Tech

Why your website should always have DDoS protection

Published

3 years ago

August 2, 2021

Over the past decade, websites have become increasingly important for businesses. In fact, businesses without a website often find it difficult to grow outside of their local customers. A website can help businesses reach a greater demographic and number of customers. In some cases, websites can go global and reach millions of customers around the world.

Since a website will be dealing with such a large number of customers, its security becomes a prime necessity. A website that isn’t safe to use will almost certainly be a target for cyberattacks. Cyberattacks can cripple websites and make business websites vulnerable and unsafe for customers.

Maintaining a safe website is very important. Many businesses have lost customers because they weren’t able to maintain the security of their websites. There are various ways to create a safe website. The easiest is to comply with HTTPS. However, most modern websites automatically comply with these rules.

HTTPS is not perfect. It does make your website secure, but your website is still vulnerable to cyber-attacks. One of these attacks is DDoS. DDoS attacks can completely cripple your website and put your user’s sensitive information at risk. In this article, we will discuss what DDoS attacks are and how DDoS protection will help you protect your website.

What is a DDoS attack?

A Distributed Denial of Service attack is a malicious attack that attempts to disrupt the normal working of a server by overwhelming it. In simple terms, a DDoS attack aims to cripple your website’s server and overwhelm it by flooding it with fake Internet traffic sent across from hacked devices. These devices are unsuspecting computers with botnets installed that can send out thousands of server requests every second with the aim to cripple your perfectly fine website.

How do DDoS attacks work?

To pull off a DDoS attack, the attacker infects internet-connected devices with malware that can remotely be controlled by them. They then use these malware to send multiple requests to a particular website’s server, slowing it down and, in severe cases crippling the website.

Since DDoS attacks are carried out through malware on random remote computers, it is near impossible to locate the source of these attacks as they disguise themselves as normal traffic. However, there are some ways you can detect if you are being targeted by DDoS attacks.

The simplest way is through traffic analytics tools. These are some telltale signs that you are being targeted:

Abnormal traffic surge
A lot of traffic originating from the same IP address or range
Unexplained traffic surges on particular web pages
Unnatural traffic patterns; for example, traffic surges every 15 minutes

Protecting against DDoS attacks

DDoS protection is very important for a business website. Business websites often deal with a lot of sensitive information from their customers. If afflicted with a DDoS attack, a website can be weakened and can even stop working.

The main goal of DDoS attacks is to cripple your user’s access. It is really harmful to your customers’ user experience. When your website server gets hit with a DDoS, it is also vulnerable to other attacks, and DDoS is often the entry point for other incriminating attacks that can be used to steal user information.

It is crucial that business websites are protected against DDoS attacks. DDoS attacks also target the mission-critical business applications that your organization relies on to manage daily operations, such as email, salesforce automation, CRM, and many others. Additionally, other industries, such as manufacturing, pharma and healthcare, have internal web properties that the supply chain, and other business partners rely on for daily business operations.

Here’s how you can protect against DDoS attacks:

Know your audience: Use traffic analysis tools and learn the traffic patterns around your website. Know where your visitors are from and know what times they usually use your website.
Have a cybersecurity team in place: Keep a team ready to respond to DDoS or other cyber attacks to protect your website. Treat DDoS attacks as catastrophic incidents and be prepared for them at all times.
Security measures: Restrict access to your servers for everyone except the people working with them. Even on your website, keep access restricted to non-administrators.
Use CDNs: For business websites with worldwide clients, a CDN is a great way to mitigate a DDoS attack. CDNs cache your websites on localized servers, limiting damage to the geographical source of DDoS attacks and protecting your main server automatically.
Understand the warning signs: DDoS attacks have certain symptoms. The erratic traffic pattern, network slowdown, increased load times, unexplained shutdown, etc. are dead giveaways for DDoS attacks. Use these warning signs in case you are being attacked and shut down the source asap.

If you are a small business, try creating your website with a reputable website building software. Website building software often have built-in DDoS security measures and CDNs that automatically protect your website from such cyber attacks.

The good news is that DDoS attacks form a significant part of all cyber attacks. Almost 60% of cyber attacks are usually attempted Distributed Denial of service attacks meaning that your cybersecurity becomes significantly easier if you can protect against DDoS attacks.

Summing up

DDoS attacks are a significant threat for a business website. It is even more significant if your business is in the financial industry. Between 2017 and 2019, 40% of all financial institutions were hit by DDoS attacks.

They survived because they had planned DDoS protection as a part of their disaster mitigation planning. The second most common targets for DDoS attacks are online eCommerce stores and more. Both financial and eCommerce websites tend to deal with a customer’s critical financial information.

An unprotected website would crumple under a powerful DDoS attack and might end up losing crucial customer data. Protect your website with DDoS and keep your customer’s information safe and never lose your website traffic. Get on with it today!

Tech

The Evolution and Impact of Crypto Swapping in the Financial Landscape

Published

2 months ago

September 19, 2024

Jonathan Grilli

Introduction

The rise of cryptocurrencies has revolutionized how we think about money and how we handle financial transactions. Among these innovations, the ability to swap crypto is a significant development, enabling a more fluid exchange of digital assets. This method allows for directly swapping one cryptocurrency for another without the need for traditional financial intermediaries, such as banks or conventional exchanges. Specifically, swap crypto platforms help these transactions through decentralized systems that enhance user autonomy and security. This article delves into the intricacies of crypto swapping, exploring its mechanisms, advantages, challenges, and potential to reshape the financial ecosystem. By examining how swap crypto functions within the broader context of digital finance, we gain insights into its transformative impact on personal and commercial financial practices.

Understanding Crypto Swapping

Crypto swapping refers to the exchange of one cryptocurrency for another. This can happen on various platforms, including centralized exchanges (CEXs) and decentralized exchanges (DEXs). However, the unique aspect of crypto swapping often refers to its operation on DEXs, which use smart contracts on blockchains like Ethereum to help peer-to-peer exchanges without the need for a central authority. These smart contracts automate the transaction process, ensuring that the terms of the swap are enforced transparently and without bias. The decentralized nature of DEXs enhances security by reducing the risk of hacks associated with centralized repositories and increases privacy, as transactions do not need personal information to be disclosed. Furthermore, DEXs often provide more diverse trading pairs and can help direct swaps across different blockchain networks, expanding the versatility and reach of crypto swapping. This method significantly contributes to the fluidity and interoperability of the cryptocurrency market, promoting greater integration and utility across various blockchain ecosystems.

The Mechanics of Crypto Swapping

The technology behind crypto swapping depends on using smart contracts. These are self-executing contracts with the terms of the agreement directly written into lines of code. In the context of DEXs, intelligent contracts automate the transfer of cryptocurrencies between parties once predetermined conditions are met, ensuring trust and eliminating the need for intermediaries. Platforms like Uniswap, Sushiswap, and PancakeSwap have popularized this model by offering liquidity pools. These pools are funded by users who deposit pairs of tokens, which are then available for others to trade against. When a user initiates a swap, the intelligent contract adjusts the prices based on the pool’s supply and demand dynamics, executing the trade instantly. This method simplifies the trading process and enhances efficiency by minimizing the time lag often encountered in traditional trading environments. Additionally, it democratizes access to financial markets by allowing virtually anyone to become a liquidity provider, potentially earning transaction fees. This dynamic fosters a more inclusive financial ecosystem and underscores the transformative potential of blockchain technology in reshaping traditional economic structures.

Advantages of Crypto Swapping

Increased Accessibility: Crypto swapping democratizes access to financial markets. Anyone with an internet connection can swap tokens without approval from traditional gatekeepers like banks.
Enhanced Security: By decentralizing the exchange process, crypto swapping reduces the risk of hacks and security breaches that can plague centralized platforms.
Lower Costs: Without the overhead associated with traditional financial institutions, crypto swapping can significantly reduce transaction fees.
Immediate Settlement: Transactions on DEXs can be settled almost instantly, unlike traditional banking transactions, which can take days.

Real-Life Impact

Example 1: Emerging Markets In countries with unstable currencies or restrictive financial systems, crypto swapping provides a viable alternative for individuals to obtain more stable, internationally-recognized currencies like Bitcoin or Ethereum. For instance, Venezuelans have turned to cryptocurrencies amidst economic turmoil to preserve their savings and engage in commerce.

Example 2: Entrepreneurial Ventures Startups increasingly use crypto swapping to manage their finances more efficiently. By leveraging DEXs, these companies can avoid the hefty fees and bureaucratic hurdles associated with cross-border transactions, fostering a more global approach to business operations.

Challenges Facing Crypto Swapping

Regulatory Hurdles: The lack of clear regulations around cryptocurrencies and DEXs poses challenges, including potential future restrictions that could affect the accessibility of crypto swapping.
Market Volatility: The prices of cryptocurrencies can be highly volatile. Rapid price fluctuations can lead to market instability and affect the reliability of executing swaps at desired prices.
Technical Barriers: Using DEXs and understanding blockchain technology need a certain level of technical knowledge, which can be a barrier for the average user.
Liquidity Issues: Some less popular tokens may face liquidity issues on DEXs, making it difficult to execute large orders without impacting the market price.

The Future of Crypto Swapping

As blockchain technology evolves and more users become comfortable with digital currencies, the scope of crypto swapping will likely expand. Innovations like cross-chain swapping and integration with traditional financial systems could further enhance usability and appeal. Moreover, with increasing attention from regulators worldwide, more precise guidelines could lead to more widespread adoption and integration of crypto swapping into mainstream financial practices.

Conclusion

Crypto swapping is more than a technological novelty; it represents a fundamental shift in how individuals and businesses interact with the global financial system. By offering a secure, efficient, and accessible means of exchanging value, crypto swapping has the potential to contribute significantly to the democratization of finance. This shift could empower individuals by giving them direct control over their financial transactions, thereby reducing dependency on traditional banking institutions and systems that often impose cumbersome processes and high fees. Moreover, businesses could leverage this technology to streamline operations, cut transaction costs, and expand into global markets with fewer barriers. However, navigating the associated challenges and ensuring a favorable regulatory environment will be crucial for realizing its full potential. As such, ongoing dialogue between innovators, regulators, and stakeholders is essential to forge regulatory frameworks that safeguard participants while fostering innovation. In this evolving landscape, crypto swapping stands not as a disruption but as a transformative force with the power to redefine financial engagement on a global scale.