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Urgent: Is Your Website Running on Unsupported PHP? Upgrade Now for Optimal Security

Urgent: Is Your Website Running on Unsupported PHP? Upgrade Now for Optimal Security

by | Jan 31, 2023 | Web Design

When was the last time you updated your website and all its components?

It’s important to keep your website and server up to date for optimal security and performance. Chances are, if you haven’t updated in the past few months, the PHP version used by your website may be unsupported. With the recent end-of-life for PHP version 7.4 in November, it’s time to take action and update both your website and its server. Read on to discover why updating all components of your WordPress website and the web server that runs it is so important.

Security

One of the most important reasons for updating your WordPress website and webserver is to ensure the security of your website. Regular updates are released to fix vulnerabilities, prevent cyber-attacks, and reduce the risk of your website being hacked or compromised.

Performance

Regular updates will not only improve security but will also improve the performance of your website. Newer versions of WordPress and PHP are optimised to have faster load times and improved overall performance. When website components are optimised, your website will run smoother, faster, and more efficiently, providing a better user experience for your visitors.

Compatibility

Updating your WordPress website and web server regularly ensures that your website is compatible with the latest technologies and plugins so the website functions as it should, without any compatibility issues. If compatibility issues arise, they are able to be quickly resolved.

Improved Features

Maintaining an updated website and server will allow you access to new and improved features. Newer versions of WordPress and PHP often come with new features and enhancements that can improve the functionality and usability of your website.

Don’t let outdated technology put your website at risk.

Updating your website and its components regularly not only ensures its security but also enhances its performance. So, are you ready to take the necessary steps to keep your website secure and up-to-date? Take action now and ensure the success of your online presence.

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How WordPress Can Help Your Business Succeed

How WordPress Can Help Your Business Succeed

by | Jan 15, 2023 | Business Marketing, Digital Marketing, SEO, Services, Web Design

WordPress is the most popular website-building platform in the world and with good reason. It’s easy to use and incredibly versatile, allowing you to create anything from a simple blog to a complex e-Commerce storefront. But there are other benefits of using WordPress that you may not be aware of—benefits that can give your business the edge it needs to succeed in today’s competitive digital landscape. Let’s take a look at some of those benefits.

saving money

Cost Savings

One of the biggest advantages of using WordPress is its cost savings. Because it’s open-source software, anyone can use it for free—no need for expensive web design or development services. Not only that, but because WordPress has such strong community support, there are lots of free or low-cost plugins, themes, and other tools available that make building and managing your WordPress site easier than ever! If you want to save money on website development costs without sacrificing quality, then WordPress is definitely the way to go.

website SEO

SEO-Friendly Platform

Another major benefit of using WordPress is its SEO-friendliness. From its built-in SEO features like meta tags and image optimisation to its wide selection of SEO plugins and tools, WordPress makes it easy to get your content seen by search engines like Google and Bing. This means more organic traffic coming to your site, which can help boost sales and increase visibility for your brand.

Website Security Features

Security Features

WordPress offers superior security features compared to other platforms. It’s regularly updated with new security patches that protect against common threats like malware and hackers. Plus, there are plenty of plugins available that allow you to customise your security settings even further so you can rest assured knowing your site is secure from any potential threats.

Enhancing Productivity

As you can see, there are many advantages to using WordPress as your website platform. Not only does it save you money on web design costs and offer powerful SEO features, but it also provides robust security features that will keep your site safe from potential threats or attacks. Whether you’re just starting out or looking for ways to improve an existing website, WordPress is an excellent choice for businesses. WordPress is an affordable and powerful platform on which you can build your online presence. So why not try it out? You will not regret giving this amazing platform a chance!

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Technologies that will shape our world in 2023 and beyond

Technologies that will shape our world in 2023 and beyond

by | Dec 7, 2022 | Cloud, Communications, Digital Marketing, IT News, Solutions

We are already using smart algorithms every time we search the internet, shop online, navigate as we travel, choose how we entertain ourselves, and conduct countless tasks. But what will the next few years bring? According to many experts, we are on the cusp of a new era in computing, one that will be defined by immersive digital worlds and blockchain technology. Here is what you need to know about the hyper-connected, intelligent world of 2023 and beyond…

What is the Metaverse?

Some futurists believe that by the end of 2023, we will all be spending a significant amount of time in digital worlds that are so realistic, they are indistinguishable from reality. These “metaverses” will be built on blockchain technology and will allow us to digitally recreate anything in the physical world. For example, you could attend a virtual concert featuring your favourite band, explore an exotic vacation destination, or play a virtual reality game with friends from around the world. And because metaverses will be built on blockchain technology, they will be incredibly secure and resistant to hacks and cybercrime.

The Hyper-Connected World

As metaverses become more popular, our physical world will become increasingly connected to the digital world. This “hyper-connectivity” will enable new types of interactions and experiences that are not possible in the physical world. For example, you may be able to purchase products and services with a simple voice command or receive real-time updates about the status of your delivery without having to track it yourself. And thanks to advances in artificial intelligence (AI), many of these interactions will be carried out by digital assistants who will always be available to help us with our needs.
The future of technology

A Sustainable Future

As we become more reliant on technology, it is essential that this reliance is sustainable. Fortunately, many of the technologies that will shape our future are environmentally friendly. A good example of environmentally friendly technology is 5G networks. 5G networks deliver high-speed internet to our mobile devices and use less energy than current 4G networks. Additionally, solar energy is becoming more cost-effective as technology improves its efficiency and storage capacity. As a result, it is likely that we will see an increase in solar-powered homes and businesses in the coming years.
The future is looking pretty bright—and pretty tech-savvy! It is important to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to emerging technologies so that you can make the most of their benefits. Whether it is getting ready for the metaverse or ensuring that your business is using sustainable technology, keeping up with the latest trends will help you stay ahead of the competition. Subscribe to KeyTech’s monthly mailing list to stay informed of the latest technology trends.

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Protecting Your Website from Cyberattacks

Protecting Your Website from Cyberattacks

by | Nov 20, 2022 | Cloud, Cybersecurity, Disaster Recovery, Services, Solutions, Web Design

It is more important than ever before to protect your website from cyberattacks. In today’s digital age, website security is a pressing concern for all businesses, large and small. A cyberattack against a public-facing website can have major repercussions, including loss of data, website downtime, denial of service (DoS), and damage to the company’s reputation. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to protect your website from these threats and avoid serious consequences.

While these threats affect all aspects of information security—confidentiality, integrity, and availability—they can also gravely damage the reputation of a website and its owner. For example, organisations and personal websites that fall victim to defacement, DoS, or data breaches may experience financial loss due to the loss of trust from stakeholders of the business and a decrease in website traffic.

Types of Website Security Threats

There are many different types of website security threats, but some of the most common include:

SQL injection:

SQL injection is where malicious code is injected into a website’s database. A SQL attack can steal sensitive data or take control of the affected website.

Cross-site scripting (XSS):

XSS attacks occur when an attacker injects malicious code into a webpage which is then executed by the browser when the page is loaded. An XSS attack can steal sensitive data or hijack user sessions.

Denial-of-service (DoS):

DoS attacks are designed to make a website unavailable to users by flooding it with traffic from multiple sources. This type of attack can be used to take down a website or disrupt business operations.

Phishing:

Phishing attacks are a type of social engineering attack where an attacker attempts to trick a user into divulging sensitive information such as login credentials or financial information. Phishing attacks can be conducted via email, text messages, or fake websites that mimic legitimate ones.

How to Protect Your Website from Cyberattacks

There are many steps you can take to protect your website from cyberattacks, including:

Implementing strong authentication methods:

Using strong authentication methods such as two-factor authentication can help protect against password theft and phishing attacks. Two-factor authentication requires users to provide two pieces of evidence when logging in, such as a password and a one-time code that is sent to their mobile phone.

Keeping software up-to-date:

Attackers often exploit software vulnerabilities to gain access to websites and databases. You can reduce the chance of an attacker finding vulnerabilities by keeping a website’s components up-to-date.

Restricting access to sensitive data:

Store sensitive data in an encrypted format and restrict access to authorised users only. Restricting access to sensitive data will help you reduce the risk of data breaches.

Website security is important to consider for anyone with a website. There are many safeguards that can be taken to protect a website from cyberattack, but it’s important to remember that no system is 100% secure. With cyber criminals learning how to get around the new security patches, and developing new methods to attack, it is critical that we all monitor and update our websites regularly.
Chat with KeyTech today so we can answer your website security enquiries and include website security improvements with their website maintenance services.

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Protect Your Website from Hackers

Protect Your Website from Hackers

by | Sep 6, 2022 | Cybersecurity, Disaster Recovery, Hosting, Web Design

There are an average of 30,000 websites hacked daily! Hackers use automated tools to find vulnerabilities to exploit. Their tools can:

  • Guess easy website login credentials
  • Hack in through another website on the same server (shared server)
  • Detect bugs and vulnerabilities within website plugins, themes, and extensions

Signs of a Hack

Often, hackers gain access to a website without being noticed and by the time they have achieved their goal, it is too late.

Signs of a website hack vary depending on the type of hack, the hacker’s agenda and how vulnerable the website is. Some tell-tale signs could include:

  • A defaced website
  • Popups
  • Redirection to other websites
  • Google and Bing alerts in search results
  • Webpages loading very slow
  • Unable to log in to your website
  • More traffic to your website from other countries where you are not focussed
  • Weird code injections in pages
  • Strange activities on your website

Of course, there are loads more characteristics to identify a hacked website rather than focus on them, lets focus on prevention and what to do if you get hacked.

Prevention

Ideally, it is best to prevent a website hack. A website is where your customers can get to know your business so their experience on your website is vital. If your website gets hacked, it will provide them with a bad experience, possibly leak their personally identifiable information and even affect their devices!

The best method of prevention is regularly website maintenance. The following tasks are performed as part of KeyTech’s website maintenance to prevent website vulnerabilities:

  • A Full Website and Database backup, stored in a separate and secure location
  • Security & Malware Scans
  • Platform, Theme, Plugin & Extension Updates
  • Web Server updates
  • Secure your website with HTTPS with an SSL certificate

In addition to website maintenance, ensure that your web hosting has security features such as:

  • DDOS Protection
  • Fortinet firewall
  • 24/7 Malware scanning
  • an encrypted network.

Just like your hosting, your website should have a reputable firewall and security scanner installed to provide another wall of defence against threats.

Creating and storing complex passwords for user logins will also assist in a more secure website. There are some great free password managers available to help with generating and storing complex passwords.

What to Do If Your Website Is Hacked

If your website has been compromised, you must act quickly to prevent further damage. Spread awareness about the incident. Inform other businesses and your clients of the situation you are facing and the problems that might occur as a result.

If your website collects personally identifiable information, you must notify those involved about the breach, as per the Australian Privacy Act 1988.

Contact your webmaster so they can either regain access to your website or restore your website from a recent backup. They will reset user accounts, run an in-depth security scan, and implement additional security and/or security procedures to avoid another hack from recurring.

With an attack every 39 seconds, the statistics are frightening! A successful hack can not only cost businesses time and money, but it can also damage a business’s reputation.

If you want to learn more about this topic or chat with us about our website maintenance services, please reach out to us at your earliest convenience.

Introduction to Meta Business Suite

Introduction to Meta Business Suite

by | Aug 24, 2022 | Business Marketing, Digital Marketing, SEO, Services, Solutions

Meta Business Suite is a free, all-in-one marketing tool that can help you reach your customers more quickly and effectively. Meta Business Suite is the perfect tool for businesses of all sizes and for those looking to improve their marketing strategy. The tool centralises Facebook, Instagram, and messaging tools to make your life as a business owner easier and more efficient while providing you with valuable insights into your audience and their reactions to the content you are posting.
Tasks that you can centrally manage from the web browser, or in the “Business Suite” app are:

  • Check messages and notifications
  • View your recent posts, and see how many:
    • people each post reached
    • comments on each post
    • reactions on each post
  • View recent stories
  • Plan and schedule your posts
  • Create and manage ads
  • View insights to learn about:
    • your audience
    • your competitors

Meta Business Suite gives you everything you need to manage your Facebook and Instagram marketing campaigns in one place. You can reach your target audience easier than ever before and get the results you’re looking for. So why wait? Get started with Meta Business Suite today.

Want to learn more about Meta Business Suite? Book a one-hour training session with Renee so you can use it like a Pro!