Daywi

Reliability

Website protection is something that should not be taken lightly. There are many popular programs that have vulnerability’s, especially if you are not running the most current version.

Keeping software up to date is critical to minimizing the chance of being hacked. Hackers also use scripting to inject unwanted code into a site.

Here are a few ways that hackers exploit websites:

SQL injection
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sql_injection

Code injection
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_injection

Cross-site scripting (XSS
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_Site_Scripting

Remote File Inclusion
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remote_File_Inclusion

Steps to take to safeguard your account

1. Backing up your account - Regular backups are necessary to ensure you have a copy of the code and data that makes up your site. Once a site has been compromised by a hacker the full extent of the intrusion may not be known. Installing a fresh untampered with backup copy is the quickest way to get back live. Saving multiple backups can be helpful if the anomaly wasn’t noticed immediately. You can choose to use the cPanel backup utility to backup your entire website, databases, files and email or use one of our Backup plans to have it saved for you automatically each day.

2. Identifying vulnerabilities in the software you run on your website - Software that is running on most websites is Open Source software, meaning that the code used to run the program is widely available for everyone to download and use. This allows sites to run complicated software without the huge cost associated with creating it. The downside is that the code is open allowing hackers to exploit vulnerabilities within the code that can compromise the website code and the data. Popular CMS programs like Wordpress and Joomla have known security issues and need to be safeguarded.

Helpful links to safeguarding Wordpress:

Wordpress.org - How to Keep WordPress Secure
http://wordpress.org/development/2009/09/keep-wordpress-secure/

Wordpress.org - Hardening WordPress
http://codex.wordpress.org/Hardening_WordPress

Wordpress.org - Upgrading Wordpress
http://codex.wordpress.org/Upgrading_WordPress

Wordpress.org - Hardening WordPress - Plugins
http://codex.wordpress.org/Hardening_WordPress#Plugins

Helpful links to safeguarding Joomla

Joomla.org  - Joomla Security Center
http://developer.joomla.org/security.html

Joomla.org - Upgrade Instructions
http://docs.joomla.org/Upgrade_Instructions

Joomla.org - Vulnerable Extensions List
http://docs.joomla.org/Vulnerable_Extensions_List

Local Computers are at risk too

It is not only websites that can get hacked. Even the largest software providers like Apple, Microsoft and Adobe have vulnerabilities. Making sure to scan your computer frequently with current malware and virus protection is crucial

Adobe

Adobe.com Security bulletins and advisories
http://www.adobe.com/support/security/

For example, Adobe offers many popular products, such as:

Adobe Reader - http://www.adobe.com/support/security/#readerwin

Adobe Dreamweaver - http://www.adobe.com/support/security/#dreamweaver

Adobe GoLive - http://www.adobe.com/support/security/#golive

Microsoft

Microsoft.com - Windows Update
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/

Microsoft provides Windows Update to help keep your copy of Windows and other Microsoft products up to date. Be sure that your version of Windows has installed the most up to date security patches available.

Apple

Apple.com - Apple security updates
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222

Apple is well known for the security and stability that their products come with, but even Apple has to releases security updates. Please see the link above for more information regarding Apple security updates.

If you have any questions regarding local computer or website security our customer service representatives will be glad to help - 714-402-3940