“What we loose with a less secure website?” I am asked this question by many people, today, in this article I will try to cover those core reasons, which make it essential for everyone to secure his/her web server. We will try to measure necessary security threats for all scale of websites, ranging from personal blogs to community websites, small sized company website to corporations’ websites.
Blog Sites
Let’s start with bloggers, and why securing web server is important to them. Normally blogger are of the view that why the hell should I spend money or energy to this so-called security; while I have no sensitive data on my blog, neither I am in serious conflict with anyone? And even if some looser gets into my blog, I will simply change my server and will restore with the backup that I take on daily basis. So not a bid deal at all.
Well, I am afraid, but it is not exactly the same! Let’s peek into those incentives that a blogger offers to a website hacker. First thing that comes in is the show off, and probably it is the most enjoyable target for hackers. Normally, it is observed that blogs are not that secure when compared to corporate websites, hence they are easy to get in.
So hackers, especially the beginners start their careers with hacking blog sites.
It is matter of fact that hackers don’t attack blogs for fun only, there can be financial aspect with hacking a blog as well, such as many hackers attack blogs to gain its data for instance, names, emails, IPs and latter on they re-sell it (for hefty value).
Another very dangerous thing can be, what if a hacker comes in and change your google ad sense code and changes it to his/her code, even in that case, a blogger can be in deep trouble.
Small Sized Companies
Now let’s consider a small sized company, and possible damages a hacker can do by hacking its website. For example, if this small sized company is selling some online products, meaning that there are very good chances that its clients’ information is stored on web server. This information may contain sensitive data such as credit card and other similar details.
Email boxes of such small companies are not normally not secure as well, which can reveal secret information, such as tender information, ongoing projects, upcoming products and similar to attackers, which can be your rival as well.
Large Corporation Websites
Now let’s talk about big corporations’ webistes, which can be the worst hit of any such attack. Obviously, more finances involved means more damage.
I opt not to disclose all possible treats for corporate websites (as they can be used for ill means), but its matter of fact that large companies MUST spend some time and resources in securing their web servers. For example, telecom companies, financial institutes, real estate firms and others have plenty of information saved on the back-end (in databases, or in hidden pages) to be secured.
The thing which bothers me most is that people don’t think of these security matters at all, and they are living their lives with open threats and eyes shut.
My Server is not Secure, Okay what to do then?
What can be done here is to get people hired to do security audit of you web servers. There are companies and individuals, and they don’t cost must, they make your web servers very secure up to a point where you and your customers can feel safe.
In Pakistan we have some companies that provide such web server security auditing services, but let me tell you that security is a very huge area and there are very few firms or individuals which cover every aspect of it. Additionally, I want to confess that in Pakistan, yes we lack security professionals.
We have three main domains in security auditing which are,
So, look around and check out if your web servers are secure enough or not. Large corporations may consider big companies; however, bloggers and small sized companies with low budgets can go for freelance security auditors as well.
Drop your comments below, or contact me using contact us form on this website for any additional information you require!
PEACE
