Stay safe online, without the jargon.
Viruses, hacked sites, scam emails, passwords, backups and the updates that keep a website safe, explained plainly, with dated alerts when something big happens.
How do I keep my business safe online?
Most attacks on small businesses are not clever. They use a convincing email, a reused password, or software that stopped getting fixes. So staying safe comes down to a few habits: keep everything updated, use a password manager and two-step login, keep backups you have tested, and know who to call when something looks wrong.
- Update computers, phones, your website and its plugins, and the server’s PHP.
- Sign in safely: a password manager, one login per person, two-step login on key accounts.
- Back up and test that the backup restores.
- Slow down on any email that asks you to pay, sign in or change bank details.
- Replace software that has reached its end of life.
Pick a topic
- Viruses and malware on computers and phonesThe signs, what to do in the first hour, and how to scan Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android.
- Hacked websites, and what to doWhat to do first, who to call, and how to get Google’s warning removed.
- Phishing and invoice scamsHow to spot a fake email, and the one rule that stops payment fraud.
- Passwords and two-step loginA password manager, a login for each person, and a second step on every key account.
- BackupsHow often to back up a site, where to keep copies, and how to know they restore.
- Why updates matter: WordPress, plugins and PHPThree layers of software, each with its own fixes, and what 2026’s flaws showed about waiting.
More on these
- How do I stop invoice scams and wire fraud by email?
- How do I turn on two-factor login?
- What are passkeys, and should my business use them?
- Is my website backed up, and can you restore it?
- How do I protect my business from ransomware?
- Why does Google say my website may be harmful?
- Cybersecurity basics for small businesses: the full guide
End of life, explained
When the maker stops fixing a piece of software, it keeps working, so nobody notices. Here’s what that means, the dates that matter, and how to check your own site.
- What end of life meansNo more fixes, why “it still works” isn’t “it’s safe”, and what old versions break.
- The end-of-life trackerPHP, WordPress, databases, Windows, macOS, browsers, Office and encryption: the dates, each with its source.
- Is my site on an old PHP or WordPress?A five-minute check, and the questions to ask your host.
Security alerts
Plain-language write-ups of recent problems that affect small-business websites: the date, who’s affected, what to do and the sources.
- WordPress 7.1.4 fixes 13 security issues (October 2026)WordPress 7.1.4, released on October 28, 2026, is a security release that fixes 13 issues, including a flaw in the update process that could allow code to run on the server.October 28, 2026 · High
- Critical PHP flaws let attackers take over web servers (October 2026)On October 21, 2026, the PHP project released emergency fixes for two critical flaws, CVE-2026-109618 and CVE-2026-109619, that could let an attacker run code on a web server with a single request.October 21, 2026 · Critical
- Elementor Pro form uploads let attackers take over sites (August 2026)Elementor Pro 4.2.1 and older had a critical flaw, CVE-2026-32475, that let anyone upload a program through a form's file upload field and take over the site.August 19, 2026 · Critical
How does E-3 handle this?
E-3 keeps the sites it hosts on supported PHP versions. For sites we host and look after through website care:
- WordPress, plugin and theme updates are tested on a staging copy first.
- Daily backups, so a site can be restored from a recent copy.
- Security alerts and uptime monitoring.
- SSL included with hosting.
- Monitoring of each site’s PHP version, waiting updates, known plugin vulnerabilities, disk and database space, and domain and plugin-license renewals.
We look after websites, hosting and business email, not office computers or phones. If you think your site was hacked, call us straight away.
Worried about something right now?
Call, and we’ll tell you plainly whether it’s urgent and what to do next. Or start with a free check of your website.