Is Your Business Website Secure? The Essential Checks

Your website is often the first impression customers have of your business. It's also, for many small businesses, one of the most overlooked security vulnerabilities. A compromised website can expose your customers' data, redirect visitors to malicious sites, damage your Google ranking, and seriously harm your reputation — sometimes without you even knowing it's happening.

The good news is that checking your website security doesn't require technical expertise. Here are the essential checks every Australian small business should perform — and what to do if you find a problem.

Check 1: Is Your Website Using HTTPS?

The most basic security check is whether your website uses HTTPS (the padlock icon in the browser address bar). HTTPS encrypts the connection between your website and your visitors, protecting any data they submit — contact forms, login credentials, payment details.

To check: simply visit your website and look at the browser address bar. If it shows a padlock and begins with "https://", you're using HTTPS. If it shows "http://" without the padlock, or if the browser shows a "Not Secure" warning, your site is not using HTTPS.

HTTPS requires an SSL certificate, which is now free and straightforward to set up. If your site isn't using HTTPS, speak with your website host or developer about enabling it. Most hosting providers (Crazy Domains, VentraIP, Panthur, SiteGround) include free SSL certificates via Let's Encrypt.

Check 2: Is Your SSL Certificate Valid and Current?

Having HTTPS isn't enough if your SSL certificate has expired or is misconfigured. An expired certificate will cause browsers to display a security warning that actively drives visitors away.

To check: visit your site and click the padlock icon. You should see a message like "Connection is secure" and be able to view certificate details including the expiry date. Alternatively, use the free tool at ssllabs.com/ssltest to get a detailed security grade for your site's SSL configuration.

SSL certificates typically need to be renewed every 12 months, though certificates from Let's Encrypt auto-renew every 90 days when properly configured. Check your hosting panel or ask your developer whether auto-renewal is set up.

Check 3: Is Your Content Management System Up to Date?

If your website runs on WordPress, Shopify, Squarespace, Wix, or another content management system (CMS), keeping it updated is critical. The majority of WordPress website compromises exploit known vulnerabilities in outdated plugins or themes — vulnerabilities that have already been patched in newer versions.

To check your WordPress site: log in to the WordPress admin dashboard and look for any update notifications (usually shown as a number badge on the Updates menu item). Run available updates for WordPress core, themes, and plugins. Consider setting up automatic updates for security releases.

For Shopify, Squarespace, or Wix, the platform handles core updates automatically. Your main responsibility is keeping any third-party apps and integrations up to date.

Check 4: Are You Using Strong Admin Credentials?

Brute-force attacks on website admin accounts are extremely common. Attackers use automated tools to try thousands of username and password combinations per minute. If your WordPress admin username is "admin" and your password is simple, you're highly vulnerable.

Actions to take:

• Change any default admin usernames (like "admin") to something unique
• Use a strong, unique password for all admin accounts — consider using a password manager like 1Password, Bitwarden, or Dashlane
• Enable two-factor authentication on your CMS admin account where supported
• Delete any admin accounts that are no longer needed

Check 5: Do You Have a Web Application Firewall?

A Web Application Firewall (WAF) sits in front of your website and filters out malicious traffic — including common attacks like SQL injection and cross-site scripting (XSS). For WordPress sites, plugins like Wordfence or Sucuri provide WAF functionality. For any website, the free tier of Cloudflare offers basic WAF protection and DDoS mitigation.

If your site handles customer data, processes payments, or is critical to your business operations, a WAF is worth the modest investment.

Check 6: Is Your Site Backed Up Regularly?

If your website is compromised, you want to be able to restore a clean version quickly. Check that:

• Your website is being backed up automatically and regularly (daily is ideal for active sites)
• Backups are stored separately from your live site (not just in your hosting account, which could also be compromised)
• You or your developer can actually restore from a backup — test it

Many hosting providers offer automatic backups. VentraIP, Crazy Domains, and SiteGround all offer automated backup features. WordPress plugins like UpdraftPlus or BackupBuddy can back up your site automatically to cloud storage.

Check 7: Use a Website Security Scanner

Free online tools can scan your website for common vulnerabilities and malware. Some options:

• Sucuri SiteCheck (sitecheck.sucuri.net) — scans for malware, blacklisting status, and security issues
• Google Safe Browsing (transparencyreport.google.com/safe-browsing/search) — checks whether Google has flagged your site
• Mozilla Observatory (observatory.mozilla.org) — assesses your site's HTTP security headers

If any of these tools flag issues, take them seriously. A site that has been blacklisted by Google will disappear from search results, which can be devastating for businesses that rely on organic traffic.

Key Takeaways

• Confirm your site uses HTTPS with a valid, current SSL certificate — free certificates are available from most Australian hosting providers
• Keep your CMS, plugins, and themes up to date — outdated plugins are the leading cause of WordPress site compromises
• Use strong, unique admin credentials and enable two-factor authentication on your CMS
• Set up regular automatic backups stored separately from your live site
• Use free tools like Sucuri SiteCheck and Google Safe Browsing to scan for existing issues

Website security is one component of your overall cyber risk profile. Take the free Flagged cyber risk assessment to see how your website security stacks up alongside the rest of your business's security posture.