Cyberattacks against SMEs have exploded in recent years. Many wrongly think they are too small to interest hackers: this is false. Here is how to seriously protect your website.

The most frequent threats

1. Account hijacking

Weak or reused passwords, external data leaks: a compromised admin account can grant access to your entire site.

2. SQL and XSS injections

If your forms are not properly protected, an attacker can inject malicious code that steals your data or that of your customers.

3. Ransomware

A Trojan encrypts your files and the hacker demands a ransom to restore them. Without a recent backup, you lose everything.

4. Phishing

Your employees are the first line of defence. A fake invoice or a fake bank email can fool even the most cautious.

Essential best practices

  • HTTPS everywhere — a valid SSL certificate is no longer optional.
  • Two-factor authentication (2FA) on all admin accounts.
  • Automatic updates of the CMS, plugins, server.
  • Daily backups stored in a remote location.
  • Application firewall (WAF) like Cloudflare or Sucuri.
  • Strong password policy with a manager (Bitwarden, 1Password).

What to do in case of an attack?

If you are hit despite everything: isolate the site immediately, notify your customers if data is affected (GDPR obligation within 72h), restore from a clean backup, and conduct a full audit.

The investment is worth it

The average cost of a cyberattack for an SME is estimated at more than €100,000. Prevention costs a fraction of this amount.