How to Protect Your Website From Malware and Ransomware

June 14, 2019 | Ananya S

Your website is valuable not only for you and your users but also for hackers. You may not think your website has anything worth being hacked for, but websites are compromised all the time. A hacker attack occurs every 39 seconds in the US, affecting one in three Americans every year.

Ransomware attacks are on the rise and it has become more dangerous in recent years. An attack on a corporate network can cost businesses thousands or millions of dollars. In 2020 the total number of global ransomware attacks increased by 485% over the preceding year.

As more people are working remotely, cybercriminals are capitalizing on the opportunity to attack users working outside the corporate firewall.

How does ransomware work

Ransomware spreads via phishing emails or spam. Once it enters, the ransomware locks all files it can access using strong encryption. Then usually the malware demands a ransom to decrypt the files and restore full operations. Encrypting ransomware is by far the most common recent variety of ransomware.

Today cybercriminals can shop for malware on the dark web and easily pull off an attack, they don’t even need to be very savvy. Ransomware attacks firms of all sizes, big or small. No sector is immune.

Don’t allow your business to suffer expensive damages. It is important that you be very proactive in your web security efforts to protect you, your employees, and your customer’s private data.

Here are some important tips to keep your website safe while online.

1. Software should be kept updated

Ensure that all software is up to date to keep your site secure. This applies to both the server operating system and any other software you may be running on your website. Hackers are quick to exploit any security holes found in the website software. When using third-party software on your website it is important to apply security patches quickly.

If the websites have been developed by companies like SDI then you don’t need to worry as we will ensure that security updates are applied regularly.

2. Prevent SQL injection

An SQL injection attack is when a hacker uses a URL parameter to gain access to your site by manipulating your database. If you are using a standard Transact SQL it becomes very easy for an attacker to type in a rogue code into your query to gain access to your data and information. You can easily prevent this by always using parameterized queries, most web languages have this feature and it is easy to implement.

3. Protect against XSS attacks

An XSS or cross-site scripting attack injects malicious JavaScript into your pages which then runs in the browsers of your users, and these can change page content or steal information. In contrast to other types of attacks, these are designed to attack the users of an application rather than the application or server itself. The best way to protect against an XSS attack is for your web application to use an advanced SDL, security development lifecycle.

You can also make your users re-enter passwords before accessing certain pages on your website. This will greatly reduce the chances of an XSS attack.

Our coding uses the highest standards which means the chances of an XSS attack are very low. We take pride in the fact that SDI has the best development team in Silicon Valley today.

4. Secure your email transmission ports

A prime target for attackers may not be your actual website but your email. Go to your email settings to check out which ports you are communicating through. Communicate through IMAP Port 993, SMTP Port 465, or other similar ports which are secured via encryption.

5. Watch your error messages

Provide only minimal errors to your users or else they may leak secrets present on your server (e.g. API keys or passwords). Don’t provide full exception details like these can make attacks like SQL injection far easier. Show users only the information they need, detailed errors can be kept in your server logs.

6. Don’t allow direct file uploads

Allowing file uploads to your website is very risky. Even allowing users to upload an image is a security risk. An uploaded file may contain a script that will open your website up to attackers. Therefore the best solution is to stop direct access to any uploaded files to your website. Any files that are uploaded to your website will be stored in outside folders. You can then create a script to find those files in the private folder before delivering them to your browser.

If you are planning to start a website or need help with an existing one then the most important thing is to choose a high-quality website developing company like SDI. We are focused on quality and high security so you don’t have to worry about being cyberattacked. We have built and updated websites for thousands of customers who are very happy with their secure websites.

If you’re looking for a quality and highly secure website then call 408.621.8481 or you can email us at team@sdi.la.

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