The threat of hacked content and knowing prevention is better than a cure

As 2019 is coming to an end, hackers are front and centre with more reports of hacked content being seen in Google search engine results every day.

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There has also been a resurgence of tricks such as bait-and-switch content hacks, where access is gained to a site and pages are published on subjects the site wouldn’t normally cover. The site in question might not even know those pages exist. Here is a look at some methods you can use to protect your site from potentially costly attacks.

1) Ensure you are vigilant.

Make sure you are monitoring your website every day from an SEO and usability point of view. You might also choose to run a daily security scan.  If you want any help or advice from a specialist then maybe contact an seo belfast agency ryco marketing who are a SEO Belfast company.    They will be more than happy to give you personalised information to suit your needs.

2) Use the available tools.

Google have Search Console and Bing have Webmaster, both of which deliver site health diagnostics that make it easier to see what is occurring around your site. They can also help resolve issues in site recovery.

3) Be up-to-date.

Hacked sites are often victims of outdated software. Make sure all your plugins and add-ons along with your platform are updated regularly, and don’t forget your secure firewalls.

4) Make your passwords secure.

Choose passwords that are unique, long and strong to ensure hackers can’t get lucky and guess them. An ideal password combination contains symbols mixed with letters and numbers.

5) Check your hosting.

Ensuring you are hosted by a well-known provider with quality security offerings will help you immensely in your fight against potential hackers. A good London website design agency can help you choose one right for you.

6) Backup, backup, backup.

If the worst happens, you will absolutely need your data to have been backed up so you can revert to a previously stored version of your site.

A site hack can be a traumatic time for all concerned. It truly is better to protect than to respond, so make sure you take all the steps necessary to stop it before it starts. Follow our tips and your site will be as secure as it can be.