Sucuri recently released their 2022 report and it highlighted the viruses, threats, and dangers that your website can take if it is not properly secured or set up. Our development team took a close look at the statistics that were shared and we have tips on how you can stay clear from the threats.

Malware

Malware, short for ‘Malicious Software’, is one of the biggest and most harmful threats that a website can face. Hackers that infiltrate your website with Malware can harvest your data, both customer and business. Having your data harvested by cyber criminals can result in you having to pay a large ransom fee in order to retrieve the data.

Malware can also compromise the security of your website and leave you susceptible to viruses from other software. If your website is attacked by multiple viruses it can result in data files being stolen/deleted, it can severely slow down your website speed which will negatively affect the amount of traffic your website receives, and many more harmful things.

Sucuri identified SocGholish, Baladan Injector, and Japanese SEO Spam to be the main types of Malware detected in 2022. SocGholish was found to have many new developments which would increase the damage that it has on your website. One of the more interesting developments was the change in the obfuscation techniques. The development in obfuscation techniques meant that it has become increasingly difficult to detect SocGholish viruses.

Credit Card Stealers

In 2022 Sucuri discovered that credit card stealers would target WooCommerce more than any other environment. It should be noted that WordPress is the largest website platform in the world and makes up 64.3% of websites worldwide, according to Mobiland, and that could be why they are being targeted, however, other reasons must be considered.

Credit card stealers often target WooCommerce as it has many vulnerabilities that hackers are able to exploit. With WordPress being a free website platform it often attracts people who are not technically savvy which means that weak passwords are often used, and software/themes are often not updated regularly. By not updating your software it means that your website is vulnerable to known threats. Sucuri found that 50.58% of websites that were attacked had out-of-date CMS applications which reiterates the importance of updating your WordPress site, as well as the software and themes you have.

Backdoors

The term ‘Backdoor’ refers to a vulnerability on your website that allows viruses a way into your website without your knowledge. Backdoors are extremely harmful to websites and can result in data being sold/held/shared on the internet for others to access.

A backdoor allows viruses to enter your website with ease. This does leave you open to multiple viruses attacking your website. If multiple viruses damage and attack your website then it will result in the server having to be rebuilt. Rebuilding a server is not a simple task due to its complex nature. There are things you should do that would simplify the process of rebuilding a server:
Back up your data
Plan your approach carefully
Test everything
Here at YOMA, we have experience in rebuilding servers and through this process, we have a tried and tested approach.

What Can You Do To Keep Your Website Safe?

With there being a multitude of threats facing websites in 2023 it seems an impossible task to keep it secure, however, this is far from the truth.

1. Keep your site updated, including extensions, themes and applications.
It is important that you keep your website and its software up to date. By updating to the most recent release you can have the peace of mind knowing that you are protected against previous threats that have been discovered.

2. Have secure policies for your server.
By having strict restrictions on who can access your server you greatly reduce the threat of an unauthorised hacker from accessing it. Examples of security policies for your server include:
Manage users
Monitor login attempts
Establish some password requirements.
By implementing these security measures you can keep your server secure.

3. Implement system scanners for antivirus software.
These scanners will scan your website and detect any viruses that are on your website. By using these scanners you can detect any viruses that are apparent on your website and take the appropriate action.

How Can We Help At YOMA?

Here at YOMA, our team of developers are experts at ensuring websites are kept secure and mitigating the risk of hackers. Get in touch today and allow us to keep your website safe.