Website Security: The Complete Checklist (2026 Edition)
43% of cyber attacks target small businesses. 60% of small businesses close within 6 months of a breach.
Threat landscape: 30,000 websites hacked daily, 43% target small businesses, $4.45M average breach cost, 60% close within 6 months, 236 days average to identify breach.
Common attacks: SQL injection (malicious database queries), XSS (cross-site scripting, steals cookies), brute force (password guessing), malware (site redirects, pop-ups, locked admin).
Essential checklist: SSL certificate, strong admin passwords (16+ chars), two-factor authentication, keep software updated, regular backups (daily automated + monthly manual), firewall (Cloudflare).
Important: change default admin URL, limit login attempts, remove unused plugins, set file permissions correctly, disable directory listing, add security headers (CSP, X-Frame-Options). Free tools: Sucuri SiteCheck, Mozilla Observatory, Qualys SSL Labs, Google Search Console. We build secure by default.