How safe is Your Website?

Posted on Nov 6 2015 - 4:42pm by Editor

In the wake of the recent TalkTalk scandal, it’s become more important now than ever to think about a website’s cyber-security. With TalkTalk potentially jeopardising the information of thousands of customers and their bank account details, the scandal has shown just how important it is to keep your information secure. Are you confident your website’s safe enough?

How safe is Your Website

What Happened at TalkTalk?

The TalkTalk hack at the end of October was originally thought to be a mass scale data breach that could have affected every TalkTalk customer. Thankfully, it appears as though the extent of the breach isn’t that great, with TalkTalk themselves stating that it was “significantly smaller than expected”.

However, it is still believed that around 21,000 unique bank accounts and sort numbers may have been accessed, as well as 28,000 obscured credit and debit card details. On top of this, the date of birth of 15,000 customers may have been accessed, as well as 1.2 million customer email addresses, names and phone numbers.

In a nutshell, this shows us just how important cyber safety has become, with simple attacks such as these providing hackers and criminals with large amounts of information, including back account information of customers. It’s likely that TalkTalk will face millions of pounds worth of damage, costs and law suits as a direct result of the hack, too. So the cost could be huge. To make sure your business is safe from this type of attack, your level of cyber security must be high.

Is My Website Safe?

If you’re unsure how safe your website is, then it’s well worth getting it pen tested. Penetration testing allows you to see the ‘risk’ associated with your website, showing you how likely it is that hackers will be able to hack into your website and exploit any vulnerabilities. In doing so, it shows you how the data can be accessed and exactly what can be accessed. Then, by knowing the limits of your website, you’re able to fix them, providing a secure place for customers to shop.

Why Do I need it to be Safe?

If you’re running an e-commerce website, then data safety is critical for your business. If a website isn’t perceived to be safe, then customers won’t use it. If it’s hacked, then you could be hit with huge fines if data is breached. If you’re unsure how safe your site is, then it’s well worth getting it tested. If not, you may end up in the same boat as TalkTalk.