The Mandatory Website Security Checklist for Your Business (2025 Edition)

A Practical, Actionable Guide for SMEs in Southeast Asia

Cyber attacks continue to rise in 2025 — and the majority of victims are SMEs, not large enterprises.

Why? Because SME websites are often:

• Poorly maintained

• Using outdated plugins

• Missing basic security controls

• Never scanned for vulnerabilities

• Lacking security reports for tenders or procurement

To help business owners stay ahead, here is the 2025 Website Security Checklist — simple, practical, and actionable even if you’re not technical.

Why This Checklist Matters in 2025

Government agencies, enterprises, and procurement teams increasingly require:

• Vulnerability reports

• CVE summaries

• Basic security controls

• Proper SSL/HTTPS configuration

• Routine monitoring

• Risk documentation

If your website is missing these fundamentals, you are exposed to:

• Data leaks

• Malware injections

• Website defacements

• SEO poisoning

• Tender rejections

• Failed procurement onboarding

This checklist ensures your business is ready — both for security and compliance.

Below are the essential steps every business website must follow.

1. Update Plugins, Frameworks & Dependencies

Outdated components are the #1 cause of website breaches.

This includes:

• WordPress plugins/themes

• Laravel / Node.js / React packages

• PHP / Python / Ruby dependencies

• CMS extensions

• E-commerce add-ons

Action:
Update everything once per month or during each release cycle.

2. Disable Unnecessary Server Ports

Common risky open ports include:

• 22 (SSH)

• 3306 (MySQL)

• 5432 (PostgreSQL)

• 8080 / 8000 (Development servers)

Most attackers begin by scanning for these ports.

Action:
Only allow essential ports (80/443) and close everything else.

3. Use a Valid HTTPS Certificate

HTTPS ensures:

• Encrypted communication

• Protection against injection attacks

• Better search engine trust

• No “Not Secure” warnings

An expired or misconfigured certificate hurts both security and user experience.

Action:
Enable auto-renew and monitor certificates weekly.

4. Run Monthly CVE Scans

New vulnerabilities appear every week.

If you don’t check:

• Outdated components

• Exposed endpoints

• Misconfigurations

• Known CVEs in your tech stack

…your website becomes an easy target.

Action:
Run CVE scans monthly or before tender submissions.

5. Enable a Basic Web Application Firewall (WAF)

A WAF protects your site from:

• SQL injections

• Cross-site scripting (XSS)

• Malicious bots

• Brute-force attacks

You don’t need an expensive enterprise WAF.

Action:
Use Cloudflare and set Security Level to Medium–High.

6. Configure Automatic Backups

Backups protect your business from:

• Ransomware

• Accidental data deletion

• Server crashes

• Malware damage

• Plugin/theme failures

Action:
Schedule daily incremental backups and weekly full backups.

7. Maintain Routine Security Reports

In 2025, many organizations require:

• Security reports

• Vulnerability summaries

• Risk assessments

• Proof of patching

• Tender-ready documentation

These reports help you:

• Speed up procurement

• Pass enterprise onboarding

• Win government tenders

• Build trust with clients

Action:
Generate monthly security reports automatically.

Your Website Security Starts With One Simple Scan

Security doesn’t need to be complicated.
You can check your website in under 30 seconds.