It happened to the SEC.
It has happened to a few major banks.
Who will be the next to be hacked?
Is your website secure? Do you have a plan for getting things back online in the event of a hack?
Can someone hack your phone’s Bluetooth and retrieve all your carefully stored passwords?
I’m certainly not a security expert by any means. But I did take the time to research what an SSL (secure sockets layer) certificate is, how it can help my website, and then make a decision if it was needed.
I did take the time to change all my passwords (this took a long time!), and upgrade network hardware and software to the most recent versions.
I quizzed my hosting provider about all of their server technology, security and hack attempts.
I created a backup plan to make sure that I could restore quickly in the event of a hack.
A friend of mine had his identity stolen. He said the weirdest thing about the whole experience was that since he didn’t keep any cash on hand, he had to borrow from another friend to afford supper the night after it happened!
Security is a touchy thing – everything works… until it doesn’t.
And when things go boom – the explosion can hurt for a very long time. Ask the important questions. Don’t play ostrich with your head in the sand.
Create a plan for restoring access to your site, loading backup files, and minimizing financial loss. And when you work on your plan – use the perspective that you may be next on the “hack” list.
Please, please take action after you read this. Even if you just start asking questions.
They say that no publicity is bad publicity, but… Combining your company name with any sort of security breach is probably an exception to the rule.
(photo credit: Photo by Kaur Kristjan on Unsplash)