XSS (Cross-Site Scripting)
A web security flaw where attackers inject malicious scripts into trusted sites, exposing sensitive user data and weakening overall hosting security.
Cross-Site Scripting, abbreviated as XSS, is a serious security vulnerability where attackers inject malicious JavaScript or other scripts into web pages viewed by other users. When successful, these scripts execute in victims' browsers, potentially stealing cookies, session tokens, passwords, or other sensitive information, redirecting users to malicious sites, or performing unauthorised actions on their behalf. XSS attacks typically exploit insufficient input validation and output encoding in web applications, allowing untrusted data to be included in web pages without proper sanitisation. Protecting against XSS requires careful coding practices including validating all user inputs, encoding outputs, implementing Content Security Policy headers, and using security features built into modern frameworks. Many hosting providers offer web application firewalls and security scanning tools that help detect and prevent XSS vulnerabilities. Regular security audits, keeping software updated, and following secure coding guidelines are essential for protecting your hosted website and its users from these prevalent and dangerous attacks.
