A web attack is an attempt to exploit weaknesses on websites or parts of it. The attacks can involve the web application, content or server of a site. Websites offer many opportunities for attackers. They can gain access to a website, obtain confidential information or upload malicious content.
Attackers typically look for weaknesses in the structure of a website’s content to steal data, control the website or cause harm to users. Some common attacks include brute force attacks and cross-site scripting (XSS) and attacks on file uploads. Other attacks are carried out through social engineering, like malware attacks, phishing and such as trojans, ransomware or spyware.
Most website attacks are directed at the web application. This is the hardware and software used by websites to display information to its visitors. A hacker can attack the security of a website application by exploiting its flaws, including SQL injection cross-site request forgery and reflection-based XSS.
SQL injection attacks exploit the databases that web applications depend on to store and provide content. These attacks could expose sensitive data such as passwords, account logins, and credit card numbers.
Cross-site scripting attacks exploit flaws in the code of websites to display unauthorised images or text, hijack session information, and then redirect users to phishing websites. Reflective XSS can also allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code.
A man-in-the-middle attack occurs when a third party intercepts communications between you and a web server. The attacker can modify the messages and spoof certificates, alter DNS responses, and the list goes on. This is a powerful method to influence online activities.