I Scanned 120 Websites: Most Were Less Secure Than Their Owners Thought

I wanted to do research on how small businesses and early stage startups stand up to basic web security, so I dug into 120 different websites with explicit consent from their owners. When doing this research I used both automated tools and some simple manual checks. The analysis shows that 68% of websites failed to include at least one critical HTTP security header. The scan results show that 42% of systems expose excessive server and framework information, while 23% of systems operate HTTPS and TLS configurations that fail to comply with current security standards. Some sites even hosted multiple security issues. This elevated some of these businesses security to dangerous levels.

The information I discovered does not reach an advanced or intricate level of difficulty. These are not big, flashy vulnerabilities. These errors emerged from basic misconfigurations, which typically occur during initial website deployment before developers stop maintaining the code. Many people continue to view security as a one time task that needs to be done at launch instead of an ongoing responsibility for website growth. This pattern keeps popping up, and honestly, it's the reason I started my agency, Securiu. It focuses on catching these routine oversights early, before they turn into real problems.

What I Found

Most of the issues I found weren't sophisticated attack vectors. They were simple things like missing Content Security Policy headers, X-Frame-Options not being set, or servers broadcasting way too much information about their tech stack. When you're exposing your exact server version and framework details, you're basically handing attackers a roadmap to known vulnerabilities.

The TLS configuration problems were particularly concerning. Nearly a quarter of the sites I tested were using outdated SSL/TLS versions or weak cipher suites. This isn't just a theoretical risk—these configurations can be exploited to intercept user data.

Why This Happens

Here's what I've noticed: most small business owners and early-stage founders treat security as a checkbox item during launch. They get the site live, maybe run it through a basic security checklist, and then move on to growth, marketing, and actually running their business. I get it—security isn't generating revenue or bringing in customers.

But the web doesn't stand still. New vulnerabilities are discovered constantly, best practices evolve, and that secure configuration from two years ago might not cut it anymore. The problem is that nobody's checking back in on these sites until something goes wrong.

What You Should Do

If you run a website, you don't need to become a security expert. But you should at least know what's going on with your site. Run regular security scans—there are plenty of free tools out there, including the one we built at Securiu. Check your security headers, make sure your SSL certificate is current and properly configured, and keep your software updated.

The whole point of this research wasn't to shame anyone or prove how insecure small business sites are. It was to highlight how common these oversights are and how easily they can be fixed. Most of the issues I found could be resolved in an afternoon with the right guidance.

Security doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. It just needs to be consistent. That's the gap we're trying to fill with Securiu—making ongoing security accessible for businesses that don't have dedicated IT teams or massive budgets.