperva, offering advanced multilayered security solutions
—F5 Networks, providing enterprise level functionality
—Sucuri is targeting website protection for small to medium size businesses.
For increased protection of your web applications, establishing a WAF is necessary.
7. Make Sure To Backup Your Website On A Regular Basis
It is a good practice to ensure that your website is regularly backed up so that you do not suffer from data loss due to reasons like hacking, server failure, or data deletion.
All these things are uninspected so you need to be prepared for them.
Backups protect important information, help ensure protection after a security incident, reduce the risk of loss caused by accidental deletions, and create a fallback option during updates.
For this reason, several tools are recommended for carrying out the backups.
They include:
>UpdraftPlus, a WordPress plugin that enables automated backups in cloud servers.
>BackupBuddy, which also has a calendar for taking backups and making it easy to restore files.
>VaultPress, which requests backup in real time.
>cPanel backup wizard where their hosting is cPanel powered for manual backups.
>Acronis Cyber Backup which is a complete solution that works across many devices.
Hence, through using these tools on a regular basis backups can be established therefore one’s website will be security scanned and will be easily recoverable.
8. Watch Activity on the Site
It is very important to analyze activity on the site in order to understand traffic and user behavior.
This, in turn, contributes to the improvement of your author website’s performance and security.
It is possible to improve and fine-tune the user experience by examining the number of visitors to the domain and how they interact with the site.
At the same time, other issues such as excessively high bounce rates or odd user behavior that pose a security risk can be addressed.
Google Analytics provides all the information about the traffic and activity on a website, while regulatory plugins such as Wordfence or Sucuri scan the site for any signs of security breach.
Embedding these monitoring tools in your website will make the site more secure, intuitive, and relevant to your target audience which should lead to a higher level of engagement and growth.
9. Limit Login Attempts
The limitation of the number of login attempts is a crucial security strategy that avoids brute force attacks.
In which case an attacker tries to guess the password through a process of systematic trial and error.
This can also reduce the risk of unauthorized access as the system can temporarily block certain IP addresses after they reach a set threshold of failed login attempts.
There are various login limit enforcement plugins like WP Limit Login Attempts or Limit Login Attempts or Limit Login Attempts Reloaded.
These all enforce varying degrees of restrictions , and offer varying levels of protection provisions.
MalCare also provides fully managed services that incorporate limits on the number of logins.
The combination of all these elements will improve the reliability of the faceless character of your website.
10. Secure File Permissions
As for who can read, write or execute the files stored on the server, the file permission settings are very fundamental and it determines to whom the server is exposed to.
This can also be seen in the context of small businesses.
This is because a case of weak file access permissions can open up sensitive files to attackers who can easily modify or delete critical information.
As a solution for configuring file permissions correctly, cPanel can be applied.
Go to the File Manager, click on the respective file or folder, and switch directories to 755 and files to 644 and wp-config.php files to either 600 or 640.
Adding directories or files on an FTP client such as FileZilla to your drive is also an option.
Through folders available on the drive, right click and enter the respective numeric values.
11. Guard Against Spam and Malicious Programs
It is crucial to safeguard your author website from spam and malware to enhance security.
This way, you can uphold its control and enhance the pleasant interaction experience with its users because prevalent risks include spam comments that blur your site and malware-breached files that can jeopardize safety.
Plugins and services like that are widely available to address these issues including:
Wordfence which features a firewall, and malware scanner
Sucuri Security which has full monitoring and coverage
MalCare which offers malware scan and removal on autopilot
Cerber Security which protects against malicious attacks and throttles login requests
Jetpack which has an addon in subscription plans for automated malware checking
Using these tools, you are able to protect your website from spam and malware and create a safe space for you and your website visitors.
Periodically changing and updating these plugins will upgrade your protection level.
12. Do Your Own Research and Keep Learning
Training about the security of websites is a necessity for the authors and everyone in charge of the online activities.
This is because it, as well, assists them to guard themselves against emerging threats and improve practices.
Staying touch with the update with the help of sources like:
security blogs such as Krebs on Security and Dark Reading
online classes offered by Cybrary or SANS Cyber Aces, BrightTALK
webinars conducted by specialists
defense techniques on Hack The Box
participating on discussions on Reddit (in this case, r/cybersecurity)
can largely enhance your understanding and confidence in securing your website.
Therefore, by making use of such provisions, one can make sure that there is author website security, and at the same time help in making the internet a safe place.
Conclusion
It’s crucial to ensure that even a single comma or full stop is not out of place when it comes to author website security.
as maintenance of quality is equally important as the flawless execution of the idea itself.
In the struggle to automate all essential measures for protecting your idea and providing users with a seamless experience, a number of tools and guidelines can prove useful.
Almost all precautions are equally important and it is wrong to imagine that the more resources and time involved in implementation the better.
Furthermore, if only a site can exist in perfect sync while shielding a brand or idea from harm, security respects the sanctity of one’s existence and is due respect.