You know all those websites that have to come out and make a statement about how their sites were hacked and personal information was stolen? Don’t be that guy!
Online information security is a critical issue in the internet gambling community, as well as with general web users at large. According to the 2010 Identity Fraud Survey Report authored by Javelin Strategy and Research Group:
“Identity fraud increased in 2009 and the number of fraud victims in the U.S. grew to 4.8 percent of the population, adding up to a projected total of $54 billion in crime.”
But it isn’t just the casinos themselves that need to arm their sites with the latest encryption certificates and security tools. As a casino affiliate website owner, your site may be vulnerable to attack – and a resulting loss of traffic and income – as well.
To ensure that your site is as safe and secure as possible, consider the following advice:
For starters, if you’re running your casino affiliate site on WordPress, it’s essential that you follow two simple rules: don’t use the default user name “admin” and choose a super-secure password. These two items alone will help deter potential hackers from breaking into your site.
It’s also a good idea to install the following WordPress plugins, according to Jeff G. at CasinoAffiliatePrograms:
* WP-Security Scan. Instead of looking for vulnerabilities yourself, this plugin will do it for you! The only downside is that it can be a little difficult to use, so if you aren’t comfortable editing PHP or installing MySQL databases, you might need to consult a web developer for help getting it set up.
* Secure WordPress. Because WordPress is an open source software, anyone can get their hands on the code – and anyone can find (an exploit) its weak spots. The Secure WordPress plugin eliminates some of the rarely used features an out-of-the-box WordPress install includes, minimizing the potential areas to attack on your site.
* Ultimate Security Checker. Still not sure your site is secure enough? Add this plugin, which will automatically compute a security score for you. You’ll need to do a little detective work to figure out how to solve any problems the plugin reveals, but it’s worth it for the comprehensive overview of your site’s security that this plugin provides.
Of course, it’s also worth remembering that website hackers are usually a step or two ahead of the security tools that are designed to fight back against their attacks. There’s no tool or plugin that’ll make your casino website completely secure, which is why it’s important to manage your site’s security on an ongoing basis.
But by regularly running these security plugins and ensuring that your WordPress install and plugins are kept up-to-date, you can minimize the threat your site and its users face.