Do I need SiteLock for my website: 4 top reasons to safeguard your site

8 MINS
Web.com Team

There is no shortage of website security add-ons available in the market. From firewalls to antivirus software — the options seem endless. This isn’t surprising as online threats continue to evolve and affect small businesses and enterprises daily.

Among commonly used website security solutions, SiteLock stands out as a reliable tool for safeguarding websites. It offers a comprehensive security solution tailored to the unique needs and budgets of small businesses. 

By implementing SiteLock, you can gain peace of mind knowing your website and customer data are protected from potential cyber threats.  

But many small business owners still question the necessity of these security measures.  

Are they worth the extra penny? This is a valid concern, and it’s essential to carefully evaluate the role of each security add-on before making a decision. 

The Impact of Web Security Breaches on Businesses  

Security breaches can be costly to your business. According to recent statistics, the cost of cybersecurity threats continues to rise. In 2023, cybersecurity costs are estimated at $11.50 trillion worldwide.  

In fact, the company T-mobile experienced a data breach that compromised an estimated 37 million customer accounts in 2021, costing them $350 million for settlement.   

But big companies aren’t the only potential targets for cybercriminals. In fact, studies show that 43% of cyberattacks targets small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) due to their lack of preparation to deal with an attack.

Paying that massive amount for your security breach settlement is devastating, especially for small businesses or startups. To avoid these incidents, you need to beef up your security services — that’s where SiteLock can help you. 

What is SiteLock? 

SiteLock provides a multi-layered security approach that combines automated scanning and manual verification to detect and remove malware from websites.  It protects your website from security threats with daily malware scans, web application firewall and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) protection.

These features allow you to quickly locate and take swift action against threats, such as:

  • identifying potential vulnerabilities

  • preventing unauthorized access from malicious traffic

  • mitigating large-scale attacks 

With SiteLock, you maintain a secure online environment for both the website owner and visitors. Since it detects and resolves security issues promptly, you prevent potential damage to your brand’s reputation and keep your customers’ trust. 

Is SiteLock the Same as SSL? 

Both are essential security measures for your website, but SiteLock differs from SSL.  

Ever noticed most website URLs start with HTTPS instead of just HTTP? That’s because they have installed SSL. 

Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) is a security certificate that secures communications between your website and its users. When you install an SSL certificate, data transmissions to and from your website are encrypted, making it difficult for hackers to bypass. Establishing a secure connection is especially important during sensitive website transactions, like signing up forms or processing online payments.  

On the other hand, SiteLock focuses on overall website security, including protection against malware, vulnerabilities, and other threats. While SSL is an essential component of website security, SiteLock offers a more comprehensive set of security features. 

SiteLock vs. Codeguard – a Quick Overview: 

While SiteLock and Codeguard are website security solutions, both have different focuses.  

SiteLock primarily focuses on real-time protection against malware, vulnerability scanning, and DDoS mitigation. It actively monitors and defends your website against various security threats.  

Codeguard, on the other hand, is a website backup and restore solution. It automatically creates backups of your website’s files and databases, allowing easy restoration in case you lose your data or if your website gets compromised. 

While SiteLock and Codeguard serve different purposes, they can complement each other as part of a comprehensive website security strategy. SiteLock focuses on proactive security measures, while Codeguard provides an added layer of protection through regular site backups in case of any unforeseen incidents. Combining both solutions is ideal in ensuring overall website security. 

4 Essential Reasons to Secure Your Website with SiteLock  

Mitigating Financial Losses  

Website security breach costs are expected to reach $23.82 trillion by 2027

Small businesses are particularly vulnerable due to potentially weaker security measures. Expenses related to incident response, forensic investigations, legal fees, customer notification, reputational damage, and potential loss of customers and revenue — these are costs you can’t easily afford. 

The pressure to protect their customer data is higher than ever for businesses. Many countries are enacting data protection and privacy laws, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in the United States. Non-compliance with these regulations can result in significant penalties and fines. 

Additionally, businesses may face lawsuits from affected customers or third parties, leading to costly legal battles and reputational damage. 

By proactively scanning and monitoring websites for malware and vulnerabilities with SiteLock, you’re able to protect customer data and comply with legal and regulatory requirements.  

Defending Against Malware and Hacking Attempts  

You’re more vulnerable to attack vectors when your website has outdated software, weak passwords, or insecure third-party plugins.  

Attack vectors are methods cybercriminals use to exploit these vulnerabilities and gain unauthorized access to websites. It may involve malware injections, brute force attacks, phishing attempts, or exploiting software vulnerabilities. 

Installing SiteLock thoroughly examines your website for malicious code and vulnerabilities. It identifies malware attacks and security breaches in real time, quickly detecting and resolving issues before they bring further damage. 

Other specific features and capabilities include: 

  • Daily malware scans and removal
  • Blacklist monitoring 
  • Automated bot blocking 
  • SiteLock seal 
  • Unlimited web pages scanned 
  • 12-hour response time 

Ensuring Website Availability and Performance  

You risk losing potential customers when visitors can’t access your website. Downtime disrupts business operations, impacting your employee’s productivity, customer support, and online transactions. Frequent or prolonged downtime also harms a business’s reputation, where you can lose customers’ trust. 

By actively monitoring websites, SiteLock detects potential issues that could lead to downtime or performance degradation. SiteLock’s proactive approach allows businesses to identify and address vulnerabilities, security threats, and performance bottlenecks. 

By enhancing website performance, SiteLock helps businesses provide a smooth and responsive online experience, minimizing customer frustration and abandonment. 

Enhancing SEO and Search Engine Rankings  

Search engines, like Google, consider security as one of the factors when determining website rankings, so insecure websites receive lower rankings as they strive to protect their users from potential threats. 

Google values positive user experiences, and a secure site provides that. Your visitors are more likely to engage with your site not only if it has fast load times but also if it has a security seal, like an HTTPS. These factors, in turn, signal to Google that your website provides value to users, improving your organic traffic. 

By using an SSL to encrypt your website’s transactions and installing SiteLock to guard your site against malicious third parties, you ensure secure connections and attract more organic traffic to your business. 

Addressing Compliance Requirements  

Since most transactions are now done online, businesses must meet regulatory compliance requirements to protect consumers. Failure to comply with industry-specific standards can result in legal consequences, financial penalties, and reputational damage.  

Thankfully, SiteLock offers valuable tools and features to meet these different industry-specific compliance standards and regulations: 

  • Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS): This applies to businesses that handle credit card transactions and requires implementing security measures to protect cardholder data. 
  • General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR): Applicable to businesses that handle the personal data of individuals in the European Union, the GDPR mandates strict data protection and privacy measures. 
  • Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA): Pertains to the healthcare industry and requires safeguards to protect patient health information. 
  • Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC): Establishes security standards for financial institutions to protect customer data and prevent fraud.  

If you’re a global e-commerce retailer, it’s essential to comply with PCI-DSS and protect your clients’ card data. If you’re handling a healthcare-related website, address HIPAA compliance requirements and secure your patients’ sensitive personal health records.  

Implementing SiteLock’s security measures ensures the protection of customer payment data and prevents unauthorized access through its specific features. For instance: 

  • Vulnerability Patching: SiteLock helps businesses address known vulnerabilities promptly, ensuring that websites are up to date with security patches required by compliance standards. 
  • Malware Detection and Removal: By actively scanning and detecting malware, SiteLock helps businesses protect sensitive data, prevent security breaches, and maintain compliance with industry standards. 
  • Web Application Firewall (WAF): SiteLock’s WAF safeguards against common attack vectors, preventing unauthorized website access and protecting data integrity. 
  • Data Privacy Measures: SiteLock assists businesses in protecting customer data by offering encryption capabilities, secure storage, and compliance with data protection regulations. 

Exploring SiteLock’s Pricing and Plans  

Web.com’s SiteLock offers various pricing plans for business needs and budgets. But the price typically depends on the level of protection and features included in each plan. Pick out the perfect plan that fits your goals and needs. 

SiteLock Essentials is suitable for small websites or businesses looking for basic protection. If you’re just starting out on your online journey and have a budget limit, the Essentials plan includes all the basic features to protect your website.

SiteLock Prevent is an advanced plan that offers a higher level and more comprehensive security features. This plan is suitable for growing websites or businesses that require more robust protection. It includes everything in the Basic plan, along with additional features to further protect your site —perfect for e-commerce websites that deal with several transactions every day. 

SiteLock Prevent Plus is our most advanced offering, providing advanced security measures for larger and high-traffic websites. This is perfect for websites that deal with sensitive data, like the finance, healthcare, or energy sectors.

Strengthen Your Website Secuity with SiteLock

Cyber threats and security breaches become more complex every day, making website security an urgent priority. For small to medium businesses, it’s not just an option — it’s a necessity.  

With SiteLock, establish a robust security system and gain your customers’ trust while you focus on growing your business’s success. By elevating your site security, you also avoid unnecessary costs and improve your SEO.

Don’t wait until it’s too late! Be proactive against threats with Web.com’s SiteLock today.

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