While hackers once delighted in bringing down gargantuan computer networks like those of the Pentagon or multinational corporations, the latest breed is more apt to harass and bully much smaller businesses—including those in the automotive specialty-equipment market. Scott Brickey, a data systems analyst for Advanced Clutch Technology, learned this cruel fact the hard way when ACT's website was maliciously attacked for no discernible reason and immediately rendered inoperable.

Read on for the seven tips to strengthen your site's defenses against today's hackers.