As a financial services company, your website is on the front lines of the cyber war, tasked with safeguarding customers' sensitive information from malicious attacks. With data breaches making headlines on a regular basis, website security has become a matter of urgency. But what exactly is website security, and why is it so critical for financial services companies? Read on to find out!
Website security - it's the barrier between your financial services company and the malicious forces of the cyber world. And when it comes to customer information, security is non-negotiable. From hacking attempts to data breaches, the threat of cybercrime is constantly evolving. But fear not; there are steps that your company can take to fortify the defenses and protect sensitive information. It's time to get serious about website security!
In this article, we explain the importance of website security for financial services websites and provide actionable steps you can take to protect your customers' sensitive information.
One of the most critical steps you can take to protect your customers' data is investing in secure web hosting. By choosing a reputable host such as Acquia, Pantheon, or Platform.sh, you can have confidence that the necessary security measures are in place, including firewalls and encrypted data storage, to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information. This first line of defense is crucial in safeguarding your customers' personal and financial information. For instance, according to a study by Verizon, 43% of data breaches occur due to vulnerabilities at the hosting or service provider level and have doubled since 2019.
Keeping your website software up-to-date, including the content management system (CMS) and any plugins, is crucial in ensuring that your website is protected from known security vulnerabilities. Cybercriminals are constantly finding new ways to penetrate websites, so it's important to stay ahead of the game by regularly updating your software. 75% of attacks in 2020 used vulnerabilities that were at least two years old.
Here are some examples of software updates that you should stay current on:
There are some tools, such as Qualys, Acunetix, and Nessus that can scan websites for vulnerabilities and provide a report that includes information about outdated software or plugins that need to be updated.
There are other ways to stay updated all the time; explore the table below: