Protecting Your Association Website: Essential Security Measures You Can Implement Now

Let’s start with the bad news. Association websites have become prime targets for cybercriminals these days. And why wouldn’t they be? They’re valuable data hubs containing sensitive member information, payment details, and sometimes professional credentials that can be exploited on the dark web and sold to the highest bidder.

What makes this more concerning is that stolen information doesn’t exist in isolation. When your data is breached, criminals combine it with information from previous breaches, building more complete profiles that make identity theft even easier.

The good news? (Trust us, there is good news!) You don’t need to be a security expert to significantly improve your protection. Before we look at what you can do about these rapidly increasing cyber threats, let’s get a lay of the land.

Associations are basically goldmines of data. Bad actors see them like any big subscription service. They’re thinking, ‘Hey, there’s tons of member info stored there that I can grab in one go.
— Ray van Hilst, VP of Strategy at Yoko Co

The Security Landscape Has Evolved

The security threat landscape is constantly evolving in a cat-and-mouse game between attackers and defenders. While early websites were vulnerable to basic exploits like unsanitized form inputs, today’s threats are more sophisticated.

If you’re working with a competent web development partner, technical vulnerabilities aren’t your biggest concern. The real risk comes from what security professionals call “soft targets” – your people.

Most successful breaches happen because someone in your organization:

• Used the same password for work and personal accounts
• Clicked a convincing phishing email that looked like it came from a colleague
• Fell for a sophisticated impersonation scam

And with AI accelerating the creation of convincing phishing attempts, this problem is only getting worse. Your team is bombarded with more emails, messages, and digital communications than ever, and it only takes one mistake to compromise your systems.

Nobody thinks about security until something goes wrong. Then suddenly it’s this all-consuming nightmare eating up weeks of your life. Trust me, spending a couple hours each month on basic security stuff will save you from that whole reactive panic mode.
— Konstantin Brazhnick, Senior Engineer at Yoko Co

Essential Security Measures Every Association Should Implement

While every security approach should be tailored to your specific needs, here are the non-negotiables that every association should have in place:

1. Secure Website Foundations

• Implement HTTPS: This encrypts data traveling between your visitors and your website. Google penalizes sites without it, and browsers warn users about unsecured sites.
• Regular updates: Security patches for your content management system and plugins should be applied within 48 hours of release to close known vulnerabilities.
• Web application protection: Implement tools that monitor for suspicious activity and block malicious traffic.

2. Access Management Best Practices

• Password management: Implement an organization-wide password manager that generates and stores strong, unique passwords. Options like 1Password are a good place to start.
• Secure credential sharing: Never send passwords or access credentials via email. Use a secure credential-sharing service, like Onetime Secret, instead to safely transmit login information when needed.
• Multi-factor authentication (MFA): Require a second verification step for access to sensitive systems, especially admin controls for your website.
• Account lockouts: Configure systems to lock after several failed login attempts to prevent brute force attacks.

3. Human-Centered Security

• Foster a security mindset: Have regular conversations about security threats and best practices. Our team regularly schedules check-ins and even roleplaying table-top games to discuss security updates and scenarios.
• Second-channel verification: Establish procedures for confirming unusual requests through a different communication method than the original request. So if a “colleague” sent a suspicious request through email, hit them up on Slack to see if the message was legit.
• Phishing awareness: Train staff to recognize red flags in emails and messages that might be phishing attempts. Things to look out for: suspicious links or attachments, requests for personal information, and offers that seem too good to be true.

4. Verification Processes for Financial Transactions

• Establish clear protocols: Create standardized procedures for approving financial transactions, especially ones involving changes to payment information.
• Implement multiple approvers: Require at least two people to verify and approve significant financial transfers or changes to banking details.
• Document verification steps: Keep records of who verified what and through which channels to create accountability.

5. Breach Response Planning

• Create a response plan: Develop a documented procedure for what to do if you suspect a security breach.
• Assign responsibilities: Clearly define who does what during a security incident.
• Practice scenarios: Run through simulated breach events to ensure everyone knows how to respond effectively when under pressure. (If you’re looking for ideas, hit us up!)

Emerging Threats to Watch For

One of the most concerning trends is the rise of deep fake technology. In a recent case, criminals used AI to clone the voice of a company’s Chief Financial Officer, and successfully scammed them out of $25 million!

These sophisticated impersonation attacks are particularly dangerous because they exploit trust. Wire fraud schemes that once targeted real estate transactions are now appearing in other contexts, including conference and event payments – a significant concern for associations.

The attackers might gain access to email systems and quietly monitor communications for months before striking at the perfect moment. They use this intelligence to craft nearly perfect impersonations that are extremely difficult to detect without verification procedures.

Even the Pope isn’t immune to a deep fake.

Taking a Proactive Approach

Security is always easier (and less expensive) to maintain than to restore after a breach. Every association executive should regularly ask their team if all admins are using unique passwords with multi-factor authentication and how quickly security updates are being applied.

We’ve helped numerous associations improve their security profile. In one instance, we assisted an organization whose website was hacked and defaced during a vendor transition. In another case, we discovered their domain had been added to email blocklists due to a compromised account sending spam.

Security doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With the right procedures and a committed website partner, you can protect your association’s digital assets while still focusing on your mission.

Need help assessing your association website’s security? Contact us for a consultation to identify your vulnerabilities and develop a practical protection plan.