Biggest Website Threats Of 2021

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November 21, 2020 Business

A website serves as the face of a business online. If you like, you can call it the salesman who never gets tired. Anytime your customers need help, the first place they’re likely to go is your website. For most businesses, a website is not just an online presence; it is a tool for generating leads, marketing products or services, and providing services to any customer who needs help.

But, even with the central role that websites play in the business world, they are constantly at risk. Website attacks are increasing day by day, inconveniencing both website users and owners. As the technology gets complex and Internet usage increases, businesses must prioritize the security of their sites.

As businesses shift to a new decade, what are the biggest threats that website’s face? This article explores the five biggest website threats that businesses will contend with in 2021. Read on to learn more.

1. Complex Ransomware Attacks

This software threat affects numerous small and medium-sized businesses across the world. Ransomware attacks come in the form of an insidious software that blocks website access until money known as ransom is paid to attackers. This makes ransomware big business for small and large cybercriminals. In recent years, ransomware attacks have gotten bigger, and have become more aggressive and sophisticated.

The thing that makes ransomware attacks a significant threat to websites is the fact that when website owners fail to pay the ransom, the attackers can pull the website down for some time or even disable it permanently. The significant rise of AI-powered ransomware, which evades detection by malware antivirus programs effortlessly and spread through networks fast, poses a threat to businesses that rely on websites to reach and engage customers.

But, although these threats are becoming difficult to prevent, you can mitigate them with ease. To do so, businesses should back up critical website systems, data, and applications to enable them leave an infected computer comfortably without having to pay a ransom.

2. Malware Attacks

Just like ransomware, malware attacks are likely to increase as the world moves into 2021. These website threats come in the form of a software that’s designed to cause damage to your website and computer system. Attackers who launch malware attacks cause panic among your website visitors by presenting them with a warning message that states, “This site may harm your computer.”

In some instances, malware attackers block visitors from viewing your website or conducting business on it. Search engines, such as Google, are able to detect malware attacks on your website. This means customers who search the Internet organically might not find your website.

3. Slow Website Attacks

Though they may sound outdated, these website threats overload the circuits of an organization website. Their execution is often complex, but it generally involves routing high traffic to website servers that they can’t handle. This causes the entire system to crash and go offline temporarily. When huge DDoS attacks are sent to a website, they can push your business offline, even if your company is large.

This affects numerous users, and if not curtailed, could cause a lot of damage to a business’s digital online presence. This coming 2021, DDoS attacks are likely to increase. The way to deal with them is to develop a website security guide and keep tabs on incoming traffic. This will enable you to identify any weaknesses and possibility of online violations. Close coordination with cyber protection teams is also vital to mitigating potential attacks.

4. Phishing Attacks

Phishing involves hackers who send your contacts fake emails on behalf of actual companies. The intention of phishing attacks is to trick your contacts and get them to provide confidential information, like banking details. Phishing emails have a legitimate appearance—if you’re not aware of phishing attacks, it’s easy to believe them because they look like they’ve been sent by a real company.

For instance, you may receive an email that appears to have been sent by a bank requesting you to verify your username and password. If you provide those details, hackers use them to compromise your website system or accounts. Though text and emails are more prone to phishing attacks, fake links and social media accounts are increasingly becoming popular as well.

With the shift in subtle character and the rise in off-the-shelf technology, setting up such accounts is extremely easy. Whether it happens on email or on social media, phishing can hurt the reputation of your business significantly. Moving into 2021, you’ll see high levels of phishing, not just on social media, but also on emails that are linked to your website.

5. Insider Data Breaches

Insider data breaches continue to grow across the globe and pose real security threat for websites in 2021. As time goes by, the threat continues to become aggressive and sophisticated, particularly because insiders are capable of culling valuable information from vulnerable companies. Insider data breaches occur when you have disgruntled staff in your business. Depending on what their issues are, such staff can offload data from your servers.

Though insider data breaches on your website may be challenging to prevent, you’ll need to be more vigilant. Having a good cyber protection solution can help, but it’s not entirely foolproof. Insiders who are determined, have access credentials, and know exactly how your website system works can, still, breach your data.

To protect your data against such individuals, ensure that you set up tight control permissions. Even in situations where you trust some people in your team, ensure that you don’t give them access that surpasses what they need to deliver on their job effectively.

Final Thoughts

The website threats landscape is not getting better. Rather, as technology advances, the online threats keep getting more complex and darker. Most businesses are aware of the serious threats that 2021 is likely to bring their way, and the disruptions those threats are likely to cause to their businesses. If you are keen on keeping your website afloat in 2021, consider taking steps to protect your website from the five threats discussed above.