If you own a business, your website has likely been hacked. It’s not uncommon for hackers to take over businesses and personal computers by circulating spam messages with malware hidden inside.
This malware takes over your computer and blocks you from accessing any of its files or programs until you pay a ransom to get them back.
If this has happened to your business and you need help recovering, these ten tips will show you how to protect against hackers and where to start when recovering from a website hacking incident:
1) Keep Your Antivirus Up-To-Date
You can’t have too much antivirus protection! Ensure that every device’s antivirus program is up-to-date so they are constantly scanning for viruses.
You should have antivirus protection on your computer, smartphone, tablet, and any other device that connects to the internet.
2) Create A System to Restore Point
If you need to become more familiar with what a system restore point is, it’s a digital photo album of every single change that has happened to your computer since you bought it new.
It can be compared to taking snapshots as an image progresses through different stages in its life: they all provide vital information about what changed and when.
A system restore point acts as a checkpoint, so if something does happen and you need to revert to an earlier version of your computer, you can always do so
3) Use Password Management Software
This software generates and stores complex passwords for you, making it difficult for hackers to access your accounts.
Password management can be used to generate passwords for devices and applications and store them securely so you never have to remember them.
4) Back-Up Your Website Regularly
If your website is hacked, the last thing you want is for it to spread across other websites, which can quickly become a major headache if you need to know how to stop it.
Keep backups of your website just in case anything does happen, and recover from it before hackers do damage that can’t be reversed.
5) Update Software And Apps Regularly
Hackers usually exploit outdated software on a computer or device by accessing a security hole within its coding. Hackers often target any open ports on a system through this process.
Make sure that you update your software and apps regularly to avoid this from happening.
6) Use A Firewall
A firewall is essential to your computer security and should always be enabled.
It acts as a barrier between your computer and the internet, blocking unauthorised access while allowing authorised communication.
7) Restrict File Downloads
Hackers often use file downloads to spread malware onto your computer. Be careful about what files you’re downloading, and ensure they are from a trusted source before opening them.
You can also scan files with antivirus software to check for malicious activity before opening them.
8) Keep Your Operating System Up-To-Date
Just like software and apps, hackers will often target out-of-date operating systems to gain access to your computer.
Keep it up-to-date by applying all updates as required; this way, you won’t leave any vulnerabilities open for hackers to exploit.
9) Secure Your Wireless Network
Hackers will look for weaknesses within your wireless network, so protect yourself by changing the default password that came with it or using WPA/WPA2 encryption, which offers more robust protection than the standard security.
10) Check For Viruses Regularly
As well as checking your software and apps are up-to-date, check your computer regularly for viruses, too, because hackers can use old viruses to access any loopholes they may have left behind.
You should also ensure that your antivirus protection is up-to-date to protect you against the latest viruses.
If you follow these ten easy tips, you’ll be well on your way to recovering from a website hacking attack. Remember to keep your devices and software up-to-date and to scan all files before opening them to help protect yourself from future attacks.
If you experience a hack, react quickly and restore your website backups to limit the damage that can be caused. For more advice and support, contact a professional hacker recovery service for help getting your business back on track.