Computer Monitor with coding

The Importance of Security In Website Design
San Antonio, Texas

According to a study released by Hiscox in 2021, "Hiscox Cyber Readiness Report", small businesses lose an average of $25,612 when impacted by a cyber attack. These attacks are on the rise as cyber crimanls also known as "Black Hat Hackers" attempt to maximize their earnings by grabbing the easy to reach low hanging fruit. Why go through the trouble of physically breaking into a bank when the information to potentially login online and make a transfer coulde exist on an unprotected website? This is why it is imperative for small businesses to consider not only who is building, designing, or optimizing their website, but also what tools they are using and how the integrity of the site will be maintained.

"PurpleSEC Security Trends 2021" Cybercrime as a whole has increased by 600% since the beginning of the global pandemic. As the world continues to wait for the future of the virus and lockdowns there’s one thing that’s certain – cybercrime will only continue to increase in 2021."

Did you know more than 90% of Wordpress sites were hacked last year? Unfortunately, it's not just Wordpress, as no website can be 100% protected against all threats on the internet. This is because there isn't just one way in. Whether it be the plug-in you used, the wrong website configuration, a weak password, or even a link that was clicked accidentaly by staff; vulnerabilities remain ever present in today's technological society. Reducing the risks should be carefully thought out for ever Business when weighing tools, configurations, and even the type of information that will be stored and recieved on even the smallest of sites. This is especially true when considering a site that will appear as a nice big target displayed proudly on the front page of google. Do you still trust the YouTube videos on how to build your website? How about your wife's sister's second removed tech savvy cousin? Heck, who exactly at the website design company you're working with is actually going to take the time to build out the website that will eventually hold valuable company information?

To be clear this isn't just about the direct financial impact to a business either. The cost to detect and escalate a breach, crisis management, notifications sent to customers, communicating with regulators, legal expenses, fines, customer restitution, the list goes on and on. To a business there is another key impact that to some, may be considered the most damaging. Trust and reputation. A customer's trust is hard to earn, and a brands reputation can make powerful first impressions on potential clients. Huge companies like Target have legions of PR personnel to handle breaches, but often times small companies get the short end of the stick when they have a breach occur. A readily available statistic indicates that 60% of small business who are affected by a cyber attack go out of business within 6 months.

Ultimately, it's important to be able to get clients, and doing so on the digital front is a great way to attract more people who may need your services. However, when trusting technology with a company brand and customer's information, make sure that you are taking every possible opportunity to ensure proper website design and security is maintained.