In the last decade in the last decade, millions of companies and organizations have taken to the Web as a cheap way to interact with customers and conduct business. This includes web-based applications that collect and store information. This includes information about customers provided through content management systems such as online shopping carts, inquiry forms, or login fields.
Because these applications are connected to the Internet and are often accessible from any location in the world, they are susceptible to attacks that exploit weaknesses in the application’s infrastructure. SQL injection attacks that exploit weaknesses in databases, can compromise databases that contain sensitive information. Attackers can also exploit an advantage gained by breaching the security of a Web application to discover and access other vulnerable systems on your network.
Other popular Web attack types include Cross Site Scripting attacks (XSS) which exploit flaws in the web server to inject malicious code into web pages, and which executes as an infected program in the victim’s browser. This enables attackers to gain access to confidential information, or redirect the user to sites that offer phishing. Web forums, message boards and blogs are particularly vulnerable to XSS attacks.
Hackers join forces to overwhelm a website by sending more requests than the website can handle. This can cause the page to lag or even stop functioning altogether in a way that hinders its ability to process requests, making it unusable for all users. DDoS attacks can be devastating for small-scale businesses, such as local bakeries or restaurants that depend on their websites for operation.