Website owners or web application developers who are interested in security often ask how to improve security of web application and the website.
Now more than ever, websites are important to business owners, especially e-commerce websites this is because of how necessary building an online presence and attracting clients are.
It is impossible to get and keep visitors of your website isn’t secure because of the bad reputation that will be associated with your brand. So, protecting your web application is important.
What is an SSL certificate?
It is a secure socket layer designed primarily to ensure that data kept or shared over the internet is saved from third-party attack and access.
So, with an SSL certificate, you can improve security of web application and your website.
When users of your web application or website see that it is secure, it helps build trust between the user and the server.
This trust is built on the fact that every individual that wants to access an application or site expects that it is secure, and their details won’t be sniffedb or tampered with.
So, when there is no breach of this trust, it is easy for them to constantly go back or visit that site when they need to use it.
Web application security with SSL is assured with three layers of protection provided by an SSL certificate. If you are a newbie, you need to go with domain validated certificate that will be cheaper compared to other type of SSL certificates. So, it is recommended to buy SSL certificate and install it on your website that can help you to secure the website and customers’ information.
1 Encryption: An SSL certificate makes a bridge to improve security of web applications through encryption.
When data is encrypted, hackers find it difficult to decipher the information on the data that was encrypted.
With encryption, hackers cannot access the information, nor can they sniff it because it will be difficult.
2 Authentication: Web application security with SSL is enhanced because it helps those visiting your website or web application to access your website directly.
The authentication layer of protection ensures that hackers or people can’t hack your users’ devices.
3 Data protection: With your SSL certificate it is easy for your data to be protected while it is transferred.
This makes it difficult for people to access or detect the data that is in a web application or website.
Best Tips to Make Your SSL Secure
Find here some best ways that will help you to make your SSL Certificate More Secure!
1: Disable Second Version of SSL
For you to improve security of web application you need to ensure that the second version of SSL protocol has been disabled from your website or web application.
This version is insecure but still, some web servers make provision for it. Having this second version on your website or application is not beneficial.
Most people think that disabling this version is difficult. But it is easy. All you need to do is go to the default settings of the SSL version and make configuration changes in just one line.
You will see in one line that SSLProtocol all is written. You will configure it to SSLProtocol all -SSLv2.
2: Carry out a server test
Web application security with SSL is enabled when as a web application owner you run frequent online SSL server tests on your web server.
This test is to check for things that may give way for hackers to hack. These things could be weaknesses or vulnerabilities that make hacking easy.
The things checked during the SSL server tests are the security configuration, certificate change, security posture, cipher suite support, protocol, etc.
3: Avoid mixing content
The mistake most website owners and web application developers make is adding plaintext to their content which is secured under SSL.
Mixing this content on web pages is harmful in the sense that it can lead to servers being vulnerable to attacks by hackers.
JavaScript is an example of an application that if left unprotected, can lead to serious problems because of how vulnerable it is to attacks.
4: Protect your subdomains
Web application security with SSL should include the protection of all your subdomains. Using SSL certificates for all your subdomains is necessary if you don’t want visitors of your web application or websites to be vulnerable to attacks by hackers.
When you protect all your subdomains, it assures you that all things related to your domain and web application are secured.
There are multi-domain SSL certificates available for you to buy or pick from and the good thing is that it protects all your domain.
5: Implement authentication
When visitors of your web application visit your website, it is because they feel assured that it is secured.
So, when your web application needs certain confidential details or just normal data from your visitors, they are willing to give it because they feel it won’t be misused.
While getting this login information from your visitors, you need to ensure that your login form is authenticated with an SSL certificate.
With this Authentication, no middleman or hacker can use their login form which is corrupted to get your visitors’ information or credentials and direct it to their website for hacking.
Besides protecting the login form with an SSL certificate, the credentials should also be protected to prevent them from being accessed by third parties.
Also, every renegotiation that your website wants to accept should be done when it is confirmed that the renegotiation path is secure.
Renegotiation often happens during authentication, especially if there is a gap. When this renegotiation is insecure, it causes serious issues.
6: Organize your website
Another way you can improve SSL certificate protection on your website or web application is by ensuring that it is clean and organized.
Access, database, plugins, or files that third parties can use to access your application or website should be monitored.
Every unwanted access should be completely removed, and files that are no more used should also be deleted.
7: Disable weak ciphers
Encryption helps in preventing data from being hacked, but most encryption ciphers are weak and easily exploited by hackers.
SSLCipherSuite RSA:!EXP:!NULL:+HIGH:+MEDIUM:-LOW
is a line used in disabling weak ciphers?
Disabling weak ciphers is important because it helps to close every access hacker may have to your web application or website.
A strong cipher helps to improve the security of web applications which is exactly what you need.
8: Use a secure host
Web application security with SSL is impossible if you don’t use a secure host for your website.
Hosts have different downtimes. So, while picking out a host, ensure it does not have frequent downtimes.
While trying to choose a secure host, go for the one that has a good reputation and that can respond to your needs quickly.
Also, they should provide you with a good File transfer protocol service and make it easy to add a good and secure SSL certificate.
Final thoughts
No one thinks that their web application or website can be hacked by hackers but, it doesn’t stop these hackers from trying their luck.
So, to improve security of web application apply these steps and always try to back up your files as a preventive measure.