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How To Protect Your Website
Date: 9/3/2020

Most modern websites have one or more databases at the back-end that store important data. Different kinds of confidential or private information can be stored in website databases. These include usernames and passwords, phone numbers, and email addresses.

These databases can become prime targets for people with bad intent. Both small and large businesses have already suffered serious consequences, ranging from an impact on profits and public perception to a total breakdown, resulting from security breaches involving databases.

A malware attack that steals data from your databases can cripple your entire infrastructure. Hackers have also become more resourceful and creative and employ myriad means to steal data for nefarious use. It makes complete sense to do everything you can to protect your website’s database from hackers. Here are a few helpful pointers.

1. Using Encryption

Using encryption is important. Far more vital is using the right levels of encryption. Low levels of encryption can now be easily decoded. Adopting higher levels of encryption is an effective way of keeping your databases safe.

You can start by implementing a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) that acts as a layer of encryption between your server and the web browsers of users. For encrypting your database, solid choices include AES 256-bit encryption if you are looking for something that is not too computationally taxing or RSA encryption which is strong and secure, but a little slower.

2. Securing Your Cloud Server

Cloud servers can be vulnerable to hackers due to their connected nature and the inherent variety in design. However, there are several measures you can employ to make your server more secure. These include:

  • Using two-factor authentication
  • Choosing hard to crack passwords
  • Whitelisting approved devices that can connect to the server
  • Assigning proper access rules and roles
  • Creating protocols for signing out accounts that are not in use
  • Implementing measures to mitigate known security vulnerabilities inherent in specific cloud server services

3. Securing Your Local Server

A great place to start is by sanitizing the input fields on your website. These can be prime targets for code injection attacks. This kind of attack can be used to gain unauthorized access to your database. You can use a CAPTCHA service to protect against bots.

You can equip your firewall configuration to make use of Intrusion Protection System (IPS), Intrusion Detection System (IDS), and Web Application Firewall (WAF) features that can work together to make your server more secure.

Other good practices include using HTTPS, keeping your operating system updated with the latest security patches and bug fixes, and backing up often.

4. Testing

Finally, it’s crucial to test your security measures by replicating the most common methods hackers might use to gain access to your database. Get security professionals to run detailed tests by simulating common attacks like port scanning, Dorking, spidering, and banner grabbing.

A Serious Issue

It is of integral importance to keep your website’s database protected from attacks and misuse. Creating a security protocol that makes use of multiple techniques and layering these techniques to work in unison can be a productive way to achieve the level of protection that you are looking for.