When you go to a web development company or make a website by your own, try asking yourself, is my website really secure from security attacks? The answer for that will probably be a big NO. But what can you do to prevent these attacks?

Who performs these attacks and Why?

If you have a good website that is most often visited and can gain you popularity, you might also have to prepare yourself for the negative consequences too. Hackers, who expertise in finding the loopholes of a website and perform unethical hacking on it performs such types of attacks. They might be your competitors or haters trying to bring down your website as well your online reputation. Let’s know about the most famous types of attacks than can happen on your website and how they can be prevented.

Types of attacks and their prevention:

1.) SQL Injection: Say your website has a login form, from where the users can login and access their account. But the user data being stored in the server database having their login credentials can be compromised with SQL Injection attacks. This happens when the hacker inputs a malicious code in the input field and can get the access to the entire database. By injecting the SQL Code, the hacker can have the entire access of your database from where he can modify, update or even drop the entire tables.

Prevention Steps:

• Hide your Server Signature.
• Use Dynamic SQL to create Queries.
• Strong Password Policies.

2.) Unrestricted File Upload: If your website contains an upload box, where the users can upload files of any extensions, it can be the most vulnerable part of your website. A hacker can exploit this vulnerability by uploading and run a malicious script on your site.

Prevention Steps:

• Block the files from being uploaded which are having double extensions.
• Restrict file extension to only what is required. For example: Only .jpg or .gif extensions are allowed for image uploading.

3.) Brute Force Attacks: When a website has a login field, the attackers will try their best to log into the system by trying every permutation and combination of passwords with the help of an automated software.

Prevention Steps:

• Block account after a specific number of incorrect attempts.

4.) Dos Attacks: When your server gets over loaded with unlimited requests, resulting in the loss of your website traffic, it probably means that a DOS (Denial of Service) attack has been performed on your website.

Prevention Steps:

• Use a Web Application Firewall that inspects every HTTP request that your website receives.

Apart from these attacks, there are many more types of attacks that are performed to hack a website such as XML Injections, I frame Injections, XSS Attacks etc. and therefore, it’s very important for you to have your website secured to keep your business going smoothly. If you want to prevent your website all by yourself, some prerequisite knowledge of web development is must. Or alternatively, you can take help of a professional web development company.

A few tips to help you in website attack prevention:

1. If you have a dynamic website that is made in WordPress, you can use a security plugin that provides complete security solutions for your website.
2. After your website is completed, instead of manually checking the vulnerabilities, you may use a website auditor to have a complete security checkup of your website.
3. Use SSL Certificates.
4. Change your Database Password on a regular basis.
5. Keep a backup of your Database for restoring, in case it gets hacked.