Top 7 Website Security Tips for Irish Small Businesses

In 2025, cyberattacks are no longer just a problem for large corporations. In Ireland, small businesses are increasingly being targeted — not because they're high-value, but because they're often unprepared.

If you run a business website, especially one handling contact forms, payment processing, or user data, security needs to be more than just a checkbox.

At Elephantfly, we specialise in secure web development, and here are 7 critical — and often overlooked — ways Irish small businesses can protect their websites:

1. Use HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS)

Everyone knows you should use HTTPS — but few implement HSTS, a powerful header that forces browsers to only access your site securely, even if a user types in http://.

Why It Matters:
Without HSTS, a hacker on public Wi-Fi can downgrade a user's request to HTTP and intercept login info. This is called a SSL stripping attack.

How to Fix It:
Add this to your server headers:

Strict-Transport-Security: max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains; preload

Bonus Tip: Register your domain in the HSTS preload list to lock it in globally.

2. Implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF)

A WAF blocks malicious traffic before it reaches your server.

Not Just Cloudflare:
While Cloudflare is common, consider self-hosted options like ModSecurity with OWASP Core Rule Set for granular control — especially if you're on Apache or NGINX.

Why It's Powerful:
It filters SQL injection, XSS, path traversal, and even bad bots at the edge.

3. Monitor Your Site Files for Unexpected Changes

Most websites don't alert you if a file is silently modified — which is exactly how web shell backdoors survive for months undetected.

Advanced Strategy:
Use tools like:

• Tripwire (for file integrity monitoring)
• AIDE (Advanced Intrusion Detection Environment)
• Or build a daily checksum script (e.g. with sha256sum) that emails you if anything changes in key folders.

4. Lock Down Your Admin Panels

Many small businesses run WordPress, Joomla, or custom CMSes with admin logins at /wp-admin or /admin.

Real Threat:
Automated bots constantly scan for these URLs and brute-force login pages.

Secure It Properly:

• Change the login path (e.g., /backend-093/)
• Geo-restrict login access (e.g., block all non-Ireland IPs)
• Rate-limit failed login attempts (e.g. fail2ban or reCAPTCHA)
• Add 2FA (Two-Factor Authentication) — not optional anymore

5. Disable Directory Listings

Forgotten files like backup.zip, .sql exports, or test scripts (test.php) are goldmines for attackers — especially if directory browsing is enabled.

Test This:
Visit your domain with a /uploads/ or /files/ path and see what's visible.

Solution:
In .htaccess or NGINX:

Options -Indexes

6. Apply Security Headers Beyond Just CSP

Everyone talks about Content-Security-Policy (CSP), but there are 6+ other headers that matter:

X-Content-Type-Options: Blocks MIME-type sniffing

X-Frame-Options: Prevents clickjacking

Referrer-Policy: Limits referrer leakage

Permissions-Policy: Blocks access to camera, mic, geolocation

X-XSS-Protection: Basic browser-level XSS filter

Expect-CT: Helps detect misissued TLS certs

You can test your site using securityheaders.com.

7. Get Alerts for Unusual Behaviour

Security isn't just about prevention — it's also about visibility.

What You Can Do:

• Monitor error logs for spikes in 404s (could indicate scanning bots)
• Track logins: especially failed ones
• Receive alerts when someone uploads a file, changes content, or logs in from a new IP

Even a simple script that emails you on suspicious events can prevent major damage.

Final Thoughts: Security as a Mindset

Most attacks don't involve complex zero-day exploits. They succeed because of basic misconfigurations, unpatched plugins, and default settings.

At Elephantfly, we don't just build beautiful websites — we build secure, resilient ones that your business can trust.

Need a website security audit or monthly maintenance plan?
📞 Contact us today — or ask about our Rent-a-Site with built-in security package.

---

🔐 Worried about your website's security?
At Elephantfly, we don't just build websites — we secure them.

💬 Book a Free Security Health Check and get expert insights tailored to your business.
👉 Schedule Now