Web Security – Protect Your Brand, Assets, Reputation, and People
As a society, we rely heavily on the internet. Gen Xers may not remember a time when there wasn’t an internet (although governments and military computers did use an early form of the technology in the 1970s). Cyber threats have developed rapidly along with it, however. As a result, cyberattacks are increasingly sophisticated and effective at bypassing traditional cybersecurity protections. As a result, businesses must embrace comprehensive web security to protect their brands, assets, reputation, and people.
Web security is an integrated set of tools, technologies, and practices that protect websites, applications, and users from the most common web-based threats. It includes everything from authentication and access control to data encryption and more. The most effective solutions are multi-layered, combining hardware and software with cloud-based services. This enables them to provide robust, dynamic protection that adapts to changing threat landscapes without requiring on-premises infrastructure and constant patching and updates.
Authentication and Access Control
Websites need secure login credentials to ensure only authorized users can access sensitive information. This is accomplished through a combination of mechanisms, including passwords and multi-factor authentication. It also involves enabling SSL/TLS to encrypt data in transit and database encryption to prevent unauthorized access when at rest.
Vulnerability Scanning and Remediation
Website hacking is most often facilitated by software programs that search for weaknesses in the code that runs a website. Many of these programs are freely available and can scan websites for a variety of weaknesses, including SQL injections, cross-site scripting, and open redirects. Once a hacker gains access to the web server, they can do anything from modifying or defacing webpages to stealing or deleting sensitive information.
To mitigate these risks, organizations should regularly update the website with patches and other fixes for known vulnerabilities. In addition, a web application firewall should be used to prevent unauthorized access and traffic from entering or leaving the network. Content delivery networks with security features like DDoS protection, bot mitigation, and browser isolation can help, as well.
Other key steps in web security include sanitizing input data (removing the ability to execute code from user-provided data such as POST and GET requests, cookies, or header information) and employing proper code formatting. This prevents SQL injections and other types of attacks that try to compromise the web server through input fields.
It is also important to monitor for signs of malware on the web servers and to ensure that backups are stored off-site in case a breach does occur. Finally, it’s a good idea to enable separate logins for staff and limit their admin rights as much as possible. This will help reduce the number of attack vectors and protect the organization from employee misuse of business systems.
Recovering from a cyberattack can be costly, requiring investment in replacing stolen data, repairing damaged systems, and adding more security measures. In order to avoid these financial losses, businesses must take proactive measures to defend against common web-based threats. Fortunately, there are many painless ways to thwart hacking attempts, from installing frequent security patches to setting up automatic backups.