It’s so easy to be lulled into a false sense of security these days. There are so many services that make it so easy to set up a blog or a website. We would like to think the people who provide these great services are taking care of business and in most cases they do a great job. But there are so many factors that play into the security of files on a server connected to the internet, even Zuckerberg’s Facebook Fan page was hacked.
If you have a web hosting account, manage a website or blog, you really need to be aware of the security of your account.
Detection
Look at your server logs, statistics or analytics. Are there files you don’t recognize that are getting a lot of traffic? This indicates someone may have planted some fake websites on your server for the purpose of scamming and phishing. These people are very clever and devious, to the point of using content from other successful sites that many people legitimately search for and get high page ranks in the search results, even more than your site.
Look at the files on your server. Search for the same directory or file names that looked suspicious in your logs. Check for other folders you don’t recognize. If you find any, look at the files to determine if they are yours or if they are unauthorized files planted by someone who has gained access to your FTP account. A word of CAUTION; make sure you have a good antivirus and malware program running on your computer. The contents of some of these suspect files are likely to contain malware. I thought I had found all the bad files in a recent incident. However, as I began to download my site for backup, my antivirus program (BitDefender) caught and quarantined a trojan horse.
If you even suspect an unauthorized person has access to your FTP account, change the account password immediately and make it a really strong password.
Contact your web host provider so they can help you find and safely remove the files planted by the people who hacked your account. A good hosting company will have a way to scan for problems.
Prevention
If you use scripts or other web apps on your site, update them to the latest version available. Many blog applications and content management systems are based on PHP and MySQL that may provide hackers an avenue into your site. It’s a little extra work that might just save you a lot grief. Hackers like to get the biggest bang for their buck (don’t we all?). That’s why they target the most widely used products, like computers that run Windows. The same goes for products and services that are widely used such as popular blogging apps, content management systems, and social networking sites.
Minimize Impacts
Backup your site regularly; files and database. Backup the files on your computer.
Be careful when implementing free, third party scripts. Do a little research and determine if the script is widely used successfully without problems. Sometimes, free scripts are not written to eliminate vulnerabilities to hacking.
Limit access to your FTP account to your IP address. If you use a shell app to access your server, use the SSH protocol if possible.
Secure your own computer. It’s quite possible for malware to get into your computer. Consider this scenario. A trojan virus infects your computer undetected. It phones home and installs a key logger. Now, everything you type on your keyboard is recorded and available to the bad guys, including your user names and passwords. It should go without saying, use good antivirus software, keep it updated, and scan often. Keep all the software on your computer up to date also. This is especially most important to computers running Windows.
If you’ve ever had a server or site hacked, share your experience in the comment section below.
