TL;DR
Website security is a key element of every project. Hacker attacks, data leaks and GDPR issues can destroy business. Here's how to secure your site in 2026.
Who this is for
- Website owners
- Developers caring about security
- Companies processing personal data
Keyword (SEO)
website security, ssl certificate, https, gdpr data protection, website protection
Why is security important?
Security protects against:
- Hacker attacks – data theft, defacement
- Data leaks – GDPR, financial penalties
- Loss of trust – customers lose trust in brand
- Legal problems – penalties for GDPR violations
Basic security
1. SSL/HTTPS
What it is:
- SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) encrypts communication
- HTTPS is secure version of HTTP
- SSL certificate confirms site identity
Why important:
- Google prefers HTTPS sites
- Protects user data
- Builds trust (green lock)
How to implement:
- Buy SSL certificate (Let's Encrypt – free)
- Configure HTTPS on server
- Redirect HTTP → HTTPS (301 redirect)
2. System updates
What to update:
- Server operating system
- Framework (Next.js, React, etc.)
- Dependencies (npm packages)
- CMS (if you use)
Why important:
- Old versions have security vulnerabilities
- New versions contain fixes
- Hackers look for outdated systems
How to implement:
- Regular updates (monthly)
- Vulnerability monitoring (npm audit)
- Automatic security updates
3. Strong passwords
What it means:
- Minimum 12 characters
- Uppercase and lowercase letters
- Numbers and special characters
- Don't use dictionary words
Where to use:
- Admin panel
- FTP/SFTP
- Database
- Hosting panel
How to implement:
- Use password manager (1Password, LastPass)
- Enable 2FA (two-factor authentication)
- Regularly change passwords
4. Backup
What to backup:
- Site files (code, images)
- Database
- Server configuration
How often:
- Daily for active sites
- Before major changes
- Automatically (cron jobs)
Where to store:
- External server
- Cloud storage (AWS S3, Google Cloud)
- Locally (as additional copy)
Advanced security
1. Protection against attacks
SQL Injection:
- Use prepared statements
- Validate input data
- Use ORM (Prisma, TypeORM)
XSS (Cross-Site Scripting):
- Escape output data
- Use Content Security Policy (CSP)
- Validate input data
CSRF (Cross-Site Request Forgery):
- Use CSRF tokens
- Verify request origin
- Use SameSite cookies
DDoS:
- Use CDN (Cloudflare, AWS CloudFront)
- Rate limiting
- Firewall (Cloudflare, AWS WAF)
2. Personal data protection (GDPR)
What to protect:
- Name and surname
- Email address
- Phone number
- IP address
- Cookies
How to protect:
- Encrypt sensitive data
- Minimize data collection
- Get consent (cookie banner)
- Allow data deletion (right to be forgotten)
GDPR requirements:
- Privacy policy
- Cookie policy
- Consent to data processing
- Right to access data
- Right to delete data
3. Security monitoring
What to monitor:
- Failed logins
- Suspicious requests
- Server errors
- File changes
Tools:
- Server logs (access.log, error.log)
- Security monitoring (Sentry, LogRocket)
- Uptime monitoring (UptimeRobot)
Alerts:
- Email on suspicious activities
- SMS on critical problems
- Dashboard with metrics
Best practices
1. Principle of least privilege
- Users have only needed permissions
- Admins have full permissions
- Guests have only read access
2. Defense in depth
- Multiple security layers
- Don't rely on one security measure
- Firewall + SSL + updates + backup
3. Regular audits
- Review logs weekly
- Check vulnerabilities monthly
- Test backup quarterly
4. Documentation
- Document security procedures
- Save contacts in case of attack
- Have incident response plan
Security checklist
- SSL/HTTPS enabled
- System and dependencies updated
- Strong passwords and 2FA
- Backup configured
- Protection against SQL Injection
- Protection against XSS
- Protection against CSRF
- GDPR compliance (privacy policy, cookie banner)
- Security monitoring
- Firewall/CDN configured
Security costs
Free
- Let's Encrypt SSL (free)
- Basic firewall (Cloudflare free)
- Open source security tools
Paid
- Premium SSL: $50-200/year
- WAF (Web Application Firewall): $20-100/month
- Security monitoring: $10-50/month
- Backup: $5-20/month
Summary
Website security is not an option, but a necessity. Implement basic security (SSL, updates, backup), protection against attacks and GDPR compliance. Regularly monitor security and do audits. Investment in security pays off by avoiding costly problems.
Want to secure your site?
- Contact – tell us about your project
- See our implementations – examples of secure sites
- Check our process – how we work