A few days ago, I shared via an Instagram post that some of my websites recently incurred malware and were down for days. Not a lot of people knew about this and I also didn’t really have the energy to share because, at the time, I mostly felt exhausted and disappointed in myself. It was truly a horrible time and I was so downtrodden. Truth be told, the worst part of that entire experience was realizing that the cause of the downtime was actually preventable! If only I spent a minute or two every month to do routinary tasks! Alas, that’s now in the past and I now just consider that an expensive learning experience.
Now, I’m extra careful especially when it comes to data privacy, online security and digital protection measures. Cybersecurity threats are real, folks! And it can be financially, mentally and emotionally devastating.
Now if you also have a website or blog and want to protect it against cyber attacks, viruses etc., let me share a few tips:
- Scan your site or blog regularly. Use a plugin or online tool that can scan your website for potential vulnerabilities.
- Create backups of your blog or site. More often than not, your hosting provider offers backup services. However, it’s also best that you create your own. A backup ensures that you can easily restore your blog before infections.
- Regularly update your plugins and erase those that you no longer use or need. This is really very crucial. Outdated plugins were part of the cause as to why my websites got infected. So make sure that you update your plugins. Moreover, if you no longer use some plugins, delete them from your server.
- Use a firewall. A firewall will act as your “first line of defense” against cyber attacks.
- Use secure and strong passwords. I can’t stress this enough. Make sure your passwords have uppercase and lowercase letters, number/s, symbol/s. Trigger multi-factor authentication protocols as well.
There are still a whole lot of ways you can protect your blog or website from the worries of online crises. Be equipped with cybersecurity know-how to rise above a crisis, make informed decisions, and win the war against cyber threats. DECODE 2021 will be on November 10-11.
DECODE is the premier cybersecurity conference in the Philippines hosted by Trend Micro, a global leader in cybersecurity. To know more about this event and to secure your slot for free, visit https://decodeph.com
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Mindanaoan is a multi-awarded blogger, content creator, seasoned social media strategist and publicist with undeniably successful track record. 2012 International Visitor Leadership Program (for global leaders) alumnus and O visa grantee (for people with extraordinary skills and who have risen to the top of their field). Avid traveler and a proud relief operations volunteer. Regular resource person for social media, blogging and content creation. Available for work and travel – [email protected]
