Most web-based hacks, particularly spam attacks, are not particularly sophisticated.
HUDSON, Fla. (PRWEB)
April 09, 2019
ASEOHosting, a provider of SEO-friendly hosting, has issued an advisory about search engine optimization spam attacks.
Per a recent report by security firm Sucuri, 51% of website hacks in 2018 were directly connected to SEO spam campaigns. This attack family is up 7.3% from 2017, making it one of the web’s fastest-growing attack methods. They are also, says the firm, difficult to detect, typically occurring via PHP, database injections, or .htaccess redirects.
The good news, says ASEOHosting Director of Business Development Daniel Page, is defending against SEO spam is actually relatively simple. Although SEO spam attacks may be more targeted than malware or ransomware, they generally exploit the same vulnerabilities as any web-based attack. This means that websites with strong security have as much to fear from SEO spam as from any other tactic.
“Though it can be hard to determine whether or not your website is infected after the fact, many of the same security best practices that defend against other attack vectors are also an effective defense against SEO spam,” Page explains. “First, keep your software up to date. I would also recommend that you carefully curate user content, and protect all user accounts with strong passwords.”
Page acknowledges that in some situations, even a website with strong security may be compromised. With that in mind, he also recommends using Google Analytics to watch for suspicious activity such as unusual traffic spikes, running regular malware scans, checking the sitemap for unapproved changes, and occasionally browsing one’s website as a user.
“Most web-based hacks, particularly spam attacks, are not particularly sophisticated,” Page notes. “They can most often be detected and defeated by simple vigilance. Pay careful attention to activity on your website, and be careful about the software you install, the content you allow, and the people you grant backend access to.”
“Criminals usually choose the path of least resistance – if you aren’t an easy target, they’ll probably look elsewhere,” he adds.
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About ASEOHosting:
ASEOHosting is the leader in providing all types of SEO Hosting, including Shared SEO Hosting, Dedicated SEO Hosting, US Dedicated SEO Servers, and EU Dedicated SEO Servers, based in Orlando, FL, and Detroit, MI, owned and operated by Ahosting, Inc., supplying hosting services that are truly beyond imagination. Since 2002, ASEOHosting has established one of the web’s premier solutions for reseller web hosting, multiple IP hosting, dedicated servers, and VPS hosting. For more information, visit https://www.aseohosting.com.
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