What Is Web Skimming?
As digital transactions and online activity continue to grow, cybercriminals are evolving their tactics to exploit websites and steal sensitive data. One increasingly common threat is web skimming, also known as Magecart attacks. These stealthy breaches can compromise user data—like credit card details and login credentials—without alerting the website owner or the visitor.
In this post, we’ll explain what skimming is, how it operates, and how Liberation Tek can help defend your site from these malicious attacks.
Web skimming is a type of cyberattack in which malicious code is secretly injected into a website, often targeting online stores and payment forms. This code captures data entered by users—such as payment details and personal information—and sends it to attackers. Victims are often unaware that their data has been stolen, and site owners may not detect the breach for weeks or even months.
How Do Web Skimming Attacks Work?
Web skimming typically exploits vulnerabilities in outdated or misconfigured websites. Attackers often target platforms that use third-party scripts or plugins, particularly in ecommerce environments.
Once the attackers identify a vulnerable site, they insert malicious JavaScript that operates silently in the background. This script then monitors user interactions, specifically looking for form submissions where sensitive data is entered. Once captured, the data is transmitted to an external server controlled by the attacker.
What makes skimming especially dangerous is its stealth—because the script is hidden within otherwise legitimate code, it’s easy to overlook.
Stay Protected with Liberation Tek’s Cloud
By proactively scanning for compromised scripts and preventing malicious activity, Liberation Tek empowers your team to stay one step ahead of cybercriminals.
Additional Tips to Protect Your Website from Web Skimming
Beyond advanced client-side protection, a layered security strategy is the most effective way to reduce your exposure to web skimming threats. Here are a few key steps every website owner should take:
1. Keep All Software Up to Date
Ensure your content management system (CMS), themes, plugins, and third-party services are always running the latest versions. Security updates are critical, as they patch vulnerabilities attackers often exploit.
2. Use Secure Protocols (HTTPS)
Implement HTTPS across your entire site. This ensures data is encrypted between the user’s browser and your server, making it significantly harder for attackers to intercept or alter the data stream.
3. Deploy a Web Application Firewall (WAF)
A WAF can detect and block malicious requests, helping to prevent attackers from injecting harmful scripts or accessing sensitive parts of your site.
4. Monitor Your Site Continuously
Routine monitoring is essential. Keep an eye on your codebase for unauthorized changes and use traffic analysis tools to identify unusual patterns that might signal an active attack.
Final Thoughts
Web skimming is a serious and growing threat, but with the right tools and a vigilant approach, your website doesn’t have to be a target. Liberation Tek provides a smart, efficient way to defend your site and protect your users’ data. Combine this with best practices like software updates, HTTPS, firewalls, and consistent monitoring, and you’ll create a strong defense against modern cyber threats.
Ready to secure your website from script-based attacks? Contact Liberation Tek today to learn more about how we can help protect your digital presence.
