Business owners often picture a hacker specifically targeting their site. In reality, most compromises come from automated bots scanning the internet for outdated software and weak passwords — which means basic hygiene prevents the majority of incidents.

Keep everything updated

Outdated CMS software, themes and plugins are the most common entry point for automated attacks. Regular updates close known vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.

Use strong, unique credentials

Weak or reused passwords on admin accounts remain one of the easiest ways in. Use strong, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication wherever it’s available.

Back up your site regularly — and store backups off-site

If the worst happens, a recent backup is the difference between a quick restoration and a lost website. Automated, off-site backups should be non-negotiable for any business-critical site.

Add a basic firewall and monitoring

A web application firewall and regular malware scanning catch many issues before they escalate, and shorten the time between an incident occurring and it being noticed.