Website security is more critical today than ever before. With the rapid growth of online businesses and digital transactions, cyberattacks have increased significantly. In the second quarter of 2024, there had been a 30% year-over-year increase in cyber threats worldwide. 

These security attacks include unauthorized access, data breaches, and other malicious activities. Without the right security measures in place, you could risk data theft, financial losses, and damage to your business’ reputation. 

In this guide, we’ll walk you through some general website security practices. Additionally, we’ll dive into the most common cyber threats and the steps to take to protect your website. 

What is website security? 

At its core, website security is about protecting critical data from being accessed or stolen by cybercriminals. Companies and businesses use various security practices that help maintain a robust security posture.  

Generally, these security measures involve both human intervention and technology. Examples of these include the following: 

• Using secure web hosting. Organizations choose reputable hosting providers that offer security features like server firewalls and regular security updates. Additionally, they also opt for dedicated hosting rather than shared hosting because the latter can expose websites to additional security risks. 
• Creating strong passwords. Companies are highly encouraged to ensure that all user accounts have strong, unique passwords. A strong password contains uppercase and lowercase letters. It should also have special characters and numbers. Moreover, passwords should not be common phrases and be at least 12 characters long. 
• Limiting user permissions. Website owners only provide the necessary access to users based on their role. For instance, administrative access is restricted only to those who need it to accomplish their tasks. This way, the potential damage if one account becomes compromised is minimized. 
• Educating your team. The first line of cyber defense of an organization will always be its employees. Team members should be aware of common security threats such as phishing scams. It’s an important practice to regularly train staff on how to recognize and respond to these threats. 
• Updating content management systems (CMS). Businesses regularly update their website’s CMS software to ensure they’re running the latest security patches. If this isn’t done consistently, outdated software can contain critical vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit. 

Even with these security measures in place, it’s important to continue improving them. As technology evolves, hackers are always finding new ways to take advantage of any vulnerabilities. Because of this, web security is not something that can be set and forgotten—it requires constant attention and updates to stay ahead of potential threats. 

4 most common web security threats 

Data breach 

A data breach happens when unauthorized individuals gain access to sensitive information. These can include customer data, payment details, or proprietary business information. Data breaches can occur through various methods like hacking or malware. Some hackers also use social engineering, which tricks employees into revealing login credentials and other sensitive data. 

The consequences of a data breach can be devastating for any business. Firstly, it can result in funds stolen and paying for recovery efforts. What’s worse is that if the breach involves sensitive customer data, a business may also face legal action or penalties. 

On top of that, a data breach can also do long-term damage to a company’s reliability. If a business fails to protect their customer’s information, then they lose their client’s trust. Customer trust takes years to rebuild, and some businesses never fully restore it at all. 

Structured query language (SQL) injection 

This attack happens when a hacker inserts malicious code to trick the website’s system into revealing sensitive data. It targets the very heart of a website’s operations—its database. 

eCommerce platforms are especially sensitive to this kind of threat. This is because they rely on databases to store customer details, order histories, and payment data. For instance, when you submit a form on a website, such as signing in, the website sends a query to its database to process that data. If the website hasn’t properly secured handling such information, a hacker can inject malicious code into the form to manipulate the database. 

The impact of an SQL injection attack can be massive. Hackers can do the following to your website: 

• Steal sensitive information 

• Modify or delete data 

• Gain full control over the website 

Malware 

Malware, short for “malicious software,” is any software intentionally designed to cause harm to a website or its users. It can take many forms, like spyware, ransomware, worms, and viruses. 

Malware can sneak into a website through various channels. 

• Infected files. Hackers often use infected files, such as email attachments or software downloads, to introduce malware to a website’s system. Once these files are opened, the malware activates and begins to spread. 
• Cross-site scripting. The goal of this malware is to hijack user sessions or redirect users to malicious sites. It’s more focused on affecting the end user’s experience rather than the web server or database itself. 
• Malicious links. Cybercriminals can embed malware into seemingly harmless links. When a user clicks on these links, the malware downloads to the system. This infects the website or the visitor’s computer. 

One of the most concerning abilities of malware is that it can turn your site into a spamming hub. It can send out mass emails that can get your website blacklisted by search engines. Additionally, malware can damage your site’s performance. It can make it slower, less responsive, or even entirely inaccessible. This can severely affect user experience and may result in a significant drop in traffic or revenue. 

Distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks 

This type of attack involves bombarding a website with heavy traffic. This overwhelms your site and can lead to serious effects. Some of the most common consequences include: 

• Website downtime 
• Loss of revenue 
• Damage to reputation 
• Cost of mitigation 

What you can do to prevent cyber-attacks 

Get a secure sockets layer (SSL) certificate 

An SSL certificate is one of the most essential security tools for any site. It ensures that the data transmitted between a website and its users is encrypted. This way, hackers can’t interfere and read the information on your site. 

Domain.com’s SSL Certificate helps protect sensitive data and reduces the risk of potential breaches on your site. Moreover, it offers three more benefits. 

• Backed by warranty. Your data will be encrypted and backed by a warranty from Comodo SSL worth up to $1.75M to protect the end user. 
• Seal of trust. With SSL encryption, your website will be tagged by browsers as “Secure.” This will make your audience gain confidence when interacting with your website. 
• Boost Google rankings. Websites that use SSL certificates are prioritized by Google. 

Use web application firewalls (WAFs) 

Many platforms, like Domain.com, offer WAFs in their plans. WAFs act like strainers that filter all incoming traffic and keep out anything that looks suspicious. They’re particularly good at blocking hacking attempts that are often difficult to spot. 

For instance, when someone visits your website, they’re sending requests for your website’s data. They could ask to view a page, submit a form, or log in. 

A WAF checks each of these requests to make sure they don’t contain harmful code or malicious content. If the firewall detects anything unusual, it prevents the request from reaching your website. Additionally, WAFs work continuously in the background, so you won’t have to monitor every security risk that comes your way. 

Scan and remove malware regularly 

Consistent malware scanning and removal can help catch cyber threats before they cause serious damage. With Domain.com’s SiteLock Security, these processes are made easy. 

Our SiteLock Security service provides numerous features. 

• Daily scans 
• Instant alert notifications 
• Automatic malware removal 
• Make WordPress more secure 
• SiteLock seal 

Regular security checks with SiteLock give you peace of mind, knowing that your website is protected around the clock. This proactive approach helps reduce the risks that come with malware infections. 

Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) 

Instead of only relying on a password to log in, MFA requires users to verify their identity using a second method. This second step could involve entering a code that’s sent to their phone. It could also be using a fingerprint or answering a security question. By requiring this extra step, cybercriminals can’t easily access accounts on your website, even with a password. 

Passwords alone are often not enough to keep accounts secure. This is because cybercriminals can easily obtain passwords through phishing attacks. However, with MFA, chances of unauthorized access are greatly reduced. 

Protect your website with Domain.com 

Website security is crucial for your business and your customers. From data breaches and malware to DDoS attacks and SQL injections, the risks are real. More importantly, the consequences can be severe. 

Fortunately, you don’t have to face these challenges alone. Domain.com offers a comprehensive range of tools designed to help you secure your website. 

We provide SSL Certificates that protect sensitive data during transactions. Plus, we offer SiteLock Security, which provides daily malware scans and automatic removal to keep your site safe from potential breaches. Lastly, our WAFs add an extra layer of protection, filtering out malicious traffic before it can harm your website. 

Take proactive steps today and secure your website with Domain.com. 

Frequently asked questions (FAQs) 

How would you know that a website is secure? 

You can tell that a website is secure by checking for these signs: 

• Padlock icon. A padlock symbol in the browser’s address bar indicates that the website is using an SSL certificate. 

• HTTPS in the URL. Secure websites begin with “https://” rather than “http://,” with the “S” standing for secure. 

• Trust seals. Legitimate trust badges, like from SSL providers or security services (e.g., SiteLock), can indicate a secure website. 

• No browser warnings. Browsers will often display warnings for insecure or unsafe websites. 

Is it safe to download from an insecure website? 

No, unsecured websites (those without HTTPS or a padlock icon) do not encrypt data. This makes it easier for hackers to intercept your information or inject malware into downloads. Downloading from such sites increases the risk of infecting your device with harmful software. Always ensure that the website is secure before downloading anything. 

What if I accidentally visited a bad website? 

If you accidentally visited a bad website, follow these steps to protect yourself: 

Step 1: Close the website immediately. Exit the browser to prevent further interaction. 

Step 2: Clear your browser history and cache. This removes any stored data from the visit. 

Step 3: Run an antivirus or anti-malware scan. Check your device for any potential infections. 

Step 4: Change passwords. If you entered any personal information, update your passwords for added security. 

Step 5: Monitor accounts. Keep an eye on your bank accounts and email for any suspicious activity. 

Taking these actions helps reduce the risk of malware infections or data theft. 

How often should I test my web application security? 

It’s a good idea to check the security of your web application regularly, ideally every three months. This helps find and fix any weak spots. If you make big updates or changes to your application, test the security right away to catch any new issues that might have come up. Regular testing keeps your application safe from potential threats.