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5 Website Security Tips Every Employee Should Know

Small businesses are still one of the most appealing prey to cybercriminals. Here are top 5 website security tips for employee’s should know.

Published

5 years ago

October 2, 2019

TwinzTech

Website Security Tips for Strong Passwords

Small businesses are still one of the most appealing prey to cybercriminals. Recent reports indicate that up to 43 percent of all cybercrime is targeted at small businesses.

It should be a significant concern for any entrepreneur as the average cost of recovering from a cyberattack is between $8,700 and $20,000 for small businesses.

Unfortunately, 90 percent of all ‘successful’ cyberattacks are made possible as a result of employee carelessness.

As such, as a business owner, it is essential that you take measures to ensure that your employees are well-versed and savvy in matters of web security.

This article will discuss the various WordPress security tips that all employees should learn and incorporate so as to ensure your business stays safe from cybercrime.

Website Security Tips

Table of Contents

1. Make the Right Hire and Be a Good Employer

While this is not a web security tip by itself, it’s important. A company’s own staff causes up to 80 percent of all security breaches. These include disgruntled employees or former employees who still have access to the business’s logins.

As such, the first step to preventing employee-caused cyber-crime is to ensure that you make the right hire. Doing this will allow you to have staff members who will not be a liability to the business in case of misunderstandings.

Being a good employer also helps – employees who share your values and feel comfortable, and know that they can come to you with any issue they might have will result in far fewer issues than employees who fear or resent you and your business practices.

Nurture the right company culture: be open, inclusive, and make everyone feel safe.

2. Enforce a Strong Password Policy

The first step towards having a secure website is ensuring that access to it cannot be easily compromised. And that comes from having strong passwords.

It might come as a surprise to learn that even up to date, some employees still use passwords such as ‘12345’ or also ‘password’ as their passwords.

Hackers know this and will not pass on the opportunity of trying them out.

There are also many lists of breached passwords online that criminals can combine with dictionary word lists to create even more extensive lists of potential passwords.

Thus, to avoid simple errors such as these being the source of your site’s security compromised, encourage the following tips to your employees:

Website Security Tips for Strong Passwords

Not Reusing Passwords

Chances are your employees have to log into several accounts using the same web browser that they use to access your website. Unfortunately, in a bid to avoid complicating things, most people use the same password for various accounts.

This is a legitimate security risk since if a hacker can breach one of those passwords, they will have a heyday with all the other accounts, including the company’s website.

Ask your employees to have a unique password for each of their accounts.

You can install a password managing software for them, so they do not have to remember all their passwords.

Use Longer Passwords

The ideal password should contain over 12 characters.

Remember, cybercriminals use computer programs to help them hack passwords. Thus, the more characters a password has, the more combinations it needs to run to crack it.

Having longer passwords, therefore, makes it a lot more difficult for the password to be cracked.

Using Random Passwords

A password-cracking software can guess millions of passwords in just minutes if those passwords contain words that can be found online or in a dictionary.

Passwords that contain words or names cannot be considered as random.

If you can pronounce your password, consider changing it. A right password contains letters, numerals, and characters.

To help with your password efforts in the workplace, consider installing password managers in your employees’ computers, such as LastPass and KeePass 2.

These are excellent password management tools that store passwords in an encrypted format, and can quickly generate a random password.

3. Learning About SSL Encryption

For your site to be genuinely secure, all the data that passes between it and its users should have the right encryption protocol.

This means converting that data or information into a format is incomprehensible to any human or machine that does not have the decryption key. That is what SSL encryption allows you.
Ensure that you purchase a high-level SSL encryption certificate for your website.

SSL Encryption

This is especially important if your site deals with sensitive information such as social security numbers, credit card numbers, or login credentials. The SSL key renders that information worthless to any third party that might intercept it.

While at it, also ask your employees always to confirm that any website they access using their workplace browser uses SSL encryption, as that is the mark of a secure website. You can tell this by checking whether the site has a ‘padlock’ symbol near its URL.

Sites that do not have that symbol are likely insecure and should be avoided.

4. Enforce Website Cleanliness

Every application, database, or plugin on your website is just another potential entry point for a hacker.

Delete any files, databases, and applications from your site that are no longer in use. Leaving them online increases the risk that someone with evil intentions gets access to them.

You must have an organized file structure so that keeping track of changes and deleting old files becomes a seamless process.

5. Sensible User Access

Websites that have multiple users are more susceptible to hacking.

Sensible User Access

Every user must have the permission they need to do their job. If the particular task they are handling requires a higher level of access, then grant it momentarily, then reduce that privilege once the job is done.

Have your managers ensure that everyone adheres to defined user roles and access rules. Using your administrator privilege, you should be monitoring your employees’ behavior on their accounts.

For example, you can review their logs to tell when and where they accessed the website from.

This way, you can keep track of any changes that occur to the website.

AI-powered security solutions can help detect any anomalies that might indicate user accounts were compromised.

Staying Safe and Secure

While disgruntled employees may willingly compromise your website’s security, most employee-related security breaches are usually because of ignorance and carelessness.

Not only should you ensure that you have the right employees, but also be sure to educate them on better website security practices.

Helpful Resources:

1. The Most Common Problems Of Windows 10 And Troubleshooting

2. 16 Best (free) AMP – (Accelerated Mobile Pages) WordPress Plugins

3. 4 Proactive Security Measures Your Online Business Needs To Succeed

4. Artificial Intelligence And Its Demands To The Programmers

5. Why is Cybersecurity Important For Enterprises?

6. How Augmented Reality Will Change The Future Of Design Industry

Bitcoin

Elevating Your Bitcoin Understanding: A Guide for the Avid Learner

Want to learn about crypto investing from experts? This website, quantum-primeprofit.com can help you achieve excellence by connecting you with investment professionals. Learn more!

Published

11 months ago

December 11, 2023

TwinzTech

Elevating Your Bitcoin Understanding A Guide for the Avid Learner

In the digital age, Bitcoin has emerged as a groundbreaking force, poised to transform conventional finance and payment methods through its decentralized digital currency. For those keen on grasping the intricacies of this financial revolution, this guide offers an all-encompassing view of Bitcoin, spanning from its inception to its contemporary influence. Want to learn about crypto investing from experts? This website, quantum-primeprofit.com can help you achieve excellence by connecting you with investment professionals. Learn more!

Table of Contents

1. The Genesis of Bitcoin

Bitcoin’s journey begins with an enigmatic figure known as Satoshi Nakamoto. In 2008, Nakamoto published a whitepaper titled “Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System.” This groundbreaking paper laid the foundation for what would become Bitcoin. To this day, Nakamoto’s true identity remains unknown, adding an element of intrigue to the Bitcoin story.

The whitepaper proposed a novel idea: a digital currency that operates on a decentralized ledger called a blockchain. This innovation was designed to eliminate the need for intermediaries like banks in financial transactions, making peer-to-peer transactions possible.

2. How Bitcoin Works

Blockchain Technology: The Backbone of Bitcoin

At the core of Bitcoin is blockchain technology. A blockchain is a distributed ledger that records all Bitcoin transactions across a network of computers. This ledger is immutable and transparent, making it virtually impossible to alter or manipulate transaction history.

Explaining the Concept of a Blockchain

A blockchain consists of blocks, each containing a group of transactions. These blocks are linked together in chronological order, forming a chain. Each block is cryptographically secured, ensuring the integrity of the entire ledger.

Mining and Consensus Mechanisms

Bitcoin transactions are validated through a process called mining. Miners use computational power to solve complex mathematical puzzles, adding new blocks to the blockchain. The first miner to solve the puzzle broadcasts the block to the network, and if a consensus is reached, the block is added to the chain.

3. Transactions and Wallets

To interact with the Bitcoin network, users need a wallet. A wallet contains cryptographic keys, including a public address for receiving Bitcoin and a private key for authorizing transactions. Security is paramount when it comes to Bitcoin wallets.

Cryptographic Keys and Addresses

Public keys serve as addresses that users share to receive Bitcoin. Private keys are secret codes that must be kept secure to access and authorize transactions.

Security Measures for Protecting Your Bitcoin

Users must employ robust security practices, including hardware wallets, multi-factor authentication, and offline storage, to safeguard their Bitcoin holdings.

4. Bitcoin’s Role in the Financial Ecosystem

Store of Value vs. Digital Cash

Bitcoin serves two primary functions: as a store of value and as digital cash. As a store of value, Bitcoin is often compared to gold, seen as a hedge against inflation and economic instability. Its finite supply (capped at 21 million coins) contributes to this perception.

Bitcoin as an Investment Asset

Bitcoin has gained widespread recognition as an investment asset. Its price volatility has attracted investors seeking high returns. Institutions and individuals alike have allocated a portion of their portfolios to Bitcoin, viewing it as a hedge against traditional financial markets.

Regulatory Challenges and Legal Considerations

As Bitcoin’s popularity has grown, governments and regulators worldwide have grappled with how to classify and regulate it. The regulatory landscape varies from country to country, making it crucial for Bitcoin enthusiasts to stay informed about their local laws and compliance requirements.

Bitcoin has emerged as a groundbreaking force

5. The Bitcoin Mining Process

The Mining Ecosystem

Mining is the process by which new Bitcoins are created and transactions are confirmed. Miners play a vital role in maintaining the integrity of the blockchain.

Miners, Nodes, and Mining Pools

Miners are nodes in the Bitcoin network that compete to solve cryptographic puzzles. Mining pools are groups of miners who combine their computational power to increase their chances of solving a puzzle and earning rewards.

Energy Consumption and Environmental Concerns

Bitcoin mining’s energy consumption has raised environmental concerns. The energy-intensive process of mining has led to debates about the sustainability of Bitcoin and efforts to develop more energy-efficient consensus mechanisms.

Bitcoin Halving Events and Their Impact

Approximately every four years, Bitcoin experiences a “halving” event, reducing the number of new Bitcoins created per block by half. This scarcity mechanism has historical precedents for driving up Bitcoin’s price and impacting the mining ecosystem.

6. Bitcoin’s Impact on Society

Financial Inclusion and Banking the Unbanked

Bitcoin has the potential to provide financial services to those without access to traditional banking. By simply having an internet connection, individuals can become part of the global financial network, sending and receiving Bitcoin without intermediaries.

Remittances and Cross-Border Transactions

Bitcoin’s borderless nature makes it an attractive option for remittances and cross-border transactions. It offers a faster and more cost-effective alternative to traditional money transfer services.

Bitcoin and the Future of Traditional Banking

The rise of Bitcoin has prompted traditional financial institutions to explore blockchain technology and digital currencies. Central banks are also researching and developing their digital currencies, known as central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), in response to the changing financial landscape.

7. Challenges and Future Trends

Scalability Issues and Lightning Network

Bitcoin faces challenges related to scalability, as it currently struggles to handle a high volume of transactions quickly and cost-effectively. The Lightning Network is an off-chain solution designed to address this issue, allowing for faster and cheaper transactions.

Competing Cryptocurrencies

While Bitcoin remains the dominant cryptocurrency, it faces competition from other cryptocurrencies like Ethereum, which offers smart contract capabilities and decentralized applications. These platforms are exploring innovative use cases beyond digital cash.

Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) and Their Implications

Central banks are actively researching and piloting CBDCs, which could potentially reshape the global financial system. The impact of CBDCs on Bitcoin and the broader cryptocurrency ecosystem remains a topic of debate and interest.

Conclusion

Bitcoin’s journey from an anonymous whitepaper to a global financial phenomenon has been nothing short of remarkable. Its potential to disrupt traditional finance, drive financial inclusion, and serve as an investment asset continues to captivate the world. As Bitcoin and blockchain technology evolve, avid learners should stay informed, engage with the community, and exercise responsible investment practices. The future of cryptocurrencies and their role in the global financial landscape remains an exciting and dynamic field to watch.