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Security is perhaps one of the most important aspects of a web hosting plan, especially for webmasters that conduct a significant volume of e-commerce on a daily basis. A single security lapse could lead to widespread data loss, site downtime, slow loading pages, and a reduction in daily traffic levels. However, one security issue that is often overlooked and underestimated is spam, which is defined as any excessive and/or forceful communication with or use of a Web server or online system. Although web hosting providers offer integrated modules that are specifically designed to help webmasters maximize spam prevention, there are certain measures that website owners can take to completely eliminate site spam.

Why Should Spam Be Prevented?

Spam is a threat not only to the security but also to the productivity of every online business. Most websites become successful because of their continually updated content, which is of a high quality that visitors gain interest in. However, if your site becomes heavily populated with unmoderated spam comments and low-quality content, it is possible to experience a significant reduction in daily traffic levels and search engine rankings. In fact, it is even possible to be completely de-indexed from some search engines because of a large volume of spam on your site. Spam can also be seen in the form of automated e-mails that are submitted through contact forms on your website. E-mail spam can cause webmasters to waste a lot of time in cleaning up their inbox, reducing productivity and ultimately lowering the value and responsiveness of their customer service.

What Is a Captcha Script?

A captcha script is basically a script that is installed on your website which displays a unique image containing a random combination of characters (including letters, numbers, and sometimes symbols), which visitors must input into a form box to verify that they are not automated robots. Since captcha scripts actually create unique images spontaneously, bots are not able to read or decode them as they would be able to do with regular text. As computer programs are not able to actually view and interpret images, it is extremely unlikely that a bot will be created in the future that can decipher captcha images. Thus, captcha scripts are an effective long-term way to prevent automated spam and ensure that all of your site commenters and anyone sending you an e-mail is actually a human being.

How to Use Captcha Scripts

To use a captcha script you simply need to paste the code snippet into the coding of any form or input field. This will cause the script to randomly generate a captcha image any time the form is loaded on a webpage, making it so no information can be successfully entered into the form without the visitor first solving the associated captcha. Captcha codes can be generated in various programming languages, including PHP, ASP, and NET, making it a flexible and highly compatible spam prevention tool that can be utilized on any web site.

The majority of web hosting security issues are caused by flaws within web application. In fact, producing a 100% secure Web application is a very difficult task that only the most experienced developers can accomplish. In many cases, web developers are paid on a per project basis, and therefore rush to finish the project without putting a large emphasis on the security of the application and whether or not it will compromise the safety of the user’s web hosting account and computer. Thus, most of the serious security lapses caused by such applications are not recognized or realized until they cause a significant amount of loss or damage to a webmaster. To avoid becoming such a webmaster and to secure your online operations, you may want to consider the following information about securing web applications.

Utilizing Complex Programming Languages

One way programmers make web applications more secure is by developing them in more complex programming languages that are less popular amongst hackers. For example, the PHP programming language is extremely popular and can be found in nearly every content management system web application promoted online. However, this popularity makes it much easier for novice and experienced hackers to exploit the weaknesses of a web application developed using PHP. While not all PHP web applications are unsafe, by utilizing less popular programming languages such as Microsoft ASP it is possible to significantly reduce the likelihood of having your site or web hosting account hacked.

Testing the Security of a Web Application

Before utilizing a web application it is important to ensure that it is completely secured, and does not provide any loopholes through which hackers can gain access to the administrative interface of your web hosting account. Hackers are known for using any means necessary to infiltrate online interfaces and gain control of websites, and the most popular types of web hosting exploit used today relies upon web hosting applications. Hackers may distribute dangerous web applications that are installed on the victims’ Web servers, at which point the hacker can request and send information to and from the server freely. Once this happens, an entire universe of opportunities opens up for the hacker, giving them the ability to extract information from your website’s databases, and even change the content of the sites (a tactic known as ‘defacing’). To test the security of the web application you may need to hire your own programmer, or use proprietary packing software to test security holes.

Working with Reputable Programmers

Perhaps one of the best ways to avoid unsecured web applications is to utilize the services of a reputable programmers, rather than installing free applications that are in the public domain. Hackers distribute free applications with the hopes that webmasters will install them on their server, thereby giving them the aforementioned access needed to carry out a variety of nefarious tasks. By working with a team of reliable and reputable programmers you can ensure that your web applications are developed to accommodate all of your specific requirements and specifications.

The most common security lapses online are usually the result of a faulty or lazy programmer that has left some sort of loophole somewhere. Most of the time, these web designers and developers have very little time to finish a project, placing security last on their last of priorities. For this reason many of the sub sequential errors are not discovered until they have resulted in serious security lapses for the end user or their network.

PHP

One particular programming language that is becoming increasingly popular amongst newer developers is PHP. PHP is perhaps the easiest programming language to use, and therefore often the most erroneously misused by inexperienced web programmers. PHP’s ease of use and minimal learning curve make it an optimal opportunity for any novice web developer to create software that is potentially insecure.

Insecure Web Applications

In the past hackers would infiltrate a network using any means possible, including using phishing techniques, identity theft, and any other method to compromise the security of a server or operating system. Now, the main focus has shifted to infiltrating the administrative interface of a website to gain access to online databases and server files.

The easiest way for most hackers to do this is to find a way in through one of many loopholes that exists in the site’s web applications. Web applications make the webmasters job easier and more convenient, however like many other tools that increase convenience, web applications come at a price.

Hiring Your Own Programmers

Since web applications have direct access to your site’s administrative functions, these web applications can be taken advantage of for nefarious purposes, and used to access your website’s control panel. This could prove to be disastrous, especially if you run an online business. For this reason it is best to avoid any new web applications that are built by unreliable sources. If you are planning on using a web application with a busy business website, you may want to hire a personal qualified developer to assist you in creating some custom web applications.