Top 5 Common Website Security Threats and How to Mitigate Them

In a digital-first world, website security matters for every business, not just large organisations. Most attacks are automated. Bots scan the internet for common weaknesses such as outdated software, insecure forms, and poor access controls. The aim is usually simple: steal data, inject spam, redirect visitors, or take a site offline.

Below are five of the most common website security threats, explained in plain language, with practical steps to reduce risk.

1. SQL Injection (SQLi)

What is it?

SQL Injection happens when a website accepts user input (for example, from a form or a URL) and passes it directly into a database query. An attacker can “inject” harmful commands that may let them read, change, or delete data.

How to mitigate it

Use parameterised queries (prepared statements): They keep data separate from database commands, making injection much harder.
Validate and sanitise input: Only accept what you actually need (correct type, length, format).
Keep the database and application software updated: Many SQLi attacks exploit known weaknesses in older versions.
Limit database permissions: The account your site uses to access the database should have only the permissions necessary.

2. Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)

What is it?

Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) occurs when attackers inject malicious code (usually JavaScript) into a page that other people view. That code runs in the visitor’s browser, potentially allowing session hijacking, data theft, or malicious redirects.

How to mitigate it

Escape user-generated content properly: Any user-generated content displayed on your site should be treated as unsafe unless it is properly encoded.
Use a Content Security Policy (CSP): A CSP helps restrict what scripts can run in the browser.
Validate and sanitise input across comments, search fields, contact forms, and user profiles.
Keep plugins and themes updated: Many XSS issues are introduced through third-party components.

3. Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS)

What is it?

A DDoS attack floods a website with traffic from many sources at once. The goal is to overload the server so the site becomes slow or unavailable. Even smaller bot floods can cause timeouts, checkout failures, and lost leads.

How to mitigate it

Use a CDN: A Content Delivery Network can absorb and distribute traffic, reducing pressure on the origin server.
Enable rate limiting: Limits the number of requests a visitor can make within a given time window.
Use bot protection and firewall rules: Block obvious abusive patterns before they reach your application.
Have a simple response plan: know who to contact, where the logs are, and which settings you can change quickly (CDN/WAF, caching, rules, temporary restrictions).

4. Malware Infections

What is it?

Malware is harmful code added to a website. It can redirect visitors to scam pages, insert spam links, steal information, or create backdoors for repeated access. Sometimes the first sign is a browser warning or a drop in Google visibility.

How to mitigate it

Update everything regularly: CMS core, plugins, themes, and server-side software.
Use a Web Application Firewall (WAF): A WAF can block many common attack patterns and reduce automated compromise attempts.
Run regular scans and monitoring: Detect unexpected file changes, suspicious scripts, or unusual admin activity.
Keep reliable backups and test restores: Backups are only useful if you can restore quickly and cleanly.

5. Insecure File Uploads

What is it?

If your website allows file uploads (images, documents, CVs, contact form attachments), attackers may try to upload files containing malware or code that can be executed on the server. This can lead to full site compromise.

How to mitigate it

Restrict file types and sizes: Only allow what you genuinely need (ideally by allow-listing extensions and checking file signatures).
Scan uploads for malware: Automatically scan files at upload time.
Store uploads safely: Keep uploads outside the web root where possible, and prevent direct execution of uploaded files.
Rename uploaded files: Do not trust original filenames and do not allow executable extensions.

Conclusion

Website security is not a one-time task. The most common incidents usually come from a small set of preventable issues: unsafe input handling, outdated software, weak protection against bots, and insecure configuration.

If you want a practical starting point, focus on:

keeping your CMS and plugins updated,
using strong passwords and MFA for admin accounts,
enabling firewall/WAF protection where available,
and maintaining backups, you can restore quickly.

That baseline alone prevents a large share of real-world attacks.

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