High-profile website hacking cases have dominated the headlines over the past few years, with everyone from national governments to tech giants like Yahoo! being proven vulnerable. In an increasingly digital age, with technology evolving at such a rapid pace, it is impossible to guarantee 100% safety from malicious entities and software online. If the governments of some of the most powerful nations on earth can be hacked, then there’s no question that a WordPress site could also become vulnerable.
WordPress Security Service: Why You Need It
When a site is hacked, it’s not just a pain; it can have serious repercussions for the business. Some of the negative effects of having your website hacked can include:
- Loss of Data. In many cases, the simplest step a hacker can take to harm your business is simply by deleting or removing important information from your site. It is critical that you have a backup system in place, to avoid losing data through an incursion or other misfortune.
- Harm to Visitors/Customers. A hacked website that has been infected with malware can easily spread from one digital device to another, impacting site visitors’ devices and online accounts. The danger is even greater if your site processes transactions, as payment information can be stolen and sold to criminal groups, and then used to make fraudulent purchases. In some cases, people who have been impacted by a site hack may be able to successfully pursue legal action against your company for failing to keep their information secure, holding you legally liable for any losses.
- Damage to Reputation. High-profile hacks make the news, but you don’t have to make the headlines for a hack to harm your site’s reputation. Word of mouth is a powerful marketing tool, and can easily turn against your enterprise when an incursion generates a negative user experience.
- Financial Losses. If you run an ecommerce site, then you could lose sales when your site is the target of malicious interference. Time spent fixing the breach is time when your website is down and business halted. Even the most loyal customers can have their trust shaken by this sort of incident. Legal fees and the costs associated with repairing the damage can drive costs out the roof.
What does Cinch’s Essential Support maintenance package include?
A recent report published by WPScan identified 3,972 known security vulnerabilities within the WordPress system, and those are only the vulnerabilities identified to date. One of the most important steps you can take to protect your WordPress website is to perform regular updates. The main reasons updates are released is to troubleshoot problems in previous versions and to patch up holes in security that leave the site vulnerable. Part of Cinch’s WordPress Maintenance Package includes regularly updating your themes, plug-ins, and software, so that you don’t have to.
We also provide 24/7 security monitoring, constantly scanning your site for malware and suspicious activity, and addressing problems at once, when they are detected.
