How To Check a Website for Vulnerabilities?
Security bugs are also known as vulnerabilities, which means flaws in a system that makes it open to an attacker. These vulnerabilities are continuously detected by security companies, software industries, and even by cybercriminals to attack your system. In this post, we are sharing some tips and tricks about how to find security bugs in the website and remove them to ensure a safe website.
Most Common Web Security Vulnerabilities
Vulnerabilities in a website refer to a fragile security system and misconfiguration that allow an attacker to gain a specific level of control of your site and even the hosting server. Most of the security bugs can be detected by a web scanner online or manually. We have mentioned the most common security bugs that can invite an attacker to distribute malicious data or steal valuable information about your site visitors.
Structured Query Language Injections
SQLI is the most widespread type of web application security bugs in which a hacker uses application code to access or corrupt the database content. When an attacker successfully injected an SQLI, he will be allowed to read, create, delete, modify, or update the data stored in the back-end database.
XXS or Cross-Site Scripting
It is a type of vulnerability that focuses on the users of an application by injecting a code into the output of a web application. Cross-Site Scripting manipulates client-side scripts of a web application to execute in the way that is chosen by a hacker. By using the XSS method, an attacker can run scripts in the browser of the victim that can control user sessions, vandalize the websites, or divert the user to suspicious web pages.
Security Misconfiguration
Lack of maintenance and attention to the web application configuration is the primary reason behind the security misconfiguration. It is crucial to define and launch a secure setting for the database server, platform, web server, frameworks, application, and application server. Security misconfiguration allows an attacker to access the data and use it for his evil purposes.
Weak Authentication and Session Management
Weak authentication and session management consist of multiple security issues that deal with maintaining the identity of a user. A hacker can hijack an active session and adopt the identity of a user in the case of unprotected authentication credentials and session identifiers.
CSRF or Cross-Site Request Forgery
In this attack, a user can be tricked into executing an action which he was not intended to do. It is also known as a one-click attack in which a third-party website requests a web application from an authenticated account. After gaining access, a cybercriminal targets the sensitive information of a web application like client details, banking details, social media data of users, etc.
Unprotected Direct Object References
An unprotected direct object reference takes place when an application uncovers a reference to an internal implementation thing like directories, database keys, database records, etc. When a web application reveals any critical reference in its URL, an attacker uses it to steal the user’s information from the server.
How to Mitigate and Prevent Website Vulnerabilities?
- Keep your Applications Up-to-date
- Adopt a Malware Scanner
- Use a WAF (Web Application Firewall)
The initial and critical step to securing your site is to update all your applications, add-ons, and plugins. Service providers regularly launch security patches for their applications, and it is essential to update them to ensure robust security regularly. You should also subscribe to the news and notifications related to the new security updates, which can help you to stay one step ahead from a cybercriminal.
You can use a reputable website security checker, which keeps the potential to detect the potential malware and remove them. There are many malware scanners present in the market which provide you the service in exchange for some amount.
A Web Application Firewall acts as the first line of defense against an attacker by filtering out the suspicious traffic from your site. It also blocks the malicious spam and IP address, bots, and offers you the automated scanner and attack-based user input.
The Bottom Line
As we are achieving more advanced technology day by day, attackers are also doing their job by finding loops in the same to crack secure regions. Advanced programmers may opt to review their security bugs manually and sanitize the servers in advance to protect valuable data from a cybercriminal.
You can also use website security testing tools online and create a secure environment for your users. If you are not into technological things, you can pass on these jobs to some famous companies like cWatch that can do the tasks for you in exchange for some amount.
