Because of last year’s cases and the increased threats on data, it is of utmost importance for companies to increase digital security. In order to do that, they need to be properly educated, especially considering that the majority of UK companies are unprepared for cyberattacks. Only 31% of firms responded that they are well informed when it comes to cybercrime reports, and only 28% are trained to deal with such cases. That is where digital forensics comes in.

What is digital forensics?

It involves the recovery and examination of the content found in desktops, laptops, and associated media, such as the hard drive, floppy disk, and optical discs. Other types of digital forensics, such as mobile phones and other handheld devices, are, on the other hand, becoming more popular for digital curation and preservation.

Professionals in the field of digital forensics are brought in to investigate when information is stolen from a computer, network, web application, mobile phone, or another type of digital device. Identifying exactly what was done and how it was done is the task of the forensics team, as is attempting to recover and/or repair stolen or damaged data files. Their work also involves collaborating with other information security specialists in order to prevent this from happening again.

There is a correlation between website security and SEO

Unbeknownst to many website owners, there is a direct correlation between website security and online marketing. As a website owner or online marketer, you must take website security seriously. That is because online security can actually affect your overall search engine marketing ranking. Here’s how:

Hackers can cause your site to be blacklisted

A website with inadequate security measures is vulnerable to hackers, who can not only impair the site’s functionality but also steal personal information from customers. As a result, Google and the other search engines have begun to take website security seriously, and it is now a ranking factor. If your website is hacked, search engines may immediately deindex it and possibly blacklist it. This can have disastrous effects on your company.

Hackers can harm your business reputation

If your website is not adequately protected, hackers can disrupt its functions and even deface it. This can potentially harm your organization by driving away repeat consumers who no longer regard your business as reliable and trustworthy. In order to combat cyber threats, and thrive in online marketing, many firms are turning to digital forensics 

How Digital Forensics Can Help Your Online Marketing

Organizations are increasingly relying on digital forensics to find out if their websites are vulnerable to cyberattacks, as search engines are placing more and more importance on website security. Here are a few points to consider:

Install a Security Certificate

SSL (stands for Secure Sockets Layer) is a security protocol that encrypts the connection between a web server and a web browser. It authenticates a website’s identity and enables a secure connection thus maintaining privacy and ensuring the security of client information. If you see a padlock icon next to the URL in the address bar, SSL protects the website you’re viewing.

How does this impact online marketing? SSL safeguards internet connections by preventing hackers from reading or modifying data transmitted between two systems. Additionally, it increases the trustworthiness and online reputation of a site, thereby preventing it from being blacklisted by search engines.

Use a Reputable Hosting Company

All hosting companies are not created equal.  Every web hosting provider should have some kind of security. These include technologies for preventing spam, SSL certificates, and DDoS attacks.

Depending on the type of site you manage and the type of information it contains, the level of protection necessary varies. An e-commerce store, for example, may need more protection than an animal adoption shelter website. All of your data will be protected by the best web hosting services.

In the event of a hacker attack or other security concern, web hosting services provide you with a secure copy of your website.

Hire a Digital Marketing Company to Manage Your Digital Assets

According to research, the majority of firms (particularly small and medium-sized businesses) do not realize they have been hacked until months or even years later. Most only discover something is wrong when their phone stops ringing, their website appears defaced, or they start receiving strange messages. Hiring a digital marketing agency to monitor your online presence is an important step in mitigating these threats. Here are a few red flags that a digital marketing firm can assist you in identifying ahead of time:

Unusually High “hits” on your Domain from Suspicious Locations

If your domain name receives an unusually high number of visits from locations where you do not have any customers, this is a red flag that you may be the victim of a cyber attack. For example, you operate a physical store in Manhattan, New York, but you detect a lot of domain hits from Cambodia or Ukraine (these are just examples).

Strange Messages from your Business Contacts

If your email server is swamped with unsolicited messages from “business contacts,” this could be an indication of a hacking effort.  For example, your suppliers, or vendors are suddenly asking you to visit a gambling site, or even sending your X-rated links.

Unusual Login Attempts

If your website is experiencing an unusually high number of failed login attempts, it could be a clear indication that you are under cyber attack.

Slow Website or Network

You notice that your website has been particularly slow to load in the last few days or weeks. This can also be linked to excessively high domain hits, often known as DDoS (denial of service attacks).

News that one of your service providers has been hacked

We all get these emails now and then. A major service provider that you utilize has experienced a security breach. This has been happening more frequently recently.

A digital marketing agency can monitor all of these hazards at the same time to ensure that cyberattacks do not harm your organization.

Conclusion

Digital forensics is becoming an increasingly significant aspect of online marketing. With cyberattacks becoming ever more prevalent in everyday life, businesses must ensure that their digital assets are reviewed to monitor for cyber threats and address them in real-time. Hiring a digital marketing agency, such as Web Rocket Media, can be extremely beneficial in preventing and responding to cyber threats that could harm a company’s operations and reputation.