Why Web Hosting?

You may wonder why the web hosting industry is such a big target of hackers?  The simple answer is that the market is tremendous, consisting of thousands of companies that power millions of websites throughout the world.  There are billions of dollars tied up in the business and hackers are willing to use every trick in the book to get a share of it.  If your site runs mission-critical operations, acts as the central source of information for your niche or enables you to make a living, it is imperative that you make security a priority.  Because your web host is in a better position to ensure reliable protection than yourself, you need to put security on the top of your list when sizing up potential hosting providers.

The Expanding Threat Model

A hacker’s arsenal is made up of numerous tools and techniques.  They typically combine various methods to compromise websites and turn the unsuspecting into victims.  Some blend into social networking sites, playing nice in hopes of enticing community users to visit an infected site and unknowingly execute malicious code on their system.  They trick users into downloading items that appear to be something desirable like a multimedia application or game but is only a deceptive Trojan horse in disguise.  Some utilize more destructive weapons that could result in the theft of one’s assets and identity.  The malicious keylogger is a prime example, a menacing program with the ability to capture every single character you type into your keyboard.  These threats and more, are the very reasons why web hosting providers across the world are increasing their efforts to deliver better security to their customers.

Put Security First

You don’t have to be a security expert in the IT field to keep yourself protected from hacking exploits.  However, your web host should be.  After all, if they are taking money from you and making a commitment to serve your pages over the internet, shouldn’t they also be on top of the security mechanisms and procedures needed to ensure the safety of your website and personal information?   Security is a must in the web hosting arena so you should take no excuses and never settle for less.  With that said, if you feel that your current hosting provider isn’t taking the necessary measures to keep you protected, don’t stand for it – move your files to a responsible server.

]]> http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2009/05/26/web-hosting-security-at-risk-are-you/feed/ 0 http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2009/02/05/why-hackers-hack-websites/ http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2009/02/05/why-hackers-hack-websites/#comments Thu, 05 Feb 2009 20:36:15 +0000 CommunicateBetter http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/?p=185 Security experts and various studies reveal that website hacking is definitely on the rise.  Today’s hackers are more advanced than ever before, often working together in close-knit communities trading tips and tools with one another.  These twisted individuals take their business serious, having countless online forums where updates are posted daily to help each other get around the latest security mechanism and increase the number of victims.  What makes website hacking so detrimental is that there are so many types of attacks.  In addition, different hackers have different goals in mind.

Hacking for Sensitive Information

Any who frequents the web can see that almost every website consists of numerous applications.  This goes from simple email forms and login pages to shopping carts and more dynamic creations.  These applications all share the common goal of allowing web surfers to submit and retrieve a given level of personal or sensitive information stored in an underlying database.  When such applications are not secured, you are essentially opening the gate leading to your most confidential data.  Just think if you’re involved in e-commerce – those databases probably contain credit card numbers and details regarding your customers.  If a hacker is able to inflict damage, your business could be in great peril.

Hacking to Steal Bandwidth

Bandwidth is one of the most vital internet resources and plays a major role in the functioning of your website.  Coupled with the expense, the opportunity to conduct illegal business is enough motivation to provoke a website hacking.  A knowledgeable hacker could penetrate a web-based application, leach off a large amount of bandwidth and go on with their illicit activities.  When this occurs, the web hosting provider’s server is being used to help carry out illegal business without them even realizing it.

Hacking to Distribute Illegal Content

One of the most common reasons website attacks occur is to accommodate hackers looking to distribute illegal content while leaving no trace of themselves.  This is often done to trade pirated software or even something as disturbing as child pornography.  When these activities are traced by the authorities, the trail only leads back to the website owner who could likely face legal implications, the loss of credibility or worse.

Hacking for Search Engine Rankings

It is a proven fact that search engines are one of the most effective ways to generate qualified visitors.  Hackers are aware of this as well and will do whatever it takes to get ahead.  Some are so advanced that they have the ability to inject hidden keywords into the websites of unsuspecting owners.  Search engines like Google frown down on such activities and will often penalize anyone caught spamming its database.  In this case, it’s the victimized website owner.  This is something that could really impact the ability to effectively promote your business.

Protect Your Website

The importance of application security just can’t be stressed enough.  These are just a few of several factors that motivate hacking and if your website isn’t secure, you could be the next victim.