According to the reports, around 30,000 websites are compromised on a daily basis worldwide. In another report, it was discovered that 53.35 million US citizens became victims of cybercrime in the year 2022.
Web hacking is now more common than you think. Let’s identify the most common techniques used by hackers for web hacking so you can take preventive measures against them.
15 Damaging Techniques Used to Hack Your Websites
Cyber intruders have learnt about all the intelligent techniques they could employ to get you in trouble. With technology, brain and tactics, cyber crimes are rising exponentially. Learn about some of the techniques mentioned:
- Phishing
The rate at which the phishing attacks are being conducted is alarming. Around 92% of organizations were affected by phishing scams in 2022. According to the reports, in 2021, 323,972 online users were deceived by phishing scams.
In this web hacking technique, hackers send emails containing links that direct you to a page that requires your login credentials to download malicious files.
Upon clicking these links, hackers gain access to your network, resulting in stealing or distributing data. The contaminated files can also damage your system, causing it to crash.
Phishing-related malicious activities are affecting people in large numbers, and the numbers are growing.
- Whaling Attacks
Whaling attacks in web hacking are similar to phishing attacks, with just one difference. They are more user-specific, whereas the phishing attacks are generic.
For instance, phishing emails are sent to multiple people randomly. In contrast, whaling emails are customized for specific ones to obtain particular information to gain access to the web.
These emails are specially designed to deceive the essential members of an organization, such as CEOs. This is why these attacks are also known as “CEO Fraud.”
Whaling emails are written to convince the recipient that they are receiving them from an authentic source, resulting in hackers and the divulging of web information.
- Baiting
You have won an iPhone 15. Click on the link below and acknowledge!
You would have received such a spam message if you used the internet daily.
This web hacking technique uses the strategy of psychological manipulation. Hackers buy advertisement spots on renowned websites and display attractive advertisements like the one mentioned above to woo visitors.
You land on a malware website once you click on such an ad. From there, malware is downloaded into your system, and you give a free hand to the hacker.
- Distributed Denial-of-Service attack (DDoS)
Hackers try to crack down on your website by flooding it with more traffic than it can handle, making it inaccessible to legitimate users. 45% of DDoS attacks targeted US-based resources in 2022.
These attacks happen frequently during the holiday season, as most people play games around this time. In this technique, attackers often use botnets, networks of infected computers, to generate massive amounts of traffic simultaneously.
This flood of requests can saturate the target’s bandwidth and make it difficult for people to access the targeted website or online service.
DDoS attacks also exploit vulnerabilities in a system’s ability to handle and respond to many requests, which can even result in a pause in services.
- SQL Injection
Do you know that In 2022, SQL attacks were responsible for 33% of cyberattacks?
Structured Query Language has access to your data library, and websites have SQL queries to execute commands like retrieving and managing data.
Hackers strive to attack these SQL queries to change data as they like via placing malicious codes through web page input.
- Cookie Theft
Have you ever noticed that ads for the same product from various brands start popping up on your phone screen when you search for a product online? Do you ever wonder why this happens?
It is because the websites and apps store a small amount of your data as cookies. Hackers hijack these cookies by accessing your system to steal sensitive information. This includes your name, home address, telephone number, etc.
With this information, hackers can try to impersonate you.
- Hacking through public WiFi
In public places, you must have observed multiple WiFi connections available for you to connect with for free.
Hackers mostly launch these types of free internet connections. They replicate a fake WiFi connection that looks authentic. These connections mostly require personal information like phone numbers and passport numbers to sign you in.
By connecting, not only do you lose your data but also give access to the hackers.
- Code Injection Attacks
As the name suggests, hackers inject codes into your systems or websites in this hacking technique when you don’t properly check the data you receive from external forces.
When these malicious codes get into your system, they instruct it to function in a harmful manner. These attacks are designed to disrupt the way your program operates typically.
Hackers can then access your system and steal your data as these codes automatically send your personal information to them.
- Cross-site Scripting (XSS)
XSS is usually confused with SQL. The critical difference between the two is that SQL steals data from your database, whereas XSS steals data from a vulnerable website where you shared your data.
For example, most shopping websites suggest creating an account so you don’t have to repeatedly share your shipping and contact information with every purchase.
If that website is not properly secure, hackers can break into the website and steal your information. Damage to the business’s reputation is also possible with access to the website.
These attacks are of two types: Stored XSS attacks and reflected XSS attacks.
- With stored XSS attacks, malicious codes are permanently stored in your system, and the hacker can access them whenever he wants.
- In reflected XSS attacks, hackers send infected codes to your website. In return, the website sends these codes to your server as a response. Your web browser executes the transmitted codes, thinking they are safe.
This is the traditional method of hacking passwords in which hackers use trial and error to crack login credentials. They use this information to gain unauthorized access to websites and systems. This is only possible if your password is easy and guessable.
This is why websites suggest you create a complex password using a difficult combination of keys. The longer the password, the harder it will be for the hacker to crack it.
- Domain Name Server (DNS) spoofing
DNS identifies servers and connects with other networks by converting the human-readable website addresses to IP addresses. Hackers spoof your DNS by changing the IP address, which directs you to the wrong destination.
If you command your system to access Google by typing “www.google.com,” a spoofed DNS will take you to a contaminated address.
You will likely lose data and infect your system with malware by reaching the wrong destination.
- ClickJacking
Cinema culture has reduced as people prefer downloading and watching movies at home. You must download movies as well. Most of these websites are unsecured, and you can see multiple download options on your screen.
You randomly click on one option and are directed to a different page instead of downloading. This is how click-jacking works. Hackers hide under these pseudo-legitimate clicks and carry out malicious activities.
You unintentionally arrive at the location where the hackers want you to be. By doing so, they send malware to your systems and even steal data.
- Keyloggers
Hackers use this technique to record keyboard strokes and steal web data. They can monitor whatever you type on your keyboard.
Be it your login credentials, financial account details, or an important email you write for an organization. Keyloggers start working when hackers deploy malicious software or hardware.
- Session Hijacking
Session Hijacking can be extremely dangerous. In the online world, everyone has a virtual ID card on websites called a session identifier.
Someone who grabs this ID through unsecured WiFi could pretend to be you and access your online accounts.
- File inclusion exploits
File inclusion exploits exploit a website’s code vulnerabilities, including malicious files or scripts.
Websites often include files to make their pages dynamic. However, if developers aren’t careful in validating which files to have, attackers can exploit this weakness. They might trick the website into having a file containing malicious code.
As a result, when anyone accesses that compromised page, the malicious code executes. This leads to various harmful consequences like unauthorized access, data theft, or even taking control of the entire website.
Measures to Prevent Web Hacking
Web hacking is a significant issue on the internet, and cyber crimes are increasing at a greater rate. According to the latest reports, 111.7 million users are hacked in America annually.
These statistics pertain to the reported cases. In fact, only one out of seven cybercrimes is reported. Tech experts have now found ways to assist you in resolving the cybersecurity issue. Let’s see what you can do to protect yourself against web hacking.
Always use a strong password
Skilled hackers can guess your password by using brute-force attack techniques. These are the trial and error techniques to crack login credentials.
Some even use password directories to guess your easy password. Also, with advancements, hackers have developed software to guess passwords without getting detected.
Therefore, you must create a password that is difficult to guess and combines multiple keys. It will be challenging for the hacker to crack your password if it is complex, lengthy, and unique.
Read here: How to Secure Your Password
If you want a strong password, it should have at least twelve characters and multiple letters, numbers, and symbols. It is suggested not to use personal details like birthdays, home addresses, and phone numbers as passwords because they are easy to guess.
An example of a strong password would be “5ecuMZ3ty$M@tiers#N0Bs“.
Install Firewall
Sometimes, creating resistance between your system and external forces can protect you from adverse consequences. Hackers look for vulnerable websites and attack them using techniques like phishing, baiting, etc.
When your system receives malicious attacks, the firewall installed in your system will create a barrier and will not allow it to process the request sent by the hacker.
By installing firewalls, you protect yourself against online malicious attacks as they closely monitor data distribution to prevent accidental penetration and exposure against third parties.
Use a VPN
VPN will protect you against web hacking by creating a confidential environment as you browse the internet. It creates a tunnel to exchange data from your location to the destination server.
The original data gets encrypted and travels through the tunnel to its final destination.
VPN also generates a new IP address for you by connecting to a different server. It keeps your identity anonymous by displaying the VPN’s server IP address, allowing you to remain untraceable.
With your original IP address hidden, it will become challenging for hackers to gain unauthorized access as they cannot locate you.
Use HTTPS
Most websites require HTTPS to guarantee security to their users. The website you use can retrieve all the information you provide, be it your login credentials or bank account details.
Without HTTPS, this conversation between you as a sender and the website as a receiver is not encrypted, and hackers can easily access it, which they can use for manipulation.
A website that uses https ensures that the data is being exchanged in an encrypted format using Transfer Layer Security (TLS). Hackers will see jumbled data and not human-readable text when they try to attack your website.
Monitor Login Activity
Keeping check of login activity will help you monitor all the activities that happen within your website. It includes your data and account settings. You can turn on push notifications to notify you whenever there is an unrecognizable login attempt on your website.
Take this as an example. Hackers who plan targeted attacks are aware of your daily routine. During busy hours, they will attempt to log in to your account. If you have push notifications enabled for login activity on your WordPress, you will be prompted to take action.
Emails and text messages are sent to inform you about the unusual activity.
You can determine in which country and on what devices your account is logged in through login activity. You can remove that device and change your password if there is an unauthorized entry.
Two-factor authentication (2FA)
Two-factor authentication protects your account by asking for an additional code when an unauthorized user tries to log in to your account.
According to Two-factor authentication statistics, it can prevent 99.9% of unauthorized login attempts.
When you enable two-factor authentication on your account, you will receive a code on your mobile number or email address. Despite guessing your password, hackers cannot enter your account as this additional information will thwart its efforts.
You can also use two-factor authentication apps to turn this feature on in addition to email and text messages.
Update CMS version and plugin regularly.
Outdated CMS versions and plugins are more likely to get attacked by hackers than the updated versions. Hackers are hunting for vulnerable websites that function on outdated software, as these websites are easy to hack.
They manipulate websites that operate on poor software and flawed plugins. Over 90% of hacks result from hackers discovering a flaw in a plugin.
Updating your CMS and Plugins to the latest versions fix all the bugs and problems, making it difficult for hackers to access your website.
PureVPN – Shield against Web Hacking
Cyber security always starts at the base level; to implement it, PureVPN plays an important role. Here is why you need it against web hacking.
- Encryption – PureVPN offers robust encryption protocols, such as AES-256, to secure internet traffic.
- Kill Switch – It includes a kill switch feature that disconnects the internet if the VPN connection drops, preventing potential exposure.
- VPN Protocols – PureVPN uses secure VPN protocols like OpenVPN and IKEv2 to add layers of protection.
- DNS leak protection – It offers DNS leak protection to ensure online activities remain private.
- Dedicated IP add-on – This feature is helpful in ensuring your website doesn’t get into shared IP issues.
Better Safe Than Sorry
As the world has become more digital and continues to be, we must protect ourselves from online hackers. The realization of online security came from the losses people have suffered in recent years because of web hacking.
Hackers spy on our online activities, violate privacy, and even steal financial information, which can result in severe economic damage.
The consequences of web hacking are even more grave for businesses as the hackers can potentially damage their hard-earned reputation.
By ensuring cyber security, we protect ourselves from malicious activities and contribute to creating a safe and stress-free online environment.
Implement these techniques and fight against hackers until everyone adopts a collective responsibility to eradicate cyber criminals.
Anas Hasan
October 2, 2023
7 months ago
