Website security is one of the top concerns among Christian churches and nonprofits, especially with the growing number of scams surrounding victims’ identities. Particularly with sites that collect money for online giving, it’s critical that your site transmits data to and from its users using encryption at the level of industry best practices in order to protect your donors’ personal information. Visitors to your site need to know their information is safe when they give tithes or offerings. Additionally, Google has enhanced its search algorithm to penalize sites that don’t transmit data securely to protect its users.
Why No Padlock? (WNP) has successfully evaluated over six million websites to date. The company offers a quick, free tool that scans your site for problems with your SSL certificate, references to resources that aren’t secure (referred to as mixed-content), in addition to running an SHA-1 Algorithm test. Should you want to scan your entire site afterward, WNP offers 10 free credits to get started. WNP is a comprehensive service and friendly for those who don’t know much about websites or security.
FEATURES
Although most church websites will only require the free scan, WNP also offers a premium service for those who need ongoing support. In addition to the initial free scan, WNP offers a bulk scan that checks for vulnerabilities throughout your entire site, and all you need to do is include a sitemap or a list of URLs.
Additionally, WNP offers scheduled scans to check for problems on an ongoing basis. This service is ideal for those who want to ensure their site is transmitting data securely but don’t have the time to continuously run the scans. A history of your site’s scan results is also included in the service, so you’ll be able to monitor any logged issues, how long they persisted, and any changes you’ve made to the site that have left your users’ privacy vulnerable to attacks.
For those who are curious about their site’s security, particularly those collecting sensitive information, Why No Padlock? is the perfect place to start. If you find that your church website is deficient in the way it transmits data and would like a helping hand, please don’t hesitate to contact us by clicking the button below.