The dynamic development of technology, the growing popularity of cloud services, and the increasing scale of cyberattacks make website security one of the top priorities in 2025. Attacks targeting the application layer (OWASP Top 10), phishing, ransomware, or misconfigurations have become everyday realities. Moreover, regulations such as NIS2 and DORA impose obligations on organizations to strengthen data protection and operational resilience.

Every company – regardless of its industry – should implement a set of foundational security measures to minimize the risk of incidents. Below we present 5 key steps to effectively secure your website.

1. Implementation and proper configuration of an SSL/TLS certificate

The foundation of secure communication on the Internet is encrypted transmission. SSL/TLS certificates:

• ensure the confidentiality and integrity of transmitted data,
• confirm the identity of the domain or organization,
• eliminate browser warnings (padlock + HTTPS),
• support SEO (Google promotes HTTPS-enabled sites).

Key technical aspects in 2025:

• use of TLS 1.3 as the standard,
• disabling outdated protocols (SSLv3, TLS 1.0/1.1),
• preference for algorithms based on ECC/ECDSA,
• regular certificate validity monitoring (to avoid “expired certificate” errors).

2. Regular updates and vulnerability management

CMS systems (WordPress, Joomla, Drupal), plugins, themes, and application frameworks are common attack vectors. Neglecting updates exposes companies to exploits of known vulnerabilities (e.g., SQL Injection, RCE, XSS).

Expert recommendations:

• enable automatic updates for critical components,
• monitor CVEs in security repositories,
• deploy vulnerability scanners (e.g., OWASP ZAP, Nessus),
• segment environments (separate production from testing).

3. Backups and disaster recovery plan (Backup & Disaster Recovery)

The lack of a data recovery plan is one of the most serious mistakes organizations can make. Ransomware attacks or human errors can lead to data loss and business downtime.

Best practices:

• follow the 3-2-1 rule (3 copies, 2 different media, 1 off-site),
• use incremental and encrypted backups,
• regularly test data restoration (disaster recovery tests),
• integrate backups with monitoring systems (alerts in case of failure).

Solutions like CodeGuard enable automated, versioned website backups and quick rollback after an attack.

4. Web Application Firewall (WAF) and protection against application-layer attacks

A network firewall (NGFW) is no longer sufficient – most attacks now target the application layer. A WAF (Web Application Firewall) helps block attempts to exploit vulnerabilities, including SQL Injection, Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), and API abuse.

The role of WAF in 2025:

• inspection of HTTP/HTTPS traffic,
• rules compliant with the OWASP Core Rule Set,
• integration with CDN (reduced latency + DDoS protection),
• support for containerized and microservice-based applications.

Solutions like SiteLock combine WAF, malware scanning, and CDN, providing multi-layered protection for web applications.

5. Monitoring, auditing, and employee awareness

No technical tool will be fully effective without proper oversight and education.

Key components:

• SIEM and SOC – centralized log management and incident analysis (e.g., Splunk, ELK, Wazuh),
• SSL certificate monitoring (alerts before expiration),
• configuration auditing (CIS Benchmarks, ISO/IEC 27001),
• employee training in cyber hygiene (MFA, password managers, phishing awareness).

ENISA statistics show that over 80% of successful cyberattacks exploit the human factor – highlighting the critical role of user awareness.

Summary

Website security in 2025 requires a comprehensive approach. An SSL certificate alone is not enough – organizations must implement multi-layered defense mechanisms, regularly update their systems, and educate their teams.

5 fundamental cybersecurity steps for websites:

1. SSL/TLS and proper configuration.
2. Updates and vulnerability management.
3. Backup and disaster recovery planning.
4. Web Application Firewall and application-layer protection.
5. Monitoring, audits, and team awareness.

👉 At HEXSSL, we help companies build digital resilience through SSL/TLS certificates, WAF solutions, monitoring, backups, and security audits. Contact us to implement best-in-class cybersecurity practices in your organization.