It’s 2018, and it could be argued that few things matter more to bloggers than security. If you aren’t practicing sound security strategies, it may be only a matter of time before your blog could suffer an invasion.
Security Advice for the Proactive Blogger
According to one estimate, 30,000 websites and blogs are hacked every day … and that was back in 2013. Google claims there was a 32 percent increase in the number of hacked sites in 2016 compared to the year before, so who knows how high that number is this year?
Most bloggers presume they’re too small to be targeted. The truth is that your smaller size actually makes you a more likely target.
Attacks on major corporations get most of the attention from the media, but they are comparatively rare events. According to a report from security provider SiteLock, 99 percent of hacked websites are nonprofits, blogs, and small businesses.
In other words, there’s no such thing as being “too small.” For blogs, SiteLock claims the three most common attack methods are spam (21 percent), stolen traffic (21 percent), and resource theft (6 percent).
The sticky point is that you might not readily know when your blog gets hacked. It’s not as if alarm bells go off to notify you of the breach.
In order to stay on top of things, you need to be proactive. Here’s what you can do:
Install the Right Security Programs
There are lots of excellent security programs that bloggers can use to fend off attacks and protect their sensitive data and confidential information. But they only work if you use them!
Make sure you’ve installed the right security programs from the start. You don’t need four or five different ones; all you need is a dependable one that works.
You also need the right security programs on the devices you use to gain access to your blog, such as your phone, laptop, tablet, and computer. In order to maximize the effectiveness of these programs, keep them updated.
“It may be tempting to ignore update notifications,” tech blogger Cosette Jarrett writes, “but it will be well worth taking a few minutes to update your device’s security software when you consider the alternative which would be to lose all of the work you’ve done on your blog to a preventable online attack.”
Frequently Change Passwords
Most bloggers are aware that they need strong, complex passwords that are hard to crack. Fewer bloggers are cognizant of the need to change passwords fairly frequently.
As a rule, passwords should be switched every 90 days. Not only does this reduce the likelihood of a password being cracked, but it also encourages you to prioritize security in a conscious and ongoing manner.
Shred Important Paper Documents
If you’re truly serious about protecting your blog and keeping confidential information and data out of the wrong hands, you also need to think about your offline activities and behaviors as well.
You might store paper documents, financial statements, and records about your blog. This is fine, but you have to make sure you shred such documents properly when you dispose of them.
Believe it or not, not all shredders are created equal. Most will shred paper fairly well, you should buy a shredder that can also shred credit cards, CDs, DVDs, staples, paperclips, and other materials.
Be Wary of Giving People Access
Most attacks on blogs don’t originate from outside sources. They often come from someone who already has had access to your blog. So make sure you limit access and remain aware of your surroundings.
“[Be] careful who you give access to in your administrator panel and set clear limitations for other users than yourself,” security expert Andra Zaharia advises. “If a user becomes irrelevant on your blog, delete the account and make sure you provide all those who have access to your blog with strong passwords.”
Don’t Sit Back and Wait
You don’t have the luxury of sitting back, waiting and hoping nothing bad happens. Your blog isn’t too small or insignificant to avoid hacks and attacks. By taking a proactive stance, you can greatly reduce your chance of being compromised in the future.