Nathan Johns from the SEOJR.com blog has written a great security checklist for webmasters.
Here are the summary bullets and check out the complete article for the details:
1. Check your server configuration.
2. Stay up-to-date w/ software updates & patches.
3. Regularly keep an eye on your log files.
4. Check your site for common vulnerabilities.
5. Be wary of third-party content providers.
6. Try a Google site: search to see what’s indexed.
7. Use Google’s Webmaster Tools.
8. Use secure protocols.
9. Read the Google Online Security Blog
10. Contact your hosting company for support.
Here’s a bit more detail on #8:
Use secure protocols: SSH and SFTP should be used for data transfer, rather than plain text protocols such as telnet or FTP. SSH and SFTP use encryption and are much safer.
Sound familiar?
As the Internet continues to evolve I believe that encryption will become a fundamental requirement for having any type of web presence. Here’s the link to download your free 30-day evaluation of WS_FTP Professional, the fastest and most secure file transfer client. Don’t wait until something bad happens to you….. Start being safe now