Website Security

Website security is extremely important. Many would be customers will discontinue a transaction if data is sent on a connection that is not secure. Also, a large number of people refuse to browse an unsecured website.

Did you know that a larger percentage of cyber-attacks target small businesses? Cybercriminals do not regard any business website or blog too small to be exploited.

What is Website Security?

Website security involves taking action to prevent the exposure of website data to cybercriminals. When your website data is exposed, your site may be exploited. Website security services protect your site to ensure that your brand and customers are not exploited.

You should take the necessary steps to monitor and defend your site from exploitation. It is a lot easier than the cleanup involved after you have been hacked. Additionally, create an emergency response plan to preempt any data breach or compromise.

Cybercrime is getting increasingly sophisticated with attacks becoming automated. Automated cyber-attacks involve allowing a hacker to identify vulnerable websites. The hacker then determines whether the sites can be exploited.

Then they go ahead and make an attempt either manually or via a semi-automated process. If they hit the jackpot, they access website’s network and let loose their nefarious activities. These may fall into the following categories depending on the type of website and their motive:

• Brazenly steal the website’s data
• Lay low to steal data
• Carry out their malicious activities for a long while

Code Injection

Cybercriminals may exploit website vulnerabilities in applications to introduce malicious codes. The vulnerability may be in a text input field for users such as a username. This is where a SQL statement that runs the database is entered. Such an attack is called SQL Injection. Other code injection attacks include the following:

• Operating system command attacks
• Shell injection
• Script injection
• Dynamic evaluation attacks

Code attacks may lead to:

• Credential being stolen
• Destroyed data
• Loss of server control

Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)

These attacks involve injecting malicious client-side scripts into your website. The website is used as a propagation method. A website malware scanner easily detects such a security issue and more.

A successful XSS allows the hacker to input content into your site changing the display. Consequently, your browser executes the code provided by the hacker wen the code loads. If your administrator loads the code, the website lands in the hands of the cybercriminals who could cause extensive damage to your site and business.

Credential Brute Force Attacks

A hacker may gain access to your website’s admin area, SFTP server or, control panel. They will then compromise your website by programming a script to attempt several username/password combinations. Once they find a combination that works, they can launch any number of malicious activities on your site such as:

• Spam campaigns
• Coin mines
• Credit card theft

Website Malware Infections and Attacks

When the hacker executes some of the aforementioned security issues to gain access to your website, they may:

• Introduce a backdoor to control access
• Inject SEO spam on the accessed page
• Steal your visitors’ information or credit card data
• Post unauthorized ads
• Redirect your visitors to scam sites
• Host malicious downloads
• Launch attacks against other websites
• Access visitors’ computers to mine cryptocurrencies
• Run exploits on your server to enhance their level of access

DoS/DDoS Attacks

Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS) attacks are internet attacks that are non-intrusive. Their purpose is to take down or slow down the targeted site. This happens when the network server or application is overwhelmed with fake traffic.

If a DDoS attack goes for a vulnerable site, even a tiny amount of traffic will be a success.

Website Security Service

A website security service is important to keep your site clean and safe. Web security services are provided by vendors such as Security Solution Providers and Managed Service Providers (MSP). Some businesses prefer to have an in-house team handling the web security issues.

If your business can afford to maintain a team of highly trained IT professionals, this is a great option. However, many enterprises agree that the IT administration team is the most overworked.

With the amount of IT tasks they have to attend to, crucial security issues are usually overlooked. This leaves your website vulnerable to cybercrime and possibly explains the numerous security breaches reported every so often.

To ensure that your website’s security is given priority every day, the best option is to outsource. A web security service has experts dedicated to ensuring your website is secure by facilitating website malware removal and control.

Contracting Managed Security Service providers is the best way to keep your site safe from cybercriminals.

Why is Website Security Important?

To begin with, everyone wants to be safe from cybercriminals. Whether you run a personal website or a business one, having a secure website is important. Besides, no one wants to imagine there may some nefarious character lurking in their site and stealing their data.

Hence, website security is important for the simple reason that you do not want your site exposed to criminals. Also, a hacked website is blacklisted. This leads to the loss of up to 98% of its traffic which is detrimental to any business.

Remember that your website and web server are linked to your enterprise network. Hence, they are the bridge between the internal network and users. If your site and by extension server is compromised, it means that the hackers have access to your network to commit cybercrime.

The truth is if your website is not secure, you may as well not have it. Also, if your clients’ data is compromised, it could lead to:

• A ruined reputation
• Lawsuits
• Hefty fines

Rebuilding trust in you customers when your reputation is in ruins is an uphill task. More often than not, a business will end up losing the bulk of its customers.