Lapses in web application security can be catastrophic to any organization. From data breaches to cyber-attacks, there are so many ways companies are vulnerable to malicious actors online. The size of a company does not matter—big businesses have also faced losses due to errors in security.
These attacks do not only bring financial losses; they also damage a company’s brand image and compromise the customer’s trust. Here are some of the most common security mistakes you must avoid in order to keep your company secure as it does business online:
1. No Validation or Authorization Checks
Organizations often validate inputs from the browser end and nowhere else. When a company fails to validate the server-end inputs, it could be a gateway for malicious or malformed scripts to run on the website or on the databases. Validating content helps ensure application security and protection against injection attacks like cross-site scripting, SQL, or command injection and similar types.
Similarly, you should avoid having no function level access control. Always put an authorization check, especially when handling sensitive requests. That will protect your website from takeovers by hackers or other third parties.
2. Conducting Irregular Website Scans
When you do not scan your website every day, you leave yourself vulnerable to the accumulation of gaps and vulnerabilities. If it is not possible to do a daily scan, do a thrice-weekly or a weekly one. Aside from this, you should also have a scan whenever you make updates on business policies or other company-wide system changes.
3. Being Lax with Authentication
Always have strong passwords, especially on the server end. Password-cracking programs can easily break through common ones like “admin,” “1234” or “password.” This leaves your company incredibly vulnerable to attack. Furthermore, you should also have multi-factor authentication for website users, disallow default passwords after a certain period, and enforce a strict preference for strong passwords onsite.
Keep administrator permissions and privileges among people directly involved in keeping the IT system up and running. Giving admin permissions to external entities also makes the website susceptible to attacks.
4. Being Reactive About Security
Often, organizations do not think holistically about website security. They apply measures on an as-needed basis and do not consider building systems to enforce protective measures. Patching the website will only solve problems in the short term. Furthermore, vulnerabilities and gaps identified during security scans are unsafe until the web developer gets to them. Consolidate your security measures, do regular server health monitoring, and use both security scans and firewalls instead of applying stopgap solutions.
5. Using Outdated Software or DIY Solutions
Updates mend loopholes and lapses in security. When you do not patch your software, it is as good as sending out invitations to attackers. Clean out old applications, databases, and files since these can be portals for attacks.
Vulnerable software like unpatched third-party applications, old plug-ins, open-source items, and copy-pasted codes make a website weak. It also would not do to make your own security algorithm. Although you might think that ‘customizing’ a solution makes it more secure, you are better off using standard, tried, and tested solutions.
6. Not Encrypting Sensitive Data
It is important that you encrypt data like personal information, credit card details, passwords, and others that can put a person’s identity or finances at risk for fraud. You have to secure it at all times—from transit to rest and storage, your system should be capable of protecting this information and keeping them away from prying eyes.
Intelligent Network Security
The most damaging error you can make is having a relaxed attitude toward the entire matter. Being proactive with securing your website helps prepare your organization for attacks, data loss, and other similarly disastrous events.
Work with Us at Resonate
Ensure your application security and team up with Resonate today. Keep your downtime to a minimum while ensuring safety for your clients and customers online. We provide SSL offloading, load balancing, automatic security updates, and more!