A web attack is a technique to exploit weaknesses in a website or in parts of it. The attacks may involve the web application, content or server of a site. Websites are a great target for attackers. They can gain unauthorized access to websites and obtain confidential information, or upload malicious content.
Attackers usually look for weaknesses in a website’s content or structure to gain access to data, control the website or harm users. Common attacks include brute force attacks (XSS) or attacks on uploads of files, and cross-site scripting. Other attacks are carried out using social engineering, like malware attacks, phishing and that include trojans, ransomware or spyware.
Most attacks on websites are directed at the web application. This is the hardware and software that websites use to present information to its visitors. Hackers are able to 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 leverage the databases that web applications use to store and deliver website content. These attacks can expose sensitive information, such as passwords, account logins, and credit card numbers.
Cross-site scripting attacks rely on the flaws in a website’s code to display illegal images or text, hijack session information, and redirect visitors to phishing websites. Reflective XSS allows attackers to execute an arbitrary program.
Man-in-the-middle attacks occur when a third-party interferes with communication between you and a web server. The third party can then modify the messages or spoof certificates, alter DNS responses, and others. This is a highly effective way to control your online activities.