Web Security Issues that must be avoided at all Cost
Web Security Issues – Technology is always changing. Some website security experts just learn many things on their own. Yet it's always good to learn that some website security colleagues will help one another by teaching (in all forms such as blogging).
Some small website owners don't think they're worthy of any hacker's time. This is dead wrong. Your website might be beneficial in making it a channel to another bigger malware plague. The majority of website security breaches are not to steal your data or deface your website, but instead attempts to use your server as an email relay for spam, or to setup a temporary web server, normally to serve files of an illegal nature. Other very common ways to abuse compromised machines include using your servers as part of a botnet, or to mine for Bitcoins. You could even be hit by ransomware.
Five Common Web Security Issues are:
Here's a brief list of the common web security issues that weakens websites:
- Cross Site Scripting (XSS)
- Injection Mistakes
- Outdated Security Configurations
- A Lost Function Level Access Control
- Exposing Sensitive Data
#1. Cross Site Scripting (XSS)
This is another form of injection vulnerability that can input sanitization failure. A hacker sets up your web application JavaScript tags on input. When this input is returned to the user unsanitized, the user's browser will carry it out. It can be as simple as creating a link and persuading a user to click it, or it can be something much more sinister. On page load the script runs and, for example, can be used to post your cookies to the hacker.
#2. Injection Mistakes
If you want a smooth filter of untrusted input, injections flaws must be avoided at all costs. An injection flaw can let you pass unfiltered data to the SQL server, to the browser, to the LDAP server (LDAP injection), or anywhere else. These website layers can be used by a hacker to inject commands. This can result in loss of data and hacking your own website. In fact, it can also infect other websites as well.
#3. Outdated Security Configurations
Any responsible website security personnel will always make sure to personalize your security settings such as passwords and authentications. Perhaps, some people are still human to miss important things in their jobs. Some concrete scenarios are:
- They let the application run with debug enabled in production.
- They didn't change default keys and passwords.
- They left the directory listing enabled on the server, which leaks valuable information.
- They allow unnecessary services running on the machine.
- They operated an outdated software (think WordPress plugins, old PhpMyAdmin).
- They didn't fix some pop-up messages on error information.
#4. A Lost Function Level Access Control
An authorization failure can also disrupt your website. It means that when a function is called on the server, proper authorization was not performed. A lot of times, website developers rely on the fact that the server side generated the UI. They think that the functionality that is not supplied by the server cannot be accessed by the client. It is not as easy as they thought, as a hacker can always fake requests to the "hidden" functionality and will not be prevented by the fact that the UI doesn't make this functionality easily accessible. Nothing can stop an attacker from discovering this functionality and abusing it if authorization is missing.
#5. Exposing Sensitive Data
It's a huge failure for website security personnel – to not encrypt and not protect your sensitive data. Information (such as credit card details) and user passwords should never travel or be stored unencrypted, and passwords should always be hashed. And while it goes without saying that session IDs and sensitive data should not be traveling in the URLs. Moreover, sensitive cookies should have a secure flag on them, this is very important and cannot be over-emphasized.
Cwatch Does Security Check for Website
On the vast sea of security check for website, cWatch offers the most efficient features for businesses. It is the website security check tool that combines a Web Application Firewall (WAF) provisioned over a Secure Content Delivery Network (CDN). It is a fully capable website security check tool from a round-the-clock staffed Cyber Security Operation Center (CSOC) of certified security analysts and is powered by a Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) that leverages data from over 85 million endpoints to detect and mitigate threats before they occur.
To strengthen the web application firewall feature, here are the other features and short descriptions that cWatch has on its layers:
- Cyber Security Operations Center (CSOC)
Your team of always-on certified cybersecurity professionals providing 24x7x365 surveillance and remediation services. - Security Information & Event Management (SIEM)
The best website security has an advanced intelligence leveraging current events and data from 85M+ endpoints & 100M+ domains. - Secure Content Delivery Network (CDN)
The best website security for my website has a global system of distributed servers boost the performance of websites and web applications. - PCI Scanning
The best website security has PCI Scanning enables merchants and service providers to stay in compliance with PCI DSS. - Malware Monitoring & Remediation
The best website security identifies malware, provides the tools and methods to remove it, and helps to prevent future malware attacks.
Protect your website every day using a security check for website. Register at the cWatch website to enjoy these various services.