Is your small business website secure? A five-minute check

Most small business websites are never checked for security until something goes wrong. You don't need to be technical to spot the warning signs. Here are five checks that take about five minutes.

1. Look for the padlock

Type your web address without "https://" and press Enter. Does it end up on an address starting with https, with a padlock in the address bar? If not, visitors may see a "Not secure" warning, and Google ranks you lower.

2. Check your security headers

Go to securityheaders.com and enter your web address. It gives you a grade from A+ to F. Most small business sites score D or F. An A means your site tells browsers to block common attacks.

3. Find out how old your software is

If your site runs on WordPress, sign in and look for update notices. Out-of-date plugins and themes are the most common way small business sites get hacked.

4. Ask who has the passwords

List everyone who can sign in to your website, your domain and your hosting: past designers, old staff, friends who helped. Remove anyone who no longer needs access, and change shared passwords.

5. Ask when it was last backed up

Your web host or developer should be able to tell you the date of the last backup, and how long it would take to restore your site.

If your site failed a check

None of these problems are unusual, and most are quick to fix. If your site needs constant updates just to stay safe, it may be time for something simpler and more secure.

A web developer who started in security

Before I built websites full time, I worked as a network security engineer. I build every site for Central Coast businesses with strict security headers, and without plugins that need constant updates. See my web development service or ask me to check your site.