Websites in 2025 have a lot of information, some of this information is sensitive, take for example credentials, payment details and access keys the rest is non-sensitive like the copy shown on public pages.
The sensitive information must be protected lest it falls into the wrong hands and gets used maliciously. This is the focus of web security.
What is web security?
Web security involves the culmination of best practices that ensure that sensitive information never falls into the wrong hands. Even if it does, there remain means of tracking, recovering and possibly preventing malicious attack.
Why is web security important?
If overlooked, insecure websites are created which risk exposing sensitive information. Once in the wrong hands this information can be used for unauthorized access, data breaches, and identity theft.
It is for this reason that federal agencies like NIST CISA and the like develop and enforce federal IT security policies to protect users and their information when using our websites and online systems.
How to meet web security requirements.
- Use HTTPS: Installing and ensuring to renew an SSL/TSL certificate ensures that the data transfered between your website and users is encrypted and therefore harder to use even when intercepted.
- Keep software updated: Regularly updating your CMS, plugins, and server software ensures that new security patches are installed.
- Secure hosting: If you can buy a VPS for more control and isolation. Otherwise you must invest time into finding a reliable hosting provider that prioritizes firewalls, malware scanning, and intrusion detection.
- Implement Strong Authentication: If you are not yet sure about implementing your own authentication use an auth provider like clerk or kinde and use Multi Factor Authentication (MFA) for added protection
- Strong Passwords: Use strong passwords for your Admin accounts and enforce the same for your users through validation.
- Regularly Scan for Vulnerabilities: Use security tools like OWASP ZAP, Acunetix, or Netsparker to scan for vulnerabilities and fix identified issues promptly.
- Limit User Privileges: Assign appropriate roles and permissions to users and grant access to sensitive areas of the website to only those who need it.
- Backup your website Set up automatic, regular backups of your website files and database. Store backups securely, offsite, or in the cloud, and test restoration periodically.
- Protect sensitive data: Encrypt sensitive data stored on your server and a void storing unnecessary user data, especially financial or personal information.
- Comply with Security Standards: Follow guidelines from organizations like OWASP and frameworks like PCI DSS if handling payments.
- Test your security: Conduct penetration testing to identify weaknesses in your website. Hire penetration testers to simulate attacks using ethical hackers to uncover and resolve vulnerabilities.
