“What happens if our website gets hacked?”
It is the email nobody forgets: the site is redirecting to a casino, Google slapped a warning on it, and customers are asking what is going on. Attacks are automated and indiscriminate - small sites get hit because they are easy, not because they are targeted.
What modern businesses do instead
Modern protection is layered and boring: a firewall in front of the site filtering known attacks, continuous malware scanning behind it, backups that restore in one click, and a professional cleanup crew on call if something gets through.
The team side matters too: password managers, two-factor everywhere, and encrypted connections on public Wi-Fi close the doors software cannot.
The prescription
Sucuri
Website firewall, malware scanning, and hack cleanup - the fire department for your website.
Why for this problem: The website fire department: firewall, scanning, and unlimited professional hack cleanup for roughly the cost of one hour of any consultant. Essential for WordPress.
The honest downside: If your site is a Shopify or Squarespace store, the platform already handles most of this - Sucuri earns its fee on self-hosted sites (WordPress especially).
Platform plans from about $200/year; one hack cleanup costs more than a decade of protection.
Try Sucuri → Our full takeSurfshark
One VPN subscription that covers unlimited devices - yours, your laptop bag’s, and your whole team’s.
Why for this problem: The connection layer: one VPN subscription covering unlimited team devices, so client data on café Wi-Fi stops being a risk.
The honest downside: A VPN protects the connection, not the business - it’s a seatbelt, not a security strategy. Pair with a password manager and (if you run your own site) something like Sucuri.
Frequently discounted to a few dollars a month on longer plans; unlimited devices on one subscription.
Try Surfshark → Our full takeBitdefender
Top-rated protection for your business devices.
Why for this problem: The device layer: business-grade endpoint protection for the laptops where the passwords live.
The honest downside: Security software can’t fix password reuse - pair it with a password manager habit.
Small-office packs from ~$100/year.
Try Bitdefender → Our full takeCommon questions
Why would anyone hack a small business site?
They are not choosing you - bots scan every site on the internet for known vulnerabilities and infect what they find. Small sites are the majority of victims precisely because they are unguarded.
Is my platform (Shopify/Squarespace) already handling this?
Hosted platforms handle server security well. Self-hosted WordPress is where a firewall and scanning become your job - and where most small-business incidents happen.
What does a hack actually cost?
Cleanup fees, days of downtime, blacklist removal, and the trust hit when customers see the warning page. Typical incidents run four figures; protection runs about $200 a year.
Is this really your biggest leak?
Take the 2-minute checkup and find out what to fix first - the answer surprises most owners.
Start the free checkup →