Common Web Security Threats

1. Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)

Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) is a type of security vulnerability typically found in web applications. XSS enables attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. This can lead to session hijacking, defacement of web pages, or redirection to malicious sites.

Example: An attacker injects a script into a comment field on a blog. When other users view the comment, the script executes, potentially stealing their session cookies.

2. SQL Injection

SQL Injection is a code injection technique that attackers use to insert malicious SQL statements into input fields for execution by the backend database. This can result in unauthorized access to sensitive data, data loss, or complete control over the database server.

Example: An attacker inputs a malicious SQL query into a login form. The query bypasses authentication and grants access to the system without valid credentials.

3. Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS)

A Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack is an attempt to make a website or service unavailable by overwhelming it with traffic from multiple sources. This can cause the site to crash or become unresponsive, disrupting normal operations.

Example: A DDoS attack floods a banking website with an excessive number of requests, causing it to become unavailable to legitimate users during peak hours.