If you’re designing a website for yourself or a client, you’re going to need to check several boxes before launching it into the world. Some of those boxes are the fun ones–coming up with the color scheme, determining the page layout, and choosing creative graphics. But there’s one checkbox that, for many of us, is a bit of a downer: website security (cue sad trombone).
Website security isn’t the sexiest topic out there, but it’s critical knowledge for anyone serious about web design. Securing your website is like getting insurance on a house or car. It’s not exactly thrilling, but it’s well worth it to prevent a valuable asset from getting broken into or damaged.
In this article, we’ll go over the nuts and bolts of website security, including the types of threats you should know and the steps you need to take to secure a website.
Your comprehensive guide to website security
What is website security, exactly?
Types of web security threats you should know
How can I secure my own website?
What is website security?
In simple terms, website security is the practice of protecting your website from online attacks. These attacks include unauthorized access, modification, disruption, or destruction of your site.
The people behind these attacks are known as hackers. Typically, their goal is to use your site as a vehicle to access online data like contact information, personal details and passwords, and credit card information.
From a business perspective, this not only compromises the integrity of your brand, but it also puts customers and clients at risk. Take it from the well-known trading app Robinhood–just last November, their customer support system was hacked to expose the email addresses, names, and phone numbers of 7 million users.
Types of web security threats you should know
Hackers have a lot of tools in their toolkit, so it’s helpful to have a broad understanding of the different types so that you can better protect your website. Here are some of the most common types of attacks.