Your website’s security is essential, and never has there been a time in history where it was more important. Although notable companies that endure a data breech make headlines, think of all the many other, smaller companies that never even show up on the radar. The potential for a security breach is staggering. If that were not enough to scare you into ensuring your security is at the highest level, here are ten facts about website security that will keep you up at night, according to leading website hosting sites and their ongoing research.
How Much Data is Stolen Each Year?
Among the most staggering statistic is how much information is stolen each year. Personal data stolen in 2018 alone was from over half a million people. In the United States, this number is continually rising, and it is now estimated that a hacker affects at least three citizens every 39 minutes. These numbers are increasing daily due to the lack of available security measures on websites throughout the nation.
Small Businesses Are At Significant Risk
Often, small business owners consider themselves safe from possible cyber attacks. Their reasoning is because they believe hackers will likely go after the more significant competition rather than, the smaller business entity. However, they do not realize personal information is valuable no matter how few customers your business services, so you need to invest in high-quality WordPress hosting services USA with the best security features no matter how large or small your business may be.
The Actual Price of Cyber Security
Initially, you might be under the misconception that average website security is enough to alleviate the threat of potential hackers. Still, cybersecurity has become a true epidemic, and just average will no longer do. The overall cybersecurity industry is currently estimated at 161 billion US dollars, and current predictions indicate that the industry will reach new heights of 363 billion by 2025. Your customer’s information is vital. Too vital for you to slack on security measures.
Who Is Most At Risk?
Naturally, the first instance of risk with cybersecurity would be government entities and the retail industry, as some of the most private information is on these sites. However, a growing number of threats are now targeting the medical industry, and it is estimated that some form of cybersecurity threat has infiltrated 75% of the medical field.
Train Your Employees
It is not enough that an online business owner is well versed in cybersecurity measures, but that they train their employees to be vigilant. Training your employees to guard against cyber attacks is essential. Negligence in one part of your cybersecurity or an ill-informed employee has the potential to derail your company completely. Ensuring that your employees know how to formulate good passwords and practice cyber security safety is vital to the success of your business.
Ongoing Damage Concerns
The initial damage caused by cybercrimes can affect your bottom line. Still, look at costs for cybercrime throughout all industries throughout the United States. You will see that the damages caused by cybercrime lords reached over 1 trillion dollars in 2018 alone. It is estimated that in 2021, that number will climb to well over 6 trillion, so if you have not invested in domain and web hosting services with increased security measures, your SMB might be at risk.
Threats Can Take a Long Time to Discover
You might think that a security breach would show up immediately. Still, even for large companies such as Facebook and other high-tech entities, it can take up to 6 months to discover an underlying threat. Significant damage can be done to businesses of any size before they even realize anything has happened.
We Are More Mobile Than Ever Before
Data breaches and security issues are not merely limited to landlines and office or home computers. Today’s world is mobile, and cybersecurity has gone mobile too. Wi-Fi-enabled devices and connections are prone to hackers. The key to dealing with the risks of sending information via mobile airways is to encrypt messages, so hackers cannot take data from your site or employees sending messages back and forth.
Hackers Outnumber Security Experts
Unfortunately, cybersecurity jobs are going unfilled. You might think this is a very lucrative career. The number of cybersecurity experts available is increasingly low. Currently, it is estimated that more than 3.5 million cybersecurity jobs will go unfilled this year, leaving a lot of gaps in total cybersecurity.
Catch 22 in the Industry
The numbers for cybersecurity attacks have been significantly downplayed. The truth is catching these criminals is almost impossible as may occur in other countries where local municipalities do not reach them. Additionally, some business owners would rather keep quiet about a data breach hoping hackers will not leak their data. Currently, hackers control much of the industry, so failing to secure your website is among the biggest mistakes you can make. Prevention is much better than cleaning up the mess.
When looking for affordable WordPress hosting and other domain and web hosting services, always be vigilant in researching available security measures. You can never secure your website too much from possible threats.