Security tips

Most security problems start with a weak password or a convincing fake message. These habits protect your account and your website.

Use strong, unique passwords#

• Make passwords long. A phrase of several random words works well.
• Use a different password for your client area, cPanel, email and FTP.
• Store them in a password manager rather than a note or a spreadsheet.

Turn on two-factor authentication#

Enable 2FA on your client account so a stolen password is not enough to get in. See the Client area guide.

Keep your website up to date#

Old software is the most common way sites get hacked. Update your CMS, themes and plugins regularly, and delete the ones you do not use. Only install add-ons from sources you trust.

Keep your own backups#

If something goes wrong, a recent backup is the fastest way back. See Backups and restoring.

Watch out for phishing#

Signs of a phishing message:

• it creates urgency, such as "your account will be deleted today";
• it asks you to log in through a link in the message;
• the sender address or link looks slightly wrong;
• it asks for passwords, codes or payment details.

Instead of clicking a link, type the address yourself or use a bookmark. Our official sites are chvex.com and this documentation site. If a message looks suspicious, open a ticket and tell us about it.

Sharing access with us#

If we need access to help you, ask in the ticket how to share it safely. Do not paste passwords into a ticket. Change the password once the work is done.

If you think you were hacked#

1. Change your passwords, starting with email, client area and cPanel.
2. Open a ticket straight away and describe what you noticed.
3. Do not delete files before we have looked at them, if you can avoid it.

For general problems, see Troubleshooting.