However, the growth of cyber world is raising, website security is becoming a necessity for the website. Because without proper implementation for website security, server management is publicly open to vulnerability.
Recently the world witnessed about the NSA spying case over Google and Yahoo, which stole millions of data of Google and Yahoo users. Both companies have unencrypted information among their data centers. Here, I want to draw attention to website security that is must in current age where thousands of people do online transactions on daily base without aware about online frauds and attacks. Especially when a user makes any transaction through online banking, eCommerce website he/she should check some required points before passing his credit or debit card details to a particular website. If a website has no proper online security then the customer data security might be at risk.
All questions regarding, basic situations in which cyber attack can happen, measures of website security against cyber attack etc. will be answered in this article.
But before going forward to discuss regarding the same, I want to explain basic term such as cyber attack, website security to better understanding for my novice internet user. Take a look on both two:
What is cyber attack?
Cyber attack is an effort that is being done deliberately to exploit server and network system and taking unauthorized access of it by injecting malicious code to change or damage computer code, or data that makes system compromised. Many types of cyber attacks are used to manipulate the system ranging from identity theft, phishing, spoofing, Trojans, virus to denial-of-service.
What is Website Security?
Website security is an application that restricts illegal or restricted access to aspects of website like IP address, username or password, or hostname.
Ways through cyber attack can happen:
Phishing, pharming, identity theft, botnets are some well-known online techniques, which steal customer’s online information. If eCommerce website is lacking security, cyber attacker can take advantage to steal customer’s confidential data and may use for illegal purpose. In this way, the credibility of a business suffers, as well customer will move away from such vulnerable website.
According to a well-known study, nearly 100 eCommerce stores do not use SSL security on their website and puts customer’s data at risk. In this way, eCommerce stores put their customer’s confidence at risk. Hence, for that SSL should be on the login page, checkout and payment page of any online shopping site, banking site etc.
Below there are basic ways through which cyber attacker can attack your website.
- The attacker observes unsecured login page where users insert their personal information and could wipe all information.
- Use of HTTP in place of HTTPS that means the website is not protected with security and susceptible to attack.
- No Antivirus is implemented on your website, which can cause a virus or Trojan attack on your website.
- Through phishing site, which pretends to be similar to your website and thus customers, provide their financial data to such phishing sites. AS a result, your business will suffer and lose credibility.
- The attacker can inject false DNS request that the server cannot handle and as a result the website gets down.
- Cyber attackers can make fraud application to capture user’s mobile details and thus use it illegitimate way.
- Cyber attackers can spy your server or any information that passes among data centers as we have seen in NSA case against Google and Yahoo.
Now I will discuss about security measures that website owner can take to protect customer over the web and thus enhance credibility of his website in the eyes of customers.
Security Measures for Website Security against Cyber Attack:
There are some basic security measures user has to keep in mind while searching on the web or providing information to website or at the time of downloading any software. Here, some of security measures give hope that these might be useful to online users.
1. Login page security:
If you are associated with, banking business or eCommerce or any financial institution or any government association who carries a financial transaction on daily base then they must have security on the Login page, as it requires a username and password, which is case sensitive. Failing to provide security to login page is a bit like leaving a key in the lock. A cyber attacker could take all users’ confidential data in case of non-secure Web Pages.
2. Apply Auto SSL:
Auto SSL compels web pages to be directed to HTTPS automatically, which removes the security concern over the web. Whether user type HTTP instead of HTTPS, it will be redirected to secure pages of the website. The URL in Auto SSL starts with HTTPS automatically. Many websites do not use Auto SSL, which is quite required for customer safety. Unencrypted FTP or HTTP for website or web server management opens door for man-in-middle attack.
3. Avoid unsecured network:
People generally use open or public WI-Fi networks without security awareness and become dupes of cyber crime. Unsecure WI-Fi is easy to hack and hence it should be avoided because this is important especially when a user login in the website or server for any administrative purpose, financial transactions etc. Always use a secure proxy while connecting to a website or server otherwise an attacker can snoop user data while travelling between intended server and browser.
4. Never Share Login details:
User should not share login credentials as it causes major problems. If username and password is revealed to hacker, he/she then can take advantage of it and may harm to user by stealing online information like password and username. Whether you are web master, web administrator, or normal user, you must reserve web access to limited and trusted persons otherwise the more login credentials spread, the server, or website becomes more vulnerable.
5. Regular backup of data:
Duplicate server can help server administrator a lot in case of any cyber attack. Such duplicate server keeps up to date information as a backup and allows you not to rebuild the server from disaster. The Even regular backup also saves data and there is no need to worry about wiped data over the compromised server system. Security and timely update of data backup is necessary to ensure that they will not let you down when actually needed.
6. Antivirus against virus or spyware:
Antivirus is a security program that scans your website on a daily basis and alert user about any vulnerability, identity theft, virus, or Trojan. It keeps your website or server clean from unwanted susceptibility. Many antivirus products are available in the market with multiple year licenses. Having antivirus on the website can protect your website from all known threats and keeps customer’s confidence at high for your website in term of their confidential data.
Conclusion:
Finally, website security is worth considering the issue in current time where hacking activities are becoming sophisticated that steal user data hence online organizations and other online businesses have to keep security at front panel.
