The rise of online security concerns

As the wealth of activities offered by the internet continues to grow every day, so too do modern online security concerns. The recent security scare at Gmail only served to highlight the fragility of today’s modern measures – more than 4.5 million users of the popular email service had no choice but to change their passwords after a database containing personal details was exposed on an internet site.

Account details and passwords on cryptocurrency Bitcoin Security were leaked. Other services offered by Google including file sharing platform Google Drive and mobile payment system Google Wallet were also revealed on social networking site Reddit.

Google has since reassured its customers that a password change will rectify any problems, but the scare has proven that all website hosts need to take extra measures to ensure they stay safe. This is a grave concern for those who are launching their own website for the first time, in particular hosts of e-commerce sites which require secure payment systems.

One type of e-commerce site that has risen in popularity in recent years and as such has to address these concerns is the online casino industry. Figures show that online gambling, despite worldwide legislation, has more than doubled in revenue since 2005, forcing web hosts to address their online security measures.

Affiliate marketing has been instrumental in addressing these concerns, particularly for customers. While there are millions of sites out there aimed at taking advantage of misinformed customers, today’s modern affiliate sites help direct customers to reputable gaming sites where payment security is a top priority.

But there are other measures that new website hosts can take in order to guarantee peace of mind for themselves and their customers. Keeping software up-to-date is imperative to protect your website from hackers – even if it is just a simple WordPress update, about which users will be reminded via the ‘Dashboard’ function – it can be instrumental in keeping a website safe.

Moreover, new website hosts should be aware of what information they are revealing to new customers. For example, if a user forgets his or her password, the error message should not give too much away.

File uploads are also a tricky subject when it comes to blocking out hackers – it is important that administrators keep an eye out for fake file extensions, even if it is for something as simple as a change of avatar.

While undoubtedly the biggest online security concern today is that of payment security, no new website host should start building without taking these tips into consideration.