TYPES OF WEBSITE SECURITY THREATS YOU SHOULD KNOW

Security! It’s not a simple term to be unnoticed. Cybercrimes and hacking happen every day. It has gone up by 67% since 2014 and 11% since 2018. 

Security is vital for the protection of websites, applications, and software. According to the research by Cybint Solutions, small businesses were the target of 43% of recent cyber attacks.   

Is your website prone to hacking or attacks? Is it necessary to invest in web security? 

What are the essential steps in protecting websites? 

- Applying up-to-date encryption

- Authentication

- Avoiding data theft

- Secure development practices 

Here are the most common threat issues and know everything about it:

1. Phishing

Phishing is one of the most common hacking methods to get data, access financial data or passwords from an individual recipient. 

Studies show that, In 2020, 66% of businesses were prone to phishing.

The phishing attack is by sending fake e-mails on behalf of companies. It tricks people into revealing more confidential and personal information. 

Fake social media links are also a source of phishing attacks.

Types of Phishing attacks:

- Spear Phishing

- Pharming

- Deceptive

- Clone Phishing

- Whaling

2. Malware

You might be familiar with a Malware attack.

In a Malware attack, unwanted software gets installed on your system that damages your websites and systems. 

According to CSO Online, almost 90% of malware reaches the site through e-mails. 

Types of Malware attacks:

- Adware

- Trojans

- Spyware

- Bots or botnets

- Crypto-malware

- Worms

- Viruses

- Keyloggers

Sucuri Security reports that approximately 20,000 websites are blacklisted for malware by Google. 

If a search engine detects malware on your website, it will show up a warning saying to the visitors.

“This site ahead contains malware.” 

“Warning: Something’s Not Right Here!”

3. DDoS Attacks

DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks are the most effective and have targeted huge companies such as PayPal, Netflix, and PlayStation in the past. 

The DDoS attack is generated in multiple ways resulting in complete blockage of the site or application. 

It is a critical threat to the firms that can stop all the process requests by generating more traffic than the server can store. 

Types of DDoS attacks:

- Volume-based Attacks 

Sub-types: UDP Flood, ICMP Flood, HTTP Flood, Amplification Attack

- Protocol Attacks

Sub-types: DNS Flood, SYN Flood, Ping of Death

- Application layer Attacks

Sub-types: Application attack, Slowloris, NTP Amplification, Zero-day DDoS Attacks. 

4. Ransomware

Ransomware is malware that encrypts a device’s files, and the user can no longer access them, demanding ransom in exchange. 

The demanding ransom is usually in bitcoins or another cryptocurrency. Sometimes even if you pay, your website will remain the same. 

Research conducted by Cybersecurity Ventures reveals that the cost of ransomware attacks will be over $265 billion worldwide. 

Types of Ransomware attacks:

- Locker ransomware

- Crypto ransomware

- Double extortion ransomware

- RaaS

- Doxware or leakware

5. Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) Attacks

In an XSS attack, the attacker injects malicious code into the target website.

XSS attack can damage your business online by redirecting the users to a malignant website. 

Studies show that over 60% of web applications are prone to cross-site scripting attacks.

Types of XSS attacks:

- Non-persistent attacks 

- Persistent attacks 

- DOM-based XSS

- Self-XSS attack

How to Improve web security?

- Restructure corporate security policies.

- Conduct Awareness training

- Use reputable antivirus software 

- Back up your data regularly (both internal and external)

Lastly, develop a secured website to protect your data. 

Don’t make mistakes.

Cyber attacks target both small businesses and huge enterprises. It can infect your business with financial and data loss. 

If you do not know where to start with your Web Security, connect with us and protect your website against the increasing threats.