Website Security Migration Services

The single most common way a migration goes wrong from a security angle is carrying an existing compromise into the new environment. In a large share of the sites we migrate, the source already had injected files or an unused admin account nobody remembered. Copying those forward just re-establishes the attacker on better infrastructure. We scan and vet the source first, so what lands on the destination is known-clean, not hopeful.

A migration is the easiest time to get the configuration right, because you are building from scratch anyway. We set correct file permissions, disable what should be disabled, add the security headers that were missing, put the database on a least-privilege account, and lock the admin surface down before the site goes live. Retrofitting all of that onto a running site is far more disruptive than baking it in during the move.

Moving between hosting providers or from shared hosting to a VPS or cloud instance. The risk here is configuration drift and credentials left behind on the old host. We build the new server hardened, transfer over encrypted channels, and make sure the old environment is properly decommissioned rather than left running as a forgotten attack surface.

Moving from one CMS to another, upgrading across major versions, or replatforming an e-commerce store. These carry data-mapping risk and often reset your security assumptions. We make sure user data, especially password hashes and payment references, moves safely and that the new platform is configured to a secure baseline from day one.

Adding TLS properly, moving behind a CDN or WAF, or restructuring DNS. Small mistakes here (mixed content, misissued certificates, an origin server still reachable directly) undo the benefit. We handle the cutover so the protection is real, not cosmetic.

Moving into AWS, Azure or Google Cloud brings a new set of controls: identity and access management, storage bucket permissions, security groups. A misconfigured bucket or an over-permissive role is one of the most common cloud breaches, so we review the target configuration as part of the move rather than leaving it to defaults.

We document what exists: the current stack, its components, its known weaknesses, and every credential and integration in play. From that we produce a migration plan with a rollback path, so if anything goes wrong you are never stranded.

We build the hardened destination and scan the source clean. Data is prepared for transfer, backups are encrypted, and we stage a test migration where possible so cutover day holds no surprises.

The switchover is timed to minimise exposure, with credentials rotated as part of the move and DNS and TLS handled cleanly. Once live, we verify the new environment: no leftover exposed files, correct headers, working TLS, and a quick security check to confirm nothing regressed. The old environment is then decommissioned properly.

Why the old environment matters after cutover

A surprising number of breaches trace back to an old server that was migrated away from but never shut down. It keeps running, stops getting updates, and becomes the softest target on your estate. Part of the job is making sure the origin is either wiped or locked down, not just abandoned.

Database passwords in configuration files, API keys committed to the codebase, admin credentials shared over email. A migration is the natural moment to rotate all of them, and we do.

Migration generates backups, and backups have a habit of being left in web-accessible locations. A publicly downloadable database dump is one of the worst leaks there is, so handling those securely is a core part of the work.

Outdated components and abandoned plugins that were on the old site. Rather than carry them forward, we flag them for update or removal so the new environment starts on current, supported software with a smaller attack surface than the one it replaced.

The engagement is not just the move itself. You receive a migration plan with a documented rollback path, a record of what was scanned and cleaned, a list of the credentials rotated, and a short verification report on the state of the new environment. Where you need it for an audit, that record is written so it can go straight into your compliance file. After you have run on the new environment for a short while, the included retest confirms nothing regressed and no exposure crept back in.

Under GDPR, personal data must be protected in transit and at rest, which means encrypted transfer and secure handling of any interim copies. A migration that dumps a customer database into an unsecured location is exactly the kind of processing failure the regulation targets. We document how data was handled so you have a record.

If you process card data, PCI DSS has specific expectations for how systems are configured and changed. ISO 27001 change-management controls apply to any significant migration. Our deliverable includes what was moved, how it was secured, and the state of the destination, which slots into an audit trail, and we can add an attestation letter.

We sign a mutual NDA before touching credentials or data. Everything is handled on encrypted storage and interim copies are destroyed once the migration is verified.