How to Check Whether Your Website Is Secure

Understand what HTTPS protects and what it does not

Open your site and confirm the browser shows an HTTPS connection without certificate warnings. Check the pages that collect information, not just the homepage, and test that old HTTP URLs redirect to HTTPS. A valid certificate encrypts data in transit between visitor and server. It does not prove the site is trustworthy, that the app has no vulnerabilities or that a seller will fulfill an order.

Avoid telling customers a padlock means complete safety. A fraudulent site can also use HTTPS. Assess identity, payment handling, software, account access and incident response separately.

Protect the accounts that control the business

List who can change the domain, DNS, hosting, CMS, Shopify or WooCommerce admin, payment processor, email, analytics and ad accounts. Remove old contractor access, require multifactor authentication on privileged accounts and use unique passwords in a manager. Store recovery methods under business ownership.

A common blind spot is the registrar: an attacker who controls the domain may redirect email or the site even if the application is patched. Review permissions and recovery addresses after staffing changes. CISA recommends multifactor authentication for businesses.

Inventory software, themes and third party scripts

For a self hosted CMS, keep the core, theme, plugins and server components updated. Remove unused plugins rather than merely disabling the visible widget. Check who maintains integrations and whether their credentials can be rotated. For a hosted platform, review installed apps, permissions and any custom code or scripts you control.

The overlooked risk is a legitimate looking marketing script that runs on every page with broad access. Audit whether tags, chat tools, analytics and embedded apps are still needed and who can edit them. Test updates in a staging environment when possible, then monitor forms and checkout after release.

OWASP lists major web application risks including broken access control and security misconfiguration; it is an awareness framework, not a pass or fail certificate.

Test backups as a recovery process

Check what is backed up: code or theme, database, product and order data, uploaded media, configuration and DNS records where relevant. Confirm frequency, retention, location, access and a person responsible. A backup is useful only if it can be restored within a time the business can tolerate.

Run a controlled restore test or ask the provider for documented recovery steps. Keep at least one recovery path independent of the account or server being protected. Some SaaS platforms have infrastructure redundancy but may not provide an owner controlled rollback for every accidental content edit or integration error.

Review payment and personal data flows

Use a reputable payment provider and the platform's supported checkout rather than collecting card numbers through a general form or email. Map where contact information is stored, who receives it and how long it is retained. Review privacy notices and legal obligations with a qualified adviser where applicable.

Submit a test inquiry with non sensitive test data and verify delivery and access. Check that no sensitive form fields are sent in URLs or analytics events. Protect administration and review spam filtering, rate limits and validation without making legitimate users unable to contact you.

Run a focused technical review without overclaiming

Check security headers appropriate to the site's needs, publicly exposed files, dependency vulnerabilities, permission boundaries and error reporting. Verify robots and sitemap behavior for SEO separately; a robots rule is not an access control mechanism. A public vulnerability scanner can provide leads for investigation, but a clean score is not proof of safety and an unreviewed scan can create false alarms.

If you process sensitive information, commission a qualified assessment under an agreed scope. Never probe someone else's website without authorization. The right depth depends on the business, platform and data at risk.

Prepare a response before something fails

Write down who can access the registrar and host, who can take a broken checkout offline, how to restore a known good version and who communicates with affected customers. Monitor unusual logins, unexpected content changes, form failures and payment errors. Preserve relevant logs before making broad changes if a compromise is suspected.

UBE can review the website implementation through web development services and ongoing changes through store management. Compare website packages for scoped work. This checklist is education, not a security certification or legal opinion.