1. Vulnerable To Hacking
An unsecured website can be vulnerable to hacking. Hackers can exploit the website’s code vulnerabilities to gain access to sensitive information such as customer data, login credentials, and financial information. This can have disastrous consequences for the website owner and the customers whose information has been compromised. For example, in 2017, Equifax suffered a data breach due to an unsecured website, resulting in the theft of sensitive information of over 145 million customers, including social security numbers and credit card details. As a result, the company faced intense customer backlash and was hit with a $700 million settlement.
2. Website's Reputation
An unsecured website can harm the website’s reputation. Visitors may see a warning message or a security alert when visiting an unsecured website, which can be a red flag and discourage them from using the website. This can result in a loss of trust, and the business may see a decline in traffic and revenue. Furthermore, Google and other search engines have started to prioritize secure websites in their search results, which means that an unsecured website may also see a decline in organic search traffic.
3.Website's Performance
An unsecured website can impact website performance. For example, cyber-attacks such as distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks can cause a website to crash or become unavailable. This can result in revenue loss and damage the website’s reputation. Additionally, an unsecured website may load slower, which can lead to a negative user experience and discourage visitors from returning.
Steps To Take:
To mitigate the risks of an unsecured website, website owners can take several steps:
1. Installing an SSL certificate is crucial for website security. SSL stands for Secure Sockets Layer and encrypts the information that is exchanged between the website and the user. This ensures that any sensitive information that is transmitted is protected from hackers.
2. Keeping the website’s software and plugins up to date can prevent vulnerabilities in the code.
3. Website owners can also implement strong passwords, limit access to the website, and monitor for suspicious activity.
Conclusion
In conclusion, an unsecured website can pose a significant risk to the website owner and visitors. The risks range from data breaches to harm to reputation and performance. However, taking steps to secure the website, such as installing an SSL certificate and keeping software up to date, can go a long way in mitigating the risks. Therefore, website owners must prioritize website security to protect their business, customers, and reputation.
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For the references for this article:
–Lohr, S. (2017, September 7). Equifax Says Cyberattack May Have Affected 143 Million in the U.S.
–Google. (n.d.). Secure your site with HTTPS.