Five signs your website needs a security check
Most websites don’t come with a warning light. They keep working while small problems quietly build up. Here are five signs it may be time for a closer look, along with what you can do about each one today.
1. Your software is out of date
Many websites run on a content management system, or CMS. That is the software you log in to when you edit your pages, such as WordPress. Most sites also use plugins (add-ons that bring extra features) and a theme (the design layer).
Each of these is software, and software gets security updates. When updates are skipped, known weaknesses stay open, and automated tools scan the web looking for exactly those. Plugins that their developers no longer maintain are a particular concern, because fixes may never arrive.
What you can do: take a backup, then update your CMS, plugins and theme. Remove any you aren’t using. If a plugin hasn’t been updated in a long time, look for a maintained alternative. Turn on automatic updates where your host or CMS supports them.
2. The padlock is missing, or the certificate has expired
HTTPS is what puts the padlock next to your web address. It encrypts (scrambles) the information travelling between your visitors and your site, so it can’t be read or changed along the way. It relies on a small digital file called a certificate, which proves the site is really yours and needs to be renewed regularly.
If the browser shows “Not secure” next to your address, or visitors see a warning page, HTTPS is missing or the certificate has expired. Both put visitors off, and anything they type in is less protected.
What you can do: most hosting providers offer free certificates that renew automatically. Make sure it is switched on, that every page loads with https://, and that the old http:// address redirects to the secure version.
3. You don’t know everyone who can log in
Open the list of users who have admin access to your site. Are there names you don’t recognise? A developer from a few years ago? One shared login that several people use?
Every admin account is a key to your whole site. Old and forgotten accounts are easy to overlook, and easy to misuse.
Two-step login adds a second check after your password, usually a code from an app on your phone or a passkey (a sign-in method built into your device). Even if someone learns your password, they still can’t get in without that second step.
What you can do: remove accounts that are no longer needed. Give each person their own login, with only the access they need. Turn on two-step login for everyone with admin access, and for your hosting and domain accounts too.
4. You have no backups, or you’ve never tested one
A backup is a copy of your site that you can restore if something goes wrong, such as a bad update, a hacked page or an accidental deletion. Many people assume their host takes care of this. Some do. Some only do it on certain plans, and some keep copies for just a few days.
A backup also only helps if it actually restores. Finding out during an emergency is stressful.
What you can do: set up automatic backups that are stored somewhere separate from your site, and find out how long they are kept. Then try a test restore, ideally to a staging site (a private practice copy of your site), so you know the process works before you need it.
5. Your forms email sensitive details, or have no protection
Contact and booking forms are a common place for problems to hide. Two things to look for:
- Sensitive details sent by email. Many forms simply email each submission to you. That is convenient, but emails can sit in several inboxes and are easy to forward by mistake. It is a poor fit for things like health details, ID numbers or payment information.
- No spam or abuse protection. An unprotected form can be flooded with junk, used to send spam through your site, or used to test harmful input.
What you can do: only ask for what you really need. For sensitive information, use a secure form or booking service that stores submissions safely, and take payments through a trusted payment provider instead of a plain form. Add spam protection, such as a CAPTCHA (a quick check that a real person is filling in the form) or a honeypot (a hidden field that only bots fill in). Keep form plugins updated like everything else.
What a security check looks like
A good check starts with your permission and a clear list of what will be reviewed. You should come away with plain-language findings, sorted by what to fix first and what can safely wait. If any of the signs above sound familiar, that is a good reason to start.