Why hackers bother with small sites
Most attacks aren't targeted at you — they're automated scans looking for any site with known weaknesses, to send spam, host scams or steal data. A small business site running two-year-old software is exactly what the scans look for. The good news: basic hygiene defeats almost all of it.
SSL is table stakes
The padlock (https) encrypts the connection between your visitors and your site. Browsers now warn on sites without it, and Google has used it as a ranking signal for years. It's free via Let's Encrypt at any decent host. If your site still shows 'Not secure', fix that before anything else.
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Updates are the real front line
The majority of hacked WordPress sites were running outdated plugins or themes with known, published vulnerabilities. Updates exist precisely because holes get found — applying them promptly is the single most effective security habit there is. It's also the one busy owners skip, which is exactly what website maintenance exists for.
Logins: strong, unique, and doubled
A long unique password and two-factor authentication on your admin login stops the simplest attack — guessing or reusing leaked passwords. Never use 'admin' as a username, and remove accounts for people who no longer need access.
Backups: the safety net that makes everything else survivable
If the worst happens, a recent backup turns a disaster into an inconvenience. Know where your backups are, how often they run, and — the part everyone forgets — whether anyone has ever tested restoring one. An untested backup is a hope, not a plan.
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