March 6, 2019
Getting hacked as an individual is bad enough, especially considering the sheer volume of sensitive data stored on our phones, tablets and computers. When a thriving business or online retailer gets hacked, however, the consequences can be devastating. According to a recent report conducted by Sucuri, one of the industry’s leading website security firms, in 2018 WordPress sites accounted for a staggering 90% of all hacked website CMS (content management systems) based on their research and internal findings.
Image: Sucuri
In a very distant second was Magento with 4.6%, followed by Joomla which accounted for 4.3% of reported hacked CMS sites. While it’s been known for some time now that open source website builders are free and convenient, they do not come without an increased level of risk for those who choose to go that route.
The Most Widespread & Common Causes of Website Hacks
- Easily-compromised vulnerabilities in plugins, themes and extensions
- Incomplete, as well as poorly or incorrectly-configured CMS platforms
- A staunch increase in SEO spam, malware, backdoor and other attack mediums
- Websites that are not consistently maintained, or ignored entirely
- Failure to regularly update content management systems based on new threats
- Choosing not to pay the extra money for a trusted SSL-certificate
- Inexperienced webmasters who don’t recognize today’s threat diversity
Why Businesses Should Avoid Using Open Source Website Creators
Open source software is just that… open to anyone. And this includes no shortage of shady characters who make a living breaking into websites in order to impart ransomware, hostage data, theft of intellectual property and, in many cases, just for the sheer fun of it. If you take your business seriously, you absolutely need to treat your online security with the same high level of importance. Choosing a free website builder simply because it’s free is not a wise business move. And as history has demonstrated it can be extremely costly in the long run.
Hackers are getting exponentially more clever with each passing month. If you’re not taking a proactive approach to protecting your data, privacy and ability to operate online, you’re putting yourself and your livelihood in real jeopardy. For those who currently run their business from an unsecure open source platform, read this article on converting WordPress websites to highly-secured CMS systems.
Learn How CMS Max Can Help Protect Your Business Website
At CMS Max, every website we create is built on a platform of the most advanced and secure technology available, while still being remarkably easy for the end user to manage. If you’re concerned about the security of your company’s most valuable online data, or interested in learning more about the vast benefits of updating to a more secure and algorithm-friendly website, we staff a team of webmasters and experts who are here and ready to help.
Get in touch with CMS Max to speak with a member of our team or schedule a free consultation by writing to us in confidence through our website’s contact form.
