How Do My Websites Get Hacked?
Websites get hacked through SQL injection, XSS, CSRF, DDoS attacks, and social engineering. This guide shows how these attacks happen and how to stop them.
In this article, we will discuss:
Common Ways Websites Get Hacked and How to Prevent Them
| Attack type | Description | How to prevent them |
|---|---|---|
| SQL Injection attacks | Considered the most common reason websites get hacked. Most websites use SQL to connect with databases, which allows them to retrieve, create, delete, and update database records, such as e-commerce transactions. An SQL injection attack places SQL into a web form to get the application to run it. For example, instead of typing plain text into a username or password field, a hacker may type in ‘OR 1=1. If the application appends this string directly to an SQL command designed to check if a user exists in the database, it will always return true. This action allows the hacker to gain access to a restricted section of a website. | Correctly filtering user input can prevent SQL injection attacks. Programming languages typically provide safe methods for handling user input in SQL queries. |
| Cross-site request forgery (CSRF or XSRF) | Hackers use an authenticated user's privileges by sending unauthorized commands, such as transferring funds, obtaining account information, or gaining access to sensitive information. They transmit forged commands, including hidden forms, AJAX, and image tags. Users do not realize that the system has sent a command, and the website interprets it as coming from an authenticated user. | Website owners can prevent this by checking HTTP headers, verifying where the request comes from, and checking CSRF tokens in web forms. These checks ensure that the request comes from a page inside the web application, not an external source. |
| Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) | CCC is a significant vulnerability that hackers exploit. This type of attack uses malicious JavaScript scripts embedded in hyperlinks. When the user clicks the link, it can hijack a web session, take control of a user account, steal personal information, or change a user's advertisement preferences. Hackers insert these malicious links into web forums, social media websites, and other prominent locations where users can click them. | To avoid XSS attacks, website owners must filter user input to remove malicious code. |
| Denial of Service (DoS/DDoS) |
A DoS attack floods a website with internet traffic, overwhelming its servers and causing them to crash. In a DDoS attack, attackers use multiple computers infected with malware to send the traffic. The owners of these compromised machines often don't realize their devices are sending data requests to your website, which is why websites get hacked. |
Limiting your web server’s router by adding filters to drop packets from dubious sources, dropping spoofed or malformed packets, setting more aggressive timeouts on connections, using firewalls with DDoS protection, and using third-party DDoS mitigation software. |
| Non-targeted website hacking | Hackers target a content management system, plugin, or template vulnerability. For example, they may have developed a hack that targets the vulnerability of a particular version of WordPress, Joomla, or another content management system. Another example is using automated bots to find websites using this content management system version before launching an attack. They might use these vulnerabilities to delete data from your website, steal sensitive information, or insert malicious software onto your server. |
Ensure your content management system, plugins, and templates are all up-to-date. |
| Social engineering | The greatest weakness of a website's security system is the people who use it. A hacker will convince a website user or administrator to divulge helpful information that helps them exploit the website. There are many forms of social engineering attacks, including:
|
The best way to eliminate social engineering attacks is to educate your employees and customers about them. |
To prevent websites from getting hacked, make it a habit to:
- Change your passwords regularly.
- Run regular virus scans on any device you use to access your website to ensure it’s free of keyloggers or other malware that could compromise your login credentials.
Our higher-tier technicians can locate and remove malicious content and files, but cannot correct security vulnerabilities inherent in some open-source software. SiteLock is recommended because it scans your data regularly for vulnerabilities and even offers services that can correct vulnerabilities.
If you need further assistance or want to know more, please call us at 844-589-5309. Our friendly security specialists will be happy to help you prevent your websites from being hacked.
Review
This article explains the most common ways websites are hacked, including SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), cross-site request forgery (CSRF), denial of service (DoS/DDoS), social engineering, and vulnerabilities in content management systems. It highlights how hackers exploit these weaknesses to steal data, take control, or disrupt services. The article also provides practical, easy-to-follow prevention tips like filtering user input, keeping software updated, running malware scans, and educating users. Whether you're a website owner or developer, this guide offers valuable insights to help you strengthen your site's security and protect your valuable information.