Why your company needs to adopt a cloud-based IT solution now

Over the last few years, cloud computing has become a popular IT solution in the business world. It is a shared pool of configurable computer system resources and is an efficient and more secure way of using computing services over the Internet. SiteLock, a cloud-based website protection company, shares the reasons why your company or business should switch to this kind of solution.

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It saves you a lot of money. Possibly the best reason to switch to a cloud solution is the fact that you don’t have to pay for your own corporate data center, its staff, and the overhead costs that go with it. SiteLock says that the overall savings go way beyond because most service providers enforce a pay-as-you-go model, only charging on the services procured.

It gives a scalable solution. As your business grows, so will your computing needs. You will need additional space or capacity, and cloud computing solutions are scalable in a sense that they can provide whatever you need anytime you want it. If you have recently hired people, the cloud-based solution can add them to the system in minutes.

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It offers mobility. Many of us are working remotely, and your cloud storage lets you work anywhere, as long as you have access to the system. Gone are the days of carrying folders or other work-related documents as you travel. Everything you need is easily accessible, including big files or presentations, as long as you have steady internet access.

SiteLock provides cloud-based website protection, fixing threats, preventing future attacks, accelerating site performance, and meeting PCI compliance standards for businesses of all sizes. For more articles like this, visit this page.

An important reminder on firewalls, networks, and cyber safety

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Cybersecurity comes in many forms, especially for large enterprises that heavily depend on websites to do their business. Most of the time, these websites link up with many computers in the office that are either connected to servers or clouds, or both. With all these easily accessed connections, companies and their IT departments might need to be refreshed on the basics of firewalls and network security.

Firewalls keep viruses, malware, and other unwanted data from infiltrating a computer, and in extension, a network. This common yet effective cybersecurity device was developed to keep a computer safe from being accessed by people without the proper credentials.

Businesses that rely on websites need to have stronger firewalls since websites are gateways for many cybercriminals. The stronger the firewall, the more secure the information is beyond the website, especially if it is a website where visitors input sensitive information such as bank account and credit card details.

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Millions of computers have been hacked in the past because their firewalls failed to keep out a handful of hackers. Over the years, we’ve heard reports of entire enterprises having compromised security because of unwarranted access. IT departments in companies then need to make sure that their firewalls are up to date—especially since hackers are always developing new ways to attack via websites.

SiteLock offers web security protection that covers a broad range of services, including website acceleration through improved SEO and bandwidth reduction, DDoS protection, firewall development, and automated detection and removal of malware threats and other related scams. For more web security tips, visit this blog.

Four key steps to keep your business safe from black hat hackers

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Cyberattacks have become more common over the recent years, and business owners are doing everything they can to keep off black hat hackers from their tracks. Data losses could mean setbacks in operations, or even failure to operate altogether.

Enhance IT presence and security practices. Small business owners may choose to handle their company’s cybersecurity needs. However, this may not be for the best interest of their business. While it can save them money, allocating budget for the IT systems from the get-go may potentially save more money in the long run. Data breaches can harm a business and are expensive, ranging from $35,000 to $50,000 in recovery expenses. Consider investing in a cyber liability insurance policy to offset the costs by paying for costs such as services for credit monitoring, customer notification, and legal expenses.

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It’s not enough for a small business owner to invest in a safe and reliable IT security system, employees must also be educated on the best cybersecurity practices. Often, an entrepreneur isn’t an IT expert, so are their employees. Educating them on the best practices is crucial for protecting a firm’s data.

Maintain end-to-end encryption software, safeguarding point-of-sales systems. Lacking in this area of the business can put not only the company’s sensitive data but also their customers’. Even if black hat hackers can install malware on the POS system, employing end-to-end encryption software protects all information as they are encrypted immediately after being received by through a server.

Founded in 2008, SiteLock is a global leader in business website security solutions, serving over 8 million customers worldwide. For more information about SiteLock, head over to this website.

Why companies with websites should always update their software

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Updated software is a crucial part of any company that relies heavily on its websites for its operations. Unfortunately, the use of outdated software is a by-product of cost-cutting programs done by hundreds of businesses. Running obsolete software and legacy systems (OS that no longer under updates), especially for website-reliant companies is a very dangerous game since the security itself of these programs is outdated.

Countless IT horror stories tell of malware and viruses crashing the computers of entire companies, computers that would have been safe had software been up to date. Take for instance the WannaCry ransomware that encrypted all the files of over 160,000 computers. IT experts found that nearly seven out of every ten computers that were hit by WannaCry had Windows 7 as their OS.

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Future versions of Windows have patches that would have detected and blocked or quarantined WannaCry before the ransomware could do its damage. That’s the advantage to updating software.

Now, imagine a company with dozens of computers running on old programs, all of which with their own part to play in maintaining a website. Assuming that all their software is the same, and all their vulnerabilities, identical. All a hacker has to do is look for the weak spot and launch a single attack via the website. It could cripple all operations and bring down the company.

So, do yourself and your company a favor. Check if the software that’s running your website is up to date. If it isn’t, raise the issue to the people who need to know about it.

SiteLock offers web security protection that covers a broad range of services, including website acceleration through improved SEO and bandwidth reduction, DDoS protection, firewall development, and automated detection and removal of malware threats and other related scams. For more web security tips, visit this site.

A closer look at the most secure websites

Today, countless businesses have everything on their websites, from client information to transaction schedules. Even the most sensitive information of a company is stored on websites.

While some businesses can afford to have highly-secured servers or have moved to cloud-based technology, smaller companies still rely on PCs and laptops to maintain their websites and hold shared information. For owners or system administrators of these smaller companies, it might be helpful to take a good look at what the most secure websites have in common.

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Pop-ups (or lack thereof) Pop-ups, surprise ads, and banners that seem out of place may in fact, well be out of place. Phishing and UI Redress experts create these “portals” that either send site visitors to fake sites or steal information from them outright. The most secure websites such as PayPal and eBay have minimal ads and banners.

Contact Us (or maybe not)

A secure site usually has a complete “Contact Us” page, or at the very least, a working phone number. Hackers have found a way to simply take information by putting in a dummy email on the page.

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Padlocks and Ss

One of the best examples is the padlock icon that can be seen in internet browser address bars. This icon is a symbol of a secure site. Another such sign of a secure website is the letter “S” at the end of the “http,” thus looking like https://.

SiteLock offers comprehensive, cloud-based website protection that automatically fixes threats, prevents future attacks, accelerates website speed, and meets PCI compliance standards. The company has been in operation since 2008. For more information on Sitelock’s services, click this link.

The benefits of having cloud-based web security

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Maintaining top-level security is among the main priorities of any business. And migrating to cloud-based protection is now the way to go. If IT services are to truly be effective, they must be able to keep in step with the speed of technological innovations and disruptions while providing comprehensive security capabilities and solutions.

For one, cloud-based security allows clients to better focus on their business while maintaining a high level of application control of their own personal content, systems, and networks. In other words, cloud allows for a new depth in defense, a reduction of the total security surface coverage or area as it works as a system container of sorts which envelops more traditional security systems.

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Cloud offers high-capacity scaling while doing away with huge capital expenditures often tied up to security-system infrastructure. Security providers using cloud-based solutions are made up of highly skilled individuals who must abide by strict cybersecurity standards set by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. They must therefore meet the highest and most updated security demands of modern commerce, which is especially crucial with the arrival of both Software as a Service (SaaS) and Platform as a Service (PaaS).

Also, with solutions configured on cloud servers, security seamlessly integrates with compliance reporting. Activity monitoring now includes detecting any configuration change and/or security event based on established security controls and compliance protocols. In a nutshell, no non-cloud-based company can match the level of continuous, up-to-date service and expertise that cloud providers offer.

SiteLock offers comprehensive, cloud-based website protection that automatically fixes threats, prevents future attacks, accelerates website speed, and meets PCI compliance standards. The company has been in operation since 2008. For more information on Sitelock’s services, click thislink.

Why websites should be HTTPS-enabled

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Looking at the address bar of a web browser, one would see an “http://” or “https://” right before the URL of the webpage. For those who do not know yet, the “s” stands for “secure,” which means there is an extra layer of protection for a website’s sensitive information.

During the first years after the security protocol was developed, most websites who made use of it were e-commerce sites. It helped ensure that customer information and payment details remained confidential. But there have been lots of efforts to have many sites be HTTPS-enabled, with Google calling the initiative “HTTPS Everywhere.”

There are several reasons website owners should use HTTPS, such as the following:

Security

As already mentioned, security is the primary purpose of an HTTPS connection. Other than preventing data from falling into the wrong hands, it also ensures that communications between the site and the user cannot be tampered with and injected with malicious ads or spyware.

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SEO ranking

Google applications, such as Chrome, label non-HTTPS websites as dangerous; it is part of the tech giant’s algorithm to favor HTTPS websites. As a matter of fact, 40% of the organic listings on the first page of Google search are HTTPS-enabled. To increase the possibility of a website ranking high in search engines, making it HTTPS is one of the first steps.

Customer confidence

More and more users are becoming knowledgeable on the workings of the Internet. There are some who would consciously look for a secure connection when visiting a website. Most browsers indicate if a website is safe and even prompt users if the site is not.

SiteLock is a worldwide leader in website security. Read more about the company here.