How Web Security Protects Networks and Computer Systems
Web security protects networks and computer systems from damage or theft of software, hardware, or data. In addition, it helps prevent website interruptions by preventing denial-of-service attacks and maintaining server performance.
Web attacks are a common threat to any organization, and the consequences can be devastating. Not only does the loss of sensitive data threaten compliance fines and legal action, but it also puts company reputation at risk with customers and business partners. The cost of correcting a data breach is often more than the company can afford, and a damaged reputation can be difficult to overcome.
The most effective way to combat web security threats is through continuous monitoring of network assets and best practices. These include ensuring that all devices are up to date, employing secure coding techniques, using encryption protocols for data transmission, and strengthening user authentication.
A company’s website contains a variety of information, some of which is non-sensitive such as the copy shown on public pages. Other information is sensitive, such as customer usernames and passwords, banking information, private algorithms, or product data. These types of assets are attractive to hackers who can use them for illegal activities such as e-mail spamming, phishing, credit card fraud, identity theft, and more.
To protect these assets, businesses need to implement a comprehensive web security solution that can detect and mitigate many different types of attacks. The best solutions provide granular visibility into traffic at the application layer to monitor for vulnerabilities such as SQL injection and cross-site scripting (XSS).
In addition, the right solutions can help prevent data leakage by protecting against exfiltration of sensitive or proprietary information. This is accomplished by implementing features like URL filtering, SSL introspection, and data loss prevention (DLP).
A web scanning tool can be used to systematically crawl an entire website for vulnerabilities that could leave it open to a bot, spyware, rootkit, Trojan horse, or distributed denial-of-service attack. A tool can also scan a site’s source code to identify weaknesses and vulnerabilities that could be exploited by attackers.
These tools can be supplemented with other protective technologies. For example, an advanced CAPTCHA solution uses proprietary challenge-response algorithms to delay automated attack bots, reducing their return on investment and providing additional protection against evolving attack tactics.
Companies need to take a holistic approach to web security, as threats are constantly evolving. Investing in a solution that provides round-the-clock support, valuable insights, raw signals, and attributes will enable businesses to stay ahead of the curve and ensure comprehensive web security for their digital platforms. This is the only way to ensure that the company’s assets remain protected against the myriad of emerging and existing attacks. Arkose Labs’ unified threat intelligence platform is the perfect complement to any modern web security solution, helping companies adapt to changing attack techniques and maintain a complete defense against the most damaging cyber attacks. To learn more about how we can strengthen your web security, contact us today.