When running an iGaming affiliate business, you’ll quickly learn that there are many areas that you need to consider beyond simply building a website and writing content. One of the most important factors is, without a doubt, maintaining the highest levels of website security.
Cyberattacks are extremely damaging, but in most cases they are preventable. This article will identify the most common types of attacks, and what you can do to protect your website.
What Are the Most Common Types of Cyberattacks?
Before we look at how to properly protect your website and business, let’s take a closer look at the most common cyberattacks that affiliates are subject to.
Brute Force
Brute force attacks involve someone guessing login details with the hope of gaining access. This is particularly popular with content management systems and social media accounts, and it’s one of the main reasons why it’s so important to have a difficult-to-guess password.
If you’ve ever wondered why you’ve been locked out of an account after too many login attempts, it’s partially to prevent brute force attacks.
SQL Injection
SQL injection is not as well-known as some of the other security threats listed in this article, but knowing what it is will help you prevent it from happening to you. SQL injection attacks involve the hacker(s) trying to gain access by adding a string of malicious code to a database query.
SQL injections are more advanced than the other forms of cyberattacks listed, but the consequences can be severe if you fall victim to one.
Malware
Malware is one of the best-known cybersecurity threats. Attacks of this kind involve a malicious form of software finding its way onto a user’s device, and they’re usually transmitted via means like website links and file downloads.
You will find several kinds of malware online, including ransomware and viruses. Spyware is also something that you should be particularly careful of.
DDoS Attack
Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks are one of the most irritating types of cyberattacks, and they’re equally as damaging. A DDoS attack involves hackers stopping users from being able to access certain parts of a server, before using it to their advantage.
DDoS attacks involve high levels of traffic from the hacker, and because these often come from multiple areas, shutting down such a breach is often pretty challenging.
How to Protect Your Site
We hope that we didn’t scare you too much with the previous section, but it’s important to be aware of the most common threats to your website. Now that you are, you can learn how to mitigate the risk in the subsections listed below.
Adopt a Zero-Trust Policy
One of the best ways to limit your risk of getting hit by a cyberattack is to adopt a zero-trust policy. You should not give hackers any opportunity to potentially get into crucial systems. Question everybody’s intentions, and make sure that you only provide access to people who need to get into that particular area of the website.
Use Plugins and Themes
If you want to mitigate the risk of cyberattacks, you should strongly consider using plugins and themes on your website. Moreover, you should think about using those with a high volume of good reviews already.
When using both, remember that you will need to upgrade them regularly to ensure that they continue working like before.
Use Security Software
Almost everybody that’s used a computer for the last few decades will be familiar with security software. You will find plenty of solutions on the market, including various forms of antivirus software.
You might need to pay for some solutions, but the return on investment is huge when you consider the potential pitfalls that a security breach might land you in. Norton and Malwarebytes are two to consider using.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication
Brute force attacks require a lot of effort on the hacker’s part, but they only need to get lucky once. If someone manages to hack into your account, you should make sure that you have an additional layer of protection.
Two-factor authentication will involve having to verify your identity via email or SMS, or another means like a fingerprint. So, it’s wise to switch this on.
Practise Due Diligence
Many cyberattacks are caused because of slip-ups that are easy to avoid. Always practice the highest level of caution; do not open suspicious links and think twice before downloading certain files and folders.
Cybersecurity Is Crucial for Your Website
Cybersecurity is a crucial part of running an affiliate business. If a breach occurs, you will lose the trust of your audience, and – in some jurisdictions – you could be forced to pay a significant fine for data being leaked. Using these tips will help you minimize the threat of such issues occurring.
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