The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) defines Cybersecurity as a layered approach to prevent and defend against external threats, which primarily uses information security management to detect, investigate, and prevent cyber crimes and attacks. Computer networking, digital crime, digital infrastructure, and information systems are all involved in the greater scheme of things when it comes to combating cyber attacks. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has put out several cyber awareness programs that, while no doubt not comprehensive, at least attempt to give website owners some basic knowledge about the ongoing threats to US-based computer networks. There is a need to increase awareness among website operators concerning how cyber criminals can infiltrate their systems and attack critical infrastructure, and what measures website operators can take to mitigate the risk of such attacks and vulnerabilities.

Website security, or cybersecurity, is the prevention of security breaches, information theft, or system or network damage from external sources that could cause harm to the confidentiality, availability, and functionality of a website.

This encompasses a wide variety of practices intended to decrease the likelihood of security breaches that may cause significant or widespread harm to company assets or expose company secrets to the wrong people. While there is no single best practice or way to practice cybersecurity, there are a number of common-sense precautions website operators can take that will reduce their exposure to risks and help them better manage the risks they already face. In short, website security is a combination of prevention, detection, and remediation measures.

The increasing sophistication of cyber criminals and their ability to utilize the Internet and digital media for their nefarious purposes have increased the urgency for website operators to take a more aggressive stance on combating cyber threats. While there is no magic bullet, there are a number of simple steps to website operators can take to protect themselves against external threats and deter potential breaches. These include implementing firewalls that prevent access to website data and file servers by unauthorized parties, obtaining antivirus software that detects and logs hackers’ attempts to infiltrate company networks, educating employees about the importance of protecting company data from outside attacks, and educating users about the basics of online security. By practicing consistent cyber hygiene – protecting a website against known or suspected cyber threats, and consistently updating that protection – a website operator can effectively reduce the threat of vulnerabilities that may be exploited by cyber criminals and increase the likelihood that these attacks will be detected and corrected before they cause real harm.

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