Online businesses have become the prime target of cyber criminals, fundamentally due to the sheer volume of business conducted over cyber space. The fact that despite knowing better lot of these cyber crimes, most businesses remain vulnerable to them makes it all too serious to be concerned about. Getting into the basic reasons behind vulnerability of websites towards these crimes is the complexity and loopholes in the website’s infrastructure.
Malware on the web has increased to alarming levels in past few years, mainly due to exploit kits and automation. Today, hackers have pre-designed malware packages comprising of numerous of malevolent programs that spread and infect hosts with malware through automated attacks. These kits also enable cyber criminals to scale their target and fabricate multiple level of hacking to breach into security of websites. One can easily guess the volume and frequency of exploit kits by looking at the number of malicious websites being block every day. These kits are impacting websites in twofold, firstly they are lowering the barrier for hackers to breach into a website security, and secondly they are raising the bar for businesses to safeguard their website infrastructure.
So, basically all businesses operating in cyberspace are vulnerable to attack by these criminals and there contemporary hacking gears. Below we will be looking at some of the more common approaches hackers prefer to scourge websites.
Cross Site Scripting (XSS)
Cross Site Scripting is perhaps one of the most common security flaws that take place when an un-trusted data is incorporated into an application which then sends it over to any web browser, negating any authentic and standard validation. Once an un-trusted data is sent over to web browser hackers can easily execute their scripts on your browsers and hijack your browser session, making you vulnerable to different malicious malware attacks.
CSRF (Cross-Site Request Forgery)
CSRF enable hackers to steal authentication information and session cookies of users from a vulnerable website. Once the authentication information has been hijacked, hackers can then take complete control of the session and breach into user’s very personal data (for instance back account etc.). The worst part is that since the websites sensed a legitimate login, it becomes almost impossible to detect or prevent the attack.
SQL Injection
SQL injection is another commonly practiced malware that inject malicious SQL code into execution field, compelling server to return information which originally it should protect. Once the information is returned by server, user information is leaked making them vulnerable to different breaches.
These are just few of the more commonly used infections/malwares used by hackers to get access to private data of businesses. The security and privacy of online businesses and users continues to remain vulnerable to these attacks even with the strongest of encryption incorporated into the server. However, it is recommended that enterprises should incorporate security into the very infrastructure of their server and make sure that they use latest encryptions in their web applications from the very beginning. The cost of bearing a slow but secure web development project certainly outweighs the cost enterprises would have to pay in case of a security breach into their confidential data.
