Having a secure website is important for a variety of reasons. For businesses, it reduces the chances of cyberattacks; for individuals, it offers assurances that their details are protected.
What is a website security scan?
A website security scan is an assessment of a website that looks for potential vulnerabilities, the presence of malware, and a range of other threats. When it comes to conducting a website security scan, the process can vary depending on how the website has been built/which CMS it uses.
For WordPress sites
If, like around 62% of website owners, you use WordPress, you will be aware that it offers many advantages; however, it is also a popular target for cybercriminals/hackers. Luckily, scanning for and addressing vulnerabilities is fairly simple by following these steps:
- Choose a scanner such as Wordfence, WPScan, or Acunetix.
- Install and configure it to scan your site.
- Run the scan.
- Patch the vulnerabilities based on the results.
For Joomla sites
To scan a Joomla-powered website, follow the approach below:
- Identify which version of Joomla you are running.
- Use a scanner such as OpenVAS to check for known vulnerabilities/weaknesses.
- Use a scanner such as JoomlaVS to check whether the website is associated with malware or spam.
- Analyse the scan results and identify any high-risk issues.
- Implement fixes and add MFA, WAFs, and intrusion detection.
Website security professionals
If you feel unsure about carrying out these checks yourself or want a more comprehensive check, specialists such as www.etempa.co.uk/website-security-checks/ offer a variety of options when it comes to website security checks.
For custom-built sites
For custom-built websites, follow the steps below:
- Use a scanning tool such as WhatWeb to gather information on frameworks, programming languages, and versions.
- Use a security scanner such as ZAP, w3af, Skipfish, or Burp Scanner to check for vulnerabilities.
- Manually review the code, server logs, and configuration files to identify vulnerabilities, weak authentication, and misconfigurations.
- Implement fixes and patches as needed.