What is Website Defacement Prevention and How to Overcome It

Online crime can strike any website unexpectedly. One of the digital hacking crimes is changing the appearance or information of a website with different intentions and purposes (website information destruction and replacement). If this happens, it means you have become a victim of website defacement.

Generally, websites that are defaced have weaknesses in terms of security. Hackers will exploit these weaknesses and commit crimes. So, why do hackers do this? And how can we protect the websites we own? But before that, let's first discuss what website defacement is.

What is Website Defacement?

Defacement is a website attack aimed at changing the website content and sending specific messages, or demonstrating their capabilities. Generally, the messages given by the perpetrators consist of various scopes ranging from politics, religion, to inappropriate words and are intended to embarrass the organization or website owner being attacked.

Actually, website defacement does not always have bad intentions. Defacement is also often done to test website security and is carried out by third parties. However, important data on the website can be the target of defacement attacks.

Of course, this can be very detrimental if the attacked website is a company or an important organization's website. Therefore, security becomes something that cannot be compromised, especially for websites that store financial information or visitor data.

Why Do Hackers Deface Websites?

You might be wondering, what motivates hackers to take such actions. Here are some reasons why hackers deface websites:

Personal Fun

As mentioned earlier, defacement can be done if hackers are just having fun. Hackers feel satisfied and enjoy themselves when they successfully deface a particular website.

They consider this as an achievement because they have proven their ability to breach website security systems.

Displaying Ads

Another reason hackers deface websites is to display commercial ads. They replace the website's front page with their online store or create ads linked to specific products.

Data Theft

Defacement can also be done to steal user data. This action can be carried out by adding forms on the website page or inserting phishing links to lure users into entering their data.

Why Can a Website Be Defaced?

Generally, website defacement can occur due to vulnerabilities in security, either on the server side or the front end. However, if the website is targeted by hackers, they will use various methods to breach the website security. Here are some reasons why a website can be targeted for defacement attacks:

Antivirus and Firewall

Defacement can also be caused by weaknesses on the server side. This usually happens when the website does not have active antivirus and lacks a firewall on the server side.

Not Using SSL

SSL is a sign of the authenticity of the encryption process on a website. The use of SSL is indicated by a padlock icon located to the left of the URL.

Moreover, search engines like Google generally warn users when they are about to visit a website without an SSL certificate. Therefore, make sure to install SSL to make visitors feel safe and secure.

Weak Passwords and Usernames

On every website platform, there are login forms used to log in to the website. If the username and password used have easily guessable combinations, the website can be easily hacked.

Especially if you have not enhanced server security, hackers can use brute force methods to find out the username and password. Generally, people who are not familiar with cybersecurity use the same password for various accounts, including websites.

Protecting Your Website from Defacement

To prevent defacement on your website, you can enhance website and server security. To improve website security, here are some things you can do:

Monitor Regularly

You can perform regular system monitoring. This monitoring can be done from the website side or the server side. You can also use various plugins or applications for periodic monitoring.

If any suspicious files are detected, check them immediately to avoid unwanted incidents.

Install SSL Certificate

You can enhance website security by using SSL. Although SSL cannot fully secure a website, it can reduce the likelihood of defacement attacks.

Protect File Uploads

Usually, websites have forms for uploading files. However, you should be aware that these file upload forms can also be misused by hackers to upload scripts that can harm the website.

This can be addressed by limiting the permissions of uploaded files from the form so that dangerous script files cannot run when uploaded using a public form.

Use Antivirus

Always use antivirus and firewall, especially on the server side. This is done to avoid scripts that can have a negative impact on your website and server.

You can also activate the web application firewall feature. This feature can protect the website from SQL Injection attacks, which are also a method used for defacement.

Handling a Defaced Website

If your website is suddenly defaced, what should you do? Here are steps to handle a defaced website:

Lock the Website

When a website is defaced, the first thing to do is to lock it. This is done to prevent further damage. Once the website is locked, you can activate maintenance mode so that visitors do not see the defaced page.

Check Using Security Tools

After locking the website, the next step is to check using security tools. Security tools that can be used include WordPress security scan, Detectify, and others.

This checking process is important because if one file is missed, the website cannot return to normal.

Clean the Website

If you have identified the security vulnerability, clean it up. You can delete all files and any malicious code found. This can be done with the help of tools and plugins.

Update All Login Credentials

If the security vulnerability is fixed, it's time to change all login credentials on the website. Even though defacement can occur due to credentials, this step must still be taken.

Create a Professional Website with WEBARQ

Defacement randomly attacks websites, especially those with open-source platforms. Hackers can use specific applications to find vulnerable websites in terms of security. To avoid this, you can create a professional website with complete security.

WEBARQ is the solution. WEBARQ is a digital agency specializing in digital marketing. With 10 years of experience in website development, optimization, and security, we have been trusted to handle important clients. Create your professional website with WEBARQ.