How do I protect my business website from cyberattacks?
The highest-impact protections are: keep software updated, use strong unique passwords with MFA, enable HTTPS, perform regular backups, and use a WAF.
Website security follows an 80/20 rule: a small number of controls prevent the vast majority of attacks. Start with the fundamentals before investing in advanced solutions.
The Essentials (Do These First)
- Keep everything updated ... CMS, plugins, themes, server software. Most successful attacks exploit known vulnerabilities in unpatched systems.
- Use strong unique passwords + MFA ... on your hosting account, CMS admin, registrar, and any third-party services. Password reuse is the single most exploited credential weakness.
- Enforce HTTPS ... install an SSL certificate and force all traffic to HTTPS. Free via Let's Encrypt.
- Test your backups ... automated, frequent, stored off-site or in a separate cloud account. Test restoration quarterly.
Next Layer
- Web Application Firewall (WAF) ... Cloudflare's free plan provides meaningful protection against common attack patterns.
- Limit login attempts ... prevent brute-force attacks on your admin panel.
- Monitor file integrity ... detect unauthorized changes to your site files.
For WordPress specifically, see our Cyber Threats category for platform-specific hardening guides.