How Bad Is It If Users Get Hit with Malware from Your Website?

If you have a popular website, that can be good for business, but it also attracts the attention of hackers and all sorts of unsavory people.

And, no matter how careful you are and no matter how security conscious you may be, if someone is really determined to crack your site, they will probably find a way to do it.

If they do so and manage to put up some kind of malware that will download itself to people's computers, how bad do you think that will be for your business?

If your system became compromised because you visited a site, how likely are you to visit that site again?

Even when you hear it's all clear, wouldn't you still be hesitant about going back?

Sure, if the site was a really big site, such as Facebook for example, you might venture back. You have lots of connections there you don't want to miss out on and if lots of other people are saying it's okay now, you may be more likely to return.

But, if it's a site not quite as large as Facebook--and who among us has a site on that level?--how likely are you to go back? You'll probably find a way to live without it, right?

And, even if you decide, well, it's okay now, I'll go back, how many other people are simply going to say, nah, forget about it?

I suggest there is a difference between getting hit with malware and just hearing a site had been compromised. Hearing it may have been compromised can be scary, and you'll probably stay away until you hear it's all clear. But, if you visit a site having had no such warning and get hit with malware, I would bet you're highly likely not to return to that site even once you hear it's all clear.

It's one thing if other people have problems, but once something messes with your own computer system, once you've spent who knows how much time getting your system back in the condition it was before you visited that website, you might just decide you can live without going to that website again.

So, given the potential severity of the situation, if your site became infected with malware, what would you want people to do? Do you want them to send you a message telling you about it, and, in the meantime, let people risk being infected with who-knows-what from your site? What if you're too busy to see the message right away?

Or, would it be better for that person to warn others, so they don't have their own systems compromised? It may look bad for you if someone is going around saying your site may be infected with malware, but wouldn't it look worse for you if people are getting their systems compromised because of visiting your site?

Which has the worst repercussions for your website and your business?

If you value your customers, wouldn't you want them to avoid being struck with malware, especially from your own site?

Or, do you want to be notified first, and not be concerned about what happens to your customers in the meantime?

If it happened to your website, what would you want people to do?