In the last decade, millions of people have accessed the Web to communicate and conduct business with their customers. This includes web-based applications that store and collect information. This includes information about customers submitted through content management systems such as online shopping carts, inquiry forms, or login fields.
They are usually accessed via the Internet and can be hacked to exploit vulnerabilities in the application or its infrastructure. SQL injection attacks which exploit weaknesses within databases, can compromise databases that store sensitive data. Attackers could use the leverage they gain through compromising your Web application to locate other systems that are more vulnerable within your network.
Cross Site Scripting (XSS) is a different Web attack type. It exploits weaknesses in web servers to inject malicious code in web pages. The script is then executed within the victim’s web browser. This allows attackers to steal confidential information or redirect users to phishing sites. XSS attacks are the most frequent on message boards, blogs and web forums.
Hackers collaborate to overwhelm websites by sending more requests than the website can handle. This can cause a web page to lag or even shut down completely that compromises its ability to handle requests and make it unusable for all users. This is the reason DDoS attacks are especially devastating for small businesses that rely on their websites to operate like local restaurants or bakeries.