Most people have heard about an online data breach, but if you’re running a website, how do you spot one before it happens? Spotting a cybersecurity threat typically requires a combination of behavioral monitoring, as well as technical safeguards and human awareness.
However, in the modern age and with the use of artificial intelligence, it’s becoming much trickier. So here, you’ll be walked through five indicators that point to an issue in your website’s security before it escalates into a full data breach.
Unusual User Behavior
Even without the appropriate security operations in place on your website, one of the easiest ways to spot a looming cyberattack is a change in normal user behavior. This can look like logins at unusual hours, repeated failed access attempts, or even strange file downloads.
There are many modern online security systems that utilize user and behavior analytics to spot deviations from established website visitor baselines. This shows that behavioral analytics can significantly reduce the time it takes website owners to spot attackers that are moving inside their network.
Monitor Network Traffic for Irregularities
Your website’s network traffic is going to be the first place that abnormal activity appears. If there are sudden spikes in outbound data or unexplained communication with an unknown IP address, this can indicate malware beaconing or data filtration attempts. Systems such as intrusion detection systems and intrusion prevention systems can analyze the flows to flag suspicious patterns and prevent a breach from occurring.
Early Signs of Phishing Attempts
The majority of website data breaches begin with a single successful phishing email, so by recognizing phishing indicators, such as mismatched URLs, urgent demands, or even unexpected attachments, you can stop an attack on your website before it begins.
Organizations that have trained their staff to recognize phishing email patterns experience significantly fewer successful exploits online. Of course, there’s also the option to use filtering tools and software to analyze sender reputation, if you’re short on staff. Long story short, don’t answer or respond to emails that you aren’t expecting.
Look at System Vulnerabilities and Patch Gaps
When a website has unpatched software, it’s one of the most common entry points for hackers. Why? They regularly scan the internet for websites that are running on outdated operating systems. The IT team looking after your website should aim to patch issues, as well as update passwords and passkeys. There’s even AI software that can do this automatically but to be on the safe side, it’s always best to have a software technician check that these systems are suitable before you use them.
Privilege Escalation Attempts
It should come as no surprise that cybercriminals often start their data breaches or hacking attempts with low-level access and then they attempt to ramp up their access.
So, keep an eye out for unauthorized attempts to get access to administrative tools and look for the creation of unusual user accounts linked to your website. If you spot these, you need to contact a cybersecurity company to have all access to accounts and your website encrypted with HTTPS.
