Website security is more important than ever. Cyber criminals are constantly looking for improperly secured websites to attack; therefore, it is essential to secure servers and the network infrastructure that supports them. The consequences of a security breach may include loss of revenue, damage to credibility, legal liability and loss of customer trust.
Here are 3 ways you can keep your organization’s website safe and secure from potential cyberattacks:
1. Prevent unauthorized access or modification on your site.
It is important to ensure that the information on your website cannot be modified without authorization. Users of such information rely on its integrity. Content on publicly accessible Web servers is inherently more vulnerable than information that is inaccessible from the Internet, and this vulnerability means businesses need to protect public Web content through the appropriate configuration of Web server resource controls. Examples of resource control practices include the following:
- Install or enable only necessary services.
- Install Web content on a dedicated hard drive or logical partition.
- Limit uploads to directories that are not readable by the Web server.
- Define a single directory for all external scripts or programs executed as part of Web content.
- Disable the use of hard or symbolic links.
- Define a complete Web content access matrix identifying which folders and files in the Web server document directory are restricted and which are accessible, and by whom.
2. Ensure that Web server operating systems and applications meet your organization’s security requirements.
When securing a Web server, you must first secure the underlying operating system. Most Web servers operate on a general-purpose operating system. Many security issues can be avoided if the operating systems underlying Web servers are configured appropriately. Default hardware and software configurations are typically set by manufacturers to emphasize features, functions and ease of use at the expense of security. Because manufacturers are not aware of each organization’s security needs, Web server administrators must configure new servers to reflect their business’ security requirements and reconfigure them as those requirements change. Make sure to take the following steps as appropriate to your business:
- Patch and upgrade the operating system.
- Change all default passwords.
- Remove or disable unnecessary services and applications.
- Configure operating system user authentication.
- Configure resource controls.
- Install and configure additional security controls.
- Perform security testing of the operating system.
3. Continuously protect and monitor Web security.
Maintaining a secure Web server requires constant effort, resources and vigilance. Securely administering a Web server on a daily basis is essential. Maintaining the security of a Web server will usually involve the following steps:
- Configuring, protecting and analyzing log files
- Backing up critical information frequently
- Maintaining a protected authoritative copy of your organization’s Web content
- Establishing and following procedures for recovering from compromise
- Testing and applying patches in a timely manner
- Testing security periodically
Cyber Assessments:
With the increased usage of technology in people’s lives to stay connected while mostly working from home, cybersecurity threats have also become a growing issue and require proper assessments to manage any security gaps and risks that can harm your business.
Therefore, it’s important to conduct proper cyber assessments to mitigate the possibility of having your company’s cybersecurity system breached.
