As the world is getting more and more dependent upon technology and internet, more specifically, fraudsters have changes their ways and are coming up with counter intelligence to steal data that equals huge amount of money. No industry of organization today is particularly safe when it comes to internet. However, data and information being a major element in the work process of any organization, the only way out is to ensure strict levels of security over information exchange and storage. A shocking report says that every day, more than 30,000 websites are infected by some kind of malware. A recent topic in this regard has been the “Target Hack” wherein information was stolen from more than 70 million individuals. Another striking example has been the case with JP Morgan Chase that saw 7 million small businesses getting compromised and 76 million households getting affected. As one can understand, cyber attack also affects in a larger scale. Starting from personal blogs to business websites, there is nothing that is not prone to cyber crime. That being said, the right security steps can also ensure that hackers find it difficult to bypass your website’s encryptions and move on to an easier target. Here are 10 easy steps to avoid getting hacked. 1. Staying updated The first thing you do to not get hacked is to stay updated with the tools and trends in the hacking industry. Protecting the integrity of your website is possible only if you are aware of the possible threats. Now, how to stay updated? The answer is in blogs, hacking news websites like The Hacker News, social groups on hacking and following industry reports. 2. Stricter access control In most cases, hackers complete their job only when they are able to find a loophole in your system. The control of your website shouldn’t lie with someone that you don’t trust. Further, ensuring less obvious passwords and login ids is the basic of an anti-hacking propaganda. Experts also suggest changing your database prefix from the default “wp6_” to something that only the legitimate admin’s imagination can cough up. Steps like limiting the number of login attempts, resetting passwords every often and never sending login details over mail are crucial to your backend security. 3. Update whenever available Software and website updates should be the top priority of your administration. Whenever an update is available, it is necessary that you work on it immediately. Delaying an update might expose your website to attacks and security vulnerabilities. Remember that hackers are continuously scanning thousands of websites every hour, searching for loopholes that would allow a break in. 4. Tighter network security Unknowingly, the internet users in your business place might be opening up easy access routes to website servers. It is better to ensure that: Passwords are frequently changed Logins expire after a defined period of inactivity Passwords are never written down and very STRONG Each device connected to the network is continuously scanned for malware 5. A web application firewall WAF or Web Application Firewalls creates a layer between the server and the data connections. They come as both hardware and software based firewalls that reads, examines and encrypts every bit of data passing through. WAFs used today are commonly web-based and attach a modest subscription fee. However, this investment ensures peace of mind by filtering out spammers, malicious bots, unwanted traffic and hacking attempts. 6. Installing security applications Similar to WAFs, security applications are designed to add to the difficulty of hacking. Available both as free and paid software they make your security much more resilient. Some will automatically scout for malicious tools that are looking for vulnerabilities (especially in Wordpress sites) and hide the CMSs identity. 7.Limiting file uploads File uploading is always a major tool promoting hacking and malicious injections. The solutions would include storing these files out of the root directory, restricting direct access to uploaded files and using special scripts to read them. 8. Hiding admin pages Admin pages are like the passwords to your bank locker. Experts suggest using tools like the robot_txt file to hide admin pages from search engines and not indexing them. 9. Using SSL Auto-filling form is both a convenience and a risk. If a user’s device gets stolen, it is easy for hackers to inject malicious scripts through these forms, the logins already being provided. The laziness of legitimate users can be hard on your security. Consequently, auto filling of forms must be discouraged in all means. 10. Back up often In case the worse happens, you will need to delete everything from your server. However, a backup will ensure that all the years of hard work and databases can be retrieved back and your business can jump right back. In the past 12 months, every business across the globe has faced some kind of cyber threat. If you don’t want to show up on that list, it’s time to take immediate steps.
A shocking report says that every day, more than 30,000 websites are infected by some kind of malware. A recent topic in this regard has been the “Target Hack” wherein information was stolen from more than 70 million individuals. Another striking example has been the case with JP Morgan Chase that saw 7 million small businesses getting compromised and 76 million households getting affected. As one can understand, cyber attack also affects in a larger scale. Starting from personal blogs to business websites, there is nothing that is not prone to cyber crime. That being said, the right security steps can also ensure that hackers find it difficult to bypass your website’s encryptions and move on to an easier target.
The first thing you do to not get hacked is to stay updated with the tools and trends in the hacking industry. Protecting the integrity of your website is possible only if you are aware of the possible threats. Now, how to stay updated? The answer is in blogs, hacking news websites like The Hacker News, social groups on hacking and following industry reports.
In most cases, hackers complete their job only when they are able to find a loophole in your system. The control of your website shouldn’t lie with someone that you don’t trust. Further, ensuring less obvious passwords and login ids is the basic of an anti-hacking propaganda. Experts also suggest changing your database prefix from the default “wp6_” to something that only the legitimate admin’s imagination can cough up. Steps like limiting the number of login attempts, resetting passwords every often and never sending login details over mail are crucial to your backend security.
Software and website updates should be the top priority of your administration. Whenever an update is available, it is necessary that you work on it immediately. Delaying an update might expose your website to attacks and security vulnerabilities. Remember that hackers are continuously scanning thousands of websites every hour, searching for loopholes that would allow a break in.
Unknowingly, the internet users in your business place might be opening up easy access routes to website servers. It is better to ensure that:
WAF or Web Application Firewalls creates a layer between the server and the data connections. They come as both hardware and software based firewalls that reads, examines and encrypts every bit of data passing through. WAFs used today are commonly web-based and attach a modest subscription fee. However, this investment ensures peace of mind by filtering out spammers, malicious bots, unwanted traffic and hacking attempts.
Similar to WAFs, security applications are designed to add to the difficulty of hacking. Available both as free and paid software they make your security much more resilient. Some will automatically scout for malicious tools that are looking for vulnerabilities (especially in Wordpress sites) and hide the CMSs identity.
File uploading is always a major tool promoting hacking and malicious injections. The solutions would include storing these files out of the root directory, restricting direct access to uploaded files and using special scripts to read them.
Admin pages are like the passwords to your bank locker. Experts suggest using tools like the robot_txt file to hide admin pages from search engines and not indexing them.
Auto-filling form is both a convenience and a risk. If a user’s device gets stolen, it is easy for hackers to inject malicious scripts through these forms, the logins already being provided. The laziness of legitimate users can be hard on your security. Consequently, auto filling of forms must be discouraged in all means.
In case the worse happens, you will need to delete everything from your server. However, a backup will ensure that all the years of hard work and databases can be retrieved back and your business can jump right back.
In the past 12 months, every business across the globe has faced some kind of cyber threat. If you don’t want to show up on that list, it’s time to take immediate steps.