Why you should audit your website's security (and how to do it)

Web security is not just for big companies

"I'm only a small business, who would want to hack my site?"

That is the most dangerous reasoning there is. The reality is that 43% of cyberattacks target small businesses — not because they are interesting targets in themselves, but because they are easy prey.

The bots scanning the internet for vulnerabilities do not tell the difference between a multinational and a bakery's brochure site. They test the same flaws everywhere, automatically, 24/7.

A compromised site means damaged reputation, exposed customer data, and often weeks of work to put everything back in order — not to mention potential GDPR penalties.

What attackers really look for

Understanding common attack vectors means understanding what to protect. Here are the most frequent on SME sites.

SSL/HTTPS — the essential baseline

A plain HTTP site (without the "S") transmits all data in the clear over the network. Logins, contact forms, payment information — all interceptable.

Today, browsers explicitly show "Not secure" for sites without HTTPS, which drives visitors away before they have even read your content.

Also check: a misconfigured, expired, or incomplete-chain SSL certificate can be as problematic as no SSL at all.

OWASP Top 10 flaws

OWASP (Open Web Application Security Project) publishes a yearly ranking of the most exploited web vulnerabilities. The most frequent on CMSs like WordPress or Prestashop:

• SQL injection — a poorly protected form field can grant access to your entire database
• Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) — malicious code injected into your pages and run in your visitors' browsers
• Outdated components — a plugin or theme left un-updated with a publicly known flaw

Security HTTP headers

HTTP headers are instructions your server sends browsers to tell them how to behave. Many sites ignore them entirely.

The critical headers:

• Content-Security-Policy — defines the allowed sources for scripts, images, styles
• X-Frame-Options — stops your site from being loaded in an iframe (clickjacking)
• Strict-Transport-Security — forces HTTPS even if someone types "http://"
• X-Content-Type-Options — stops browsers from guessing the content type

DNS security

Little known, but crucial. Misconfigured DNS records can let attackers spoof your domain to send phishing emails in your name.

The protocols to check: SPF, DKIM and DMARC to protect your email reputation, and validating your DNS zone to avoid "DNS hijacking".

How to audit your site without being a developer

The good news: you do not need to be a security expert to get a clear picture of your site's state.

Tools like AeviaSecurity can, in under 60 seconds, scan your domain and give you:

• An overall security score out of 100
• The detail of identified issues, ranked by criticality
• Concrete recommendations for each flaw

It is a good starting point to know where you stand before going further.

For deeper audits, tools like Mozilla Observatory, Security Headers or Qualys SSL Labs analyze specific aspects in detail.

Continuous monitoring — because a flaw can appear at any time

An audit is a snapshot at a moment in time. Threats evolve. A plugin update can introduce a new vulnerability. An SSL certificate can expire.

Best practices for the long run:

• Update your CMS and plugins as soon as security updates are available
• Set expiry alerts for your SSL certificates (think 30 days ahead)
• Do a quarterly audit at minimum — or monthly if your site handles sensitive data
• Enable a WAF (Web Application Firewall) if your host offers one

Where to start?

If you have never done a security audit, start by checking two things tonight:

1. Is your site on HTTPS? (look at the URL in your browser)

2. Is your SSL certificate valid and up to date? (click the padlock in the address bar)

Then run a free audit to get the full picture. Better to find a vulnerability yourself than let a bot or an attacker find it for you.