In the 21st century world, a world ruled by high-speed communication and connectivity and the internet of things, websites have become essential for corporate organizations, government agencies, schools, and medical facilities. This has become even more important with the advent of Covid-19 when many businesses scaled-down physical office operations and moved services online.
A lot of people and organizations rely on websites to sell their products and services. Its great importance to modern business activities and society, in general, has also made it a target for hackers and cybercriminals. For websites to meet corporate goals and expectations, it needs to be strong, secure, and reliable. Unfortunately, not all websites fulfill these basic requirements. Many websites are hacked daily with users and company details stolen and used for fraudulent acts. Below we examine the types of websites that are vulnerable, and that users can easily be hacked on.
- Websites that Lack Security: Websites that lack security or have inadequate security protections are vulnerable to hackers and users’ details on such websites can easily be hacked and stolen. Websites without Secure Socket Layer (SSL), a standard security technology that creates an encrypted connection between a web browser and a server, are insecure. Websites that do not utilize SSL leave a back door for hackers to walk through. Without SSL, the connection between your customers is not secure. The information flowing between your website and your customers is not encrypted, which means users on your website are vulnerable and can easily be hacked.
- Websites Without Up-to-date Plugins: The internet is filled with viruses and malware created by malicious actors to attack digital platforms. For a website to be solid and reliable, it must have up-to-date plugins. Websites without up-to-date plugins offer no protection against these viruses roaming the web. If a website’s plugins are updated, users who visit such websites and enter sensitive personal information could easily be hacked by cybercriminals who are always lurking around vulnerable websites.
- Websites with Compromised Passwords: Web users can easily be hacked on websites with compromised or weak passwords. Hackers use password techniques to try different passwords until they guess the right one. Users that use the same passwords and usernames across multiple platforms compromise the passwords and their security making it easier to be hacked there. To protect your website, it is important to never reuse passwords. Make use of two-factor authentication for enhanced security.
- Websites with Poor Security Policies: A system administrator or a website owner that has a poor security policy leaves room for a vulnerability that can allow attackers to compromise the site. Websites with poor security policies endanger the security and privacy of their users. Such poor security policies that could compromise user’s privacy include:
1) Allowing your website users to create weak passwords.
2) Grant administrative level access to users who don’t require it.
3) Not utilizing HTTPS on your sites and allowing users to sign in using the insecure HTTP.
4) Permitting file uploads from unverified and unauthenticated sources. With this sort of security policy, users’ data can easily be hacked.
- Websites with Unreliable and Questionable Third-Party Integrations: Few websites use an email company, connect with Google maps, or use Facebook connection features on its word press sites. While these features offer customers an exciting experience, they could leave a back door for hackers to compromise a site. Third-party integrations that are not from trusted and reliable sources make a website vulnerable. Customers who use such sites can easily be hacked while they’re on them.
Websites with the above features are inherently dangerous to their users for many reasons. Not only because their details could be hacked, but because of what cyber criminals could do with the sensitive details hackers collect from hacked sites. If a hacker targeting a financial services website is able to obtain its users’ passwords and credit card information, he or she could do a lot of damage to the owner of the account. With access to the person’s account, a cybercriminal could impersonate the victim through identity theft and commit financial fraud by using their credit card information to shop online. Similarly, if a website handling customers’ medical records, business information, or other sensitive information were to be hacked, its users would become victims of a colossal privacy breach. And could be exposed to privacy scandals.
In conclusion, a lot of websites are vulnerable. When you visit websites, try to check out the security features and their privacy policies. Be careful of what websites you enter your sensitive information on. Avoid websites that do not run on HTTPS. More importantly, get privacy apps that offer you protection from hackers.
An app like Hoody get you the protection you would need. With its revolutionary technologies: Phantom Browsing™ & Bulletproof Privacy Network (BPN), Hoody ensures complete privacy. Hoody’s Phantom Browsing™ ensures that a unique fingerprint is created for every browser’s tab and website. Its advanced caching features accelerates the browsing experience drastically. Hoody’s Bulletproof Privacy Network (BPN) encrypts your traffic and anonymizes your IP through multiple random relays.
