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Your blog is your baby. You chose a niche, racked your brain on the domain name and theme, and you’ve probably written quite a few articles already. Picture this: one day, you wake up, and it’s all gone. Your website got hacked, and your articles were deleted. Just like that, all of your hard work and future income are gone.
It’s scary to even imagine that, right? Well, the truth is that anybody could become a target of cybercriminals at any moment. Actually, you can become a victim to a cyber attack every 39 seconds because that’s how often hackers strike. Every single day. Nonetheless, if you take a mere 4 security steps to secure your blog, you won’t have to worry about hackers as much. Keep on reading to learn those 4 steps!
1. Get a password manager
When you have a blog, you need to create so many new accounts. Your WordPress account (unless you use a different blogging platform), hosting service, work email, and all social media accounts. That’s just the minimum, and you probably have even more.
I’m guessing you fall into one of these categories when it comes to password management:
- You use the same password for all of your accounts;
- You create complex passwords and write them all down on a piece of paper, or;
- You use the built-in password manager on your browser.
Neither one of these options offer enough security. Using the same password means that hacking your Instagram is enough to get into everything else. A piece of paper can easily be lost or found by someone with malicious intent.
As for a browser’s built-in password manager, it only offers convenience but no security. Think about it: you don’t even need to enter a code to access all of your passwords. This means that anyone with access to your device can log into your accounts.
To keep your personal information safe, ditch your browser’s built-in password manager and use a separate Chrome password manager. It will encrypt all of your passwords and keep them safe under a digital lock and key.
2. Use a VPN
VPN stands for “virtual private network”. It encrypts all of your data and gives you an alternative IP address from any location you choose. Why would you need a VPN? Because if you get hacked, all that the hacker will see when they try to read your sensitive data is gibberish.
Using a VPN is especially important if you travel a lot and tend to use public wifi. As a fellow blogger, I know that being able to travel is one of the main perks of being your own boss.
Make sure to never forget the dangers of public wifi. If you’re connected to the same network as a hacker and the wifi isn’t encrypted, then hacking you isn’t difficult at all. A VPN will protect your blog’s sensitive data at all times.
Plus, if you use a VPN designed for businesses, you also have access to a series of perks. For instance, if you try GoodAccess features such as access via the cloud, identity-based access control (Zero-trust Access), and more will be at your disposal. This means that you can continue updating your blog regardless of your location and type of connectivity.
3. Monitor your comment section
The comment section can be a brutal place. Whether it’s social media, blogs, or anywhere else on the internet, you always need to be prepared for bullies and spammers. First off, make sure that the comments aren’t insulting to you or any of your readers. Your blog should be a safe space for everyone.
Second, look out for comments with unknown links as these may contain malware. If someone posts a comment with a link, hover over it and see if it’s secure. If it starts with “https”, the “s” means that the website is secure. However, if the URL starts with “http”, then the website is not secure, and there can be all sorts of malware on it. To be safe, delete all comments with such links.
4. Be cautious about posting personal information
When you receive positive comments on your blog and chat with your readers, it’s easy to start trusting them. As much as you love your readers, you should never let your guard down and disclose information that you shouldn’t.
Of course, most of your readers are genuinely interested in your content and like to read your blog and chat with you. However, keep in mind that hackers are everywhere, dropping bait and waiting for users to fall for it.
Never answer personal questions to strangers, no matter how trustworthy they may seem. If you use security questions for your accounts, make sure to keep the answers to those questions on the down-low, even if that means lying about the name of your first pet.
Also, be careful about what pictures you include in your blog posts. Avoid adding pictures of your home, your view, or places you regularly hang out. When your blog grows to hundreds of thousands of readers, you don’t want all of them to know where you live, right?
Now you know how to keep yourself and your blog safe!
Please don’t wait to take these cybersecurity steps until it’s too late, especially now that you know the risks of weak blog security. Start following these 4 easy but crucial security tips today to keep yourself and your readers safe.
