Building a Secure and Scalable Website in 2025

Your website is your business’s storefront, and like a real brick-and-mortar, it needs strong security and a solid foundation to grow your business. This month, we review the latest security concerns with essential tips to secure your website and ensure it can scale with your company.?

Let’s dive in!

?? AI & Website Security: Rising Threats?

According to our partners at Monarx, AI is changing cybersecurity--both for good and bad. While AI is making website creation easier, it is also helping cybercriminals in new ways: building realistic AI-generated scam websites instead of hijacking existing ones.

?? New AI Risks: China's Deepseek model can be tricked into sharing hacking instructions and other harmful information. Thus, highlighting weaknesses in safety rules that make cyberattacks easier.

What This Means for You:

• More Scam Sites: AI-generated fake websites make fraud harder to spot.
• AI Security Risks: Poorly regulated AI could aid cybercriminals.
• Regulation Challenges: US lawmakers struggle to balance AI safety and innovation, with impacts to future security rules for businesses.
• Stronger Protection Needed: Businesses must strengthen security & monitor AI-related threats.

Learn More About the Future of AI and Cyber security from Dario Amodei, the CEO of Anthropic, and Unit42 →

?? Protect Your Website from Cyber Threats

AI-driven cyber threats are rising. Stay ahead and stay secure.

?? The Risk: A potential customer lands on your site, but your website crashes because of a cyberattack. You lose sales and trust.

? The Fix: Security isn’t optional. SSL certificate encrypts customer data, while DDoS protection blocks attacks. Investing in both will keep your site safe and reliable.

What You Need to Do:

• ?Use Free SSL & DDoS Protection: Included with most InMotion Hosting plans.
• Install SSL: Encrypt data & prevent security warnings.
• Enable 2FA: Extra security beyond passwords.
• Use Security Plugins: Wordfence or Sucuri block threats.
• Update Everything: Plugins, themes, PHP—no weak spots.
• Secure wp-config.php & Forms: Restrict edits & block risky inputs.

Get 10 More Ways to Secure Your WordPress Site →

?? WordPress Security Must-Haves

Strong passwords are a must, but they're not enough. The best Security plugins add crucial protection against malware, hacks, and unauthorized access.

Plugins You Need to Try:

• Wordfence: Powerful firewall, malware scanning, & 2FA.
• Sucuri: Malware scanning, file monitoring, & premium firewall.
• Total Upkeep: Automatic backups before WordPress updates.
• Jetpack Security: Blocks brute force attacks & offers downtime alerts.
• iThemes Security: Enforces strong passwords & bans bad users.

Compare Top WordPress Security Plugins →

?? Fresh off the Press

InMotion Hosting's Managed WordPress, a high-performance solution for serious WordPress websites, brings you this month's trends in Web Hosting.

• Thanks to AI-assisted development, the boundaries between user & creator are blurring with the rise of “Personal Software.”
• Simpli Learn publishes a free Node.js course.
• Elementor introduces AI Site Planner, a time-saver tool for web developers & designers.
• Get inspired with Diane & Yann Collet’s WP Gallery, showcasing websites made with the Gutenberg block editor.
• Try Robert Devore’s free Email Designer plugin for WooCommerce.
• WordPress.org sets the tone for the next year with its WordPress in 2025 report, covering long open source, AI, & headless WP.

?? Building a Scalable Website for Your Business

Your business is taking off—congrats! But if your website isn’t prepared for growth, slow loading times and server crashes could hurt your momentum. Building with a scalable foundation ensures speed, reliability, and seamless user experiences.

?What you need to know:

• Opt for Scalable Hosting: Choose a hosting plan that supports future growth.
• Upgrade With Your Needs: Move from Shared Hosting to VPS or a Dedicated Server as needed.
• Use CDN for Faster Loading: Improve global performance with a Content Delivery Network.
• Optimize Performance: Regularly update plugins, compress images, & monitor site speed.

How to Build an eCommerce Website →

?? Open Source Software Month Recap

February is a great time to celebrate the power of open-source software! Open-source software powers some of the most popular platforms (e,g. WordPress, Joomla etc.) and thrives from the contributions of passionate developers.

Whether you're a beginner or an experienced coder, there are plenty of ways to get involved.

How to Contribute:

• Join an Open Source project that interests you and offer your skills (coding, testing, or documentation)
• Support popular platforms like WordPress, Joomla, & Drupal by adding new plugins, fixing bugs, or sharing feedback.
• Share your knowledge by writing guides, tutorials, or answering questions.
• Test new software & share your feedback.
• Build a website with open source hosting like InMotion Hosting, built on open source software.

Discover More Open Source Projects to Try →