As hackers grow faster, more numerous, and more effective, many companies are struggling to protect their websites from cyber-threats˳ The statistics don’t lie:
• Over 360,000 new malicious files are detected every day
• There were 1,188,728,338 known attacks on computers in 2017
• Damage to businesses by cyber crime is expected to reach $6 trillion by 2021
• Global spending on cyber security will likely exceed $1 trillion between 2017 and 2021
These staggering numbers clearly demonstrate why organizations must make website security a critical priority˳ Various types of cyber-attacks and malicious programs exist˳ It’s crucial that every IT department understand the following risks: viruses and worms, Trojan programs, suspicious packers, malicious tools, adware, malware, ransomware, denial of service, phishing, cross-site scripting (SQL injection), brute force password attack, and session hijacking˳ When these cyber breach attempts are successful (which is often), the following can occur:
• Website defacement – unwanted content placed on your website
• Websites are taken offline (your site goes down)
• Data is stolen from websites, databases, financial systems, etc˳
• Data is encrypted and held for ransom (ransomware attack)
• Server misuse – relay webmail spam, to serve illegal files
• Server misuse – part of a distributed denial of service attack
• Servers misappropriated to mine for Bitcoin, etc˳
While some attacks present only minor threats like a slow website, many attacks result in severe repercussions such as major theft of confidential data or indefinite website failure due to ransomware˳ With that in mind, here are 15 best practices your IT department should be leveraging to protect your organization from malware and cyber-hacking˳
1˳ Keep your software updated˳
It’s crucial that you keep your operating system, general applications, anti-malware and website security programs updated with the latest patches and definitions˳ If your website is hosted by a third-party, make sure your host is reputable and keeps their software up-to-date as well˳
2˳ Protect against cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks˳
Hackers can steal credentials and login cookies from users when they opt-in or register by introducing malicious JavaScript into your coding˳ Install firewalls and protections against injections of active JavaScript into your pages˳
3˳ Protect against SQL attacks˳
In order to defend against hackers that inject rogue code into your site, you must always use parameterized queries and avoid standard Transact SQL˳
4˳ Double validation of data˳
Protect your subscribers by requiring both browser and server-side validation˳ A double validation process will help block insertion of malicious scripts through form fields that accept data˳
5˳ Don’t allow file uploads on your website˳
Some businesses require users to upload files or images to their server˳ This presents significant security risks as hackers can upload malicious content that will compromise your website˳ Remove executable permissions for files and find another way for users to share information and images˳
6˳ Maintain a robust firewall˳
Use a robust firewall and restrict outside access only to ports 80 and 443˳
7˳ Maintain a separate database server˳
Keep separate servers for your data and webservers to better protect your digital assets˳
8˳ Implement a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol˳
Always purchase an SSL certificate that will maintain a trusted environment˳ SSL certificates create a foundation of trust by establishing a secure and encrypted connection for your website˳ This will protect your site from fraudulent servers˳
9˳ Establish a password policy˳
Implement rigorous password policies and ensure they are followed˳ Educate all users on the importance of strong passwords˳ In essence, require that all passwords meet these standards:
• Length is at least 8 characters
• At least one capital letter, one numeral and one special character
• Do not use words that can be found in the dictionary
• The longer the password, the stronger the website security˳
10˳ Use website security tools˳
Website security tools are essential for internet security˳ There are many options, both free and paid˳ In addition to software, there are also Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) models that offer comprehensive website security tools˳
11˳ Create a hack response plan˳
Sometimes security systems are averted despite the best attempts at protection˳ If that occurs, you will need to implement a response plan that includes audit logs, server backups and contact information for your IT support personnel˳
12˳ Set up a backend activity log system˳
In order to trace the point of entry for a malware incident, ensure you are tracking and logging pertinent data, such as login attempts, page updates, coding changes and plugin updates and installations˳
13˳ Maintain a fail-safe backup plan˳
Your data should be backed up regularly, depending on how frequently it is updated˳ Ideally daily, weekly and monthly backups are available˳ Create a disaster recovery plan appropriate for your business type and size˳ Make sure you save a copy of your backup locally and offsite (many good cloud based solutions are available), enabling you to rapidly retrieve an unaltered version of your data˳
14˳ Train your personnel˳
It is imperative that everyone is trained on the policies and procedures your company has developed in order to keep your website and data safe and prevent cyber-attacks˳ It only takes one employee clicking on a malicious file to create the opportunity for a breach˳ Ensure everyone understands the response plan and has a copy of it which is easily accessible˳
15˳ Make sure your partners and vendors are secure˳
Your business may share data and access with many partners and vendors˳ This is another potential source of breach˳ Make sure your partners and vendors follow your web security best practices, to help protect your website and data˳ This can be done using your own audit process, or you can subscribe to software security companies which offer this service˳
Even a high-end computer system can be brought down quickly by nefarious malware˳ Don’t procrastinate on implementing the above security strategies˳ Consider investing in cyber insurance to protect your organization in the event a severe breach ever occurs˳ Securing your website from hacking and cyber attacks is an important part of keeping your website safe and your business secure˳
Source by https://ezinearticles˳com/?15-Best-Practices-to-Protect-Your-Website-From-Malware-and-Cyber-Hacking&id=9990973
