Why Your Website Needs the Latest Security Protections

The last thing you need is a hack in the middle of a new music release. There are a lot of music websites out there still using the outdated and unsecured version of the internet. On average, about 30,000 websites are hacked every day. This would be a pretty good reason to make sure you have the latest technology to secure your website. If your website has ever been hacked or high-jacked for ransom, you are quite aware of the amount of grief it can cause and the pains-taking steps you need to take to get your site recovered, if possible.

About 30,000 websites are hacked every day! - Forbes.com

Getting hacked can result in days, if not months, of lost sales, depleted traffic, and can certainly put an immediate damper on all your hard work towards creating the perfect site. Every business owner's worst online nightmare.

However, many hacks can be prevented easily with the proper security certificates installed. Typically, the number one reason most of these sites are hacked are simply due to the lack of proper security installed on these sites. Many older websites have yet to bring their sites into the modern world of browsing the internet.

In the past, hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) had been the primary communications protocol used by the World Wide Web, and unfortunately is still used by many website owners today. This protocol defines how data is formatted and transmitted, and the appropriate actions servers and browsers would take in response to various commands by web users, such as clicking a link with a mouse. But as hackers continued developing more sophisticated techniques to exploit vulnerable websites, the standard version of HTTP had become increasingly susceptible to criminal intrusion and activity. The problem with HTTP is that the data is not encrypted, and hackers can easily intercept sensitive data entered on unsecured websites, including credit card information, social security numbers, and other personal information that can later be used to steal your identity.

Beat the Hacker

To battle the increasing number of hacks, a new communications protocol was introduced to add encryption properties that would include a secure layer of protection when data is transferred across the internet. Although the basic functions are generally the same as HTTP, the newer version would add an extra layer of security to protect sensitive data transfers between servers and browser. This new protocol is hypertext transfer protocol secure (HTTPS).

What is HTTPS and why is it so important? HTTPS allows websites the benefits of a secure site for their visitors. With intent purposes, it is HTTP with a secure layer and hence the letter "S" for secure. If a user enters data into a form, the information they provide is encrypted before transmitted, preventing hackers from intercepting the data.

In 2018, Google issued warnings indicating the changes in their browser protocol and how this change to HTTPS may affect how secure users feel and may cause some visitors to leave a site, which will negatively impact a site’s bounce rate, advertising impressions, affiliate clicks, and e-commerce sales. Additionally, HTTPS has become a solid indicator for Google rankings and if your site lacks the updated version of HTTPS, your search rankings will suffer. And to make matters worse, websites lacking HTTPS protocol can be prevented from being indexed altogether.

So how do you determine if your site is secure? A simple browser check can help you determine if your site is secure or not by determining if you have a lock or an exclamation point next to the browser address. Secure HTTPS will have a lock next to the website address.

Secure browsers have a lock next to the HTTPS address.

Additionally, when the lock is clicked the user will be able to see details about the security of the site they are viewing. However, be aware. Although some sites may have HTTPS as the protocol, sites can still be vulnerable to some deception if the proper certificates are not installed. For example, some websites may be HTTPS, but if the security certificate is inadequate or improperly installed, hackers can still deceive you by altering images or other elements of the page and fool unsuspected users.

On the other hand, HTTP sites are not secure and will display an exclamation point and a message of "Not Secure" in the browser bar next to the site address. Clicking the exclamation point will provide details about the security of the site the user is viewing.

Non secure browsers are indicated by an exclamation point and a Not Secure message.

By securing your site with HTTPS you are giving your visitors the peace of mind that you've taken all the necessary precautions to protect their data when they enter sensitive information on your site. If your site lacks HTTPS, there are steps you can take to convert your site. Adding a secure socket layer (SSL) certificate can bring your site up to speed. However, there is a cost associated with this update and many authorized providers charge a nice fee every year to maintain this added protection. Unfortunately, it doesn't end there. Converting your site from HTTP to HTTPS requires knowledge of certificate installation and subsequent steps to ensure your entire site complies with the new protocol.

If you are looking for an easy solution to build a website with HTTPS already included in your hosting, check out our recommended solution that complies with Google standards and will protect your site from hackers, poor search results ranking, and a number of other negative impacts caused by using the old HTTP communication protocol.

For more information on what OPK Solutions can do for your music website, please go to our digital marketing site at www.opksolutions.com