How to Protect Website Content

Typically the contents of a website are lost when a web server disk drive is corrupted or a virus infects the drive, unless a good back up system is in place. Hard drives will eventually malfunction and the content is lost. Most hosting companies are proactive in replacing hard drives but unless the website is getting backed up all the contents of a website can be lost at any time. Note hosting companies will not take responsibility for it, see their terms and conditions.

As most people know viruses are prevalent. Hosting companies provide a certain level of virus protection for the webserver (e.g. LAMP stack) but malware also enters a website through the content management system e.g. Drupal and WordPress. Hosting companies do not provide any security to prevent malware from entering through a CMS.

BI has extensive experience helping clients take preventive measures to safeguard their websites. Below are some of the services we offer to help keep your website safe:

• Set up a website backup plan with the hosting company.
• Install a ‘site uptime’ utility that will send an email if the site goes down.
• Perform Content Management System (CMS) security updates.
• Conduct a monthly review of disk space and memory usage to ensure proper bandwidth.
• Perform a security audit, including a code review and scanning the site for security vulnerabilities.
• Configure the CMS security plug-ins and modules.
• Provide training on best practices for setting up content management user profiles (usernames, passwords, administrative access permissions) and 2-factor authentication.

Please note, websites are not automatically backed up and there are many different kinds of backup options. As a web development company, we do not host your website. Your website hosting company manages backing up your site.

If you have any questions on how to secure a website or how to protect website content, feel free to contact us - we’re happy to help!