Web Attacks

Web attacks are malicious attempts to exploit vulnerabilities in websites, web applications, or servers to steal data, disrupt services, or gain unauthorized access.
Web attacks are among the most common ways attackers gain entry into target systems. Public-facing websites and web applications often sit in front of databases and other infrastructure, which are appealing targets for attackers.

Types of Web Attacks#

Client Side Attacks#

Client-side attacks rely on abusing weaknesses in user behavior or on the user’s device. These attacks often exploit vulnerabilities in browsers or trick the user into performing unsafe actions to gain access to accounts and steal sensitive information. Valuable data can be stored on a user’s device, so a successful client-side attack can result in data loss.

• XSS - Cross-Site Scripting
• CSRF
• Clickjacking & Cookie Manipulation Attacks

Server Side Attacks#

Server-side attacks rely on exploiting vulnerabilities within a web server, the application’s code, or the backend that supports a website or a web application. While client-side attacks manipulate users’ interaction with a site, server-side attacks focus on taking advantage of the systems themselves. By exploiting flaws and vulnerabilities, server logic, misconfigurations, or input handling, attackers can gain access, steal information, and cause damage to running services.

• Brute force attacks
• Injection Based vulnerabilities
• SQLi
• DoS and DDoS Attacks
• Path Traversal Attack

How to Prevent Web Attacks#

• Validate Input: Check and clean all text typed by users before saving or running it.
• Use Parameterized Queries: Safely talk to databases so they ignore user text meant to hack the system.
• Deploy a WAF: Use a Web Application Firewall to block bad traffic and common exploit attempts.
• Keep Software Updated: Fix known bugs quickly by updating your web frameworks and server tools.