Session hijacking is the attack of an unauthorized user to gain access to your web session. Your session starts when you log in to your services and log out after the completion of your work. Hackers work in a planned way to access your browsers and applications.

The process of hacking starts when you log in after the verification and authentication process. The authentication process mostly consists of a username and password set by the user. The web server uses a way of token to recognize the user. The server sends a unique token to the user, and the hackers try to steal it. The token may be in the form of a URL or cookie. It is also known as cookie hijacking as the attackers mostly attack the cookies saves on your computer. The server uses the cookies to authenticate and recognizes the user, and these cookies get attacked by hackers. You can easily lose your sensitive information and credentials by session/cookie hijacking as the attackers also use your session.

In this post, you will learn a complete and definitive guide on Session Hijacking and how to prevent it.

 

What is a Session ID or Cookie and How They are Hacked

Whenever you interact with a website, your data is stored for the future in cookies. In simple words, your interaction with the website stores the data in the cookies. This data is used by commercial sites for their sales. They send you the advertisement according to your desire. Again visiting the website will show you the services and offers according to your interest. These cookies travel across the internet and communications and can be easily accessed by hackers when not properly secured.

A session ID is a communication between two connections like the user and server. You might have seen the “remember me” option while logging in to applications. When you use the option, remember me, your data is saved as the session ID and used for the next time when you log in. In general, session IDs are a set of cookies to authenticate your identity. Each of the cookies has a distinct and unique session ID. Hackers get access to session ID by cookies.

 

How to Prevent Session Hijacking

Hackers use different methods to steal your cookies and identity. First is the trial technique in which attackers uses multiples ID and gets the right one. Hackers may predict the ID by calculation technique. The least, is the proper mechanism of stealing the session ID either by email or SSL. You can use these ways to prevent session hijacking.

 

Install Website Security Plugins

Installing WordPress security plugins is an easy way to prevent hack attempts. Different plugins like MalCare active or Jetpack security to your website. These plugins will block a malicious IP address or code entering your website for hacking. They will keep your website intact and clean. It will prevent any hacking attempt immediately by blocking malicious IP addresses. Jetpack has also a scanning system for malware.

 

Install an SSL Certificate

SSL certificate is necessary for website security. As the data continuously flows from the website to the user and server. If the data is not encrypted, it can easily be read by hackers. An SSL certificate will encrypt the data and ensure the secure travel of data from a website to the web server. If the data is locked, session hijacking will not happen. SSL certificate is easy to get. You can buy it from your hosting, or you can also get a free SSL certificate for your website.

 

Be Careful as a User

As a user, you are always at the risk of losing your data by cookies. Regularly clear the cookies and never make a mistake of opening the malicious links. These links or offers are used by hackers to hack your data through session Ids. Also, install antivirus or antimalware software on your computer. It doesn’t matter which website you are checking, the antimalware software will protect your data from session hijacking. Many people store their credit card information on websites. Never store your sensitive information on any site. It poses a threat of stealing and hacking.

 

As an internet user, you can get a session hijacking at any time. You must take every necessary step to protect your connection and communication with the webserver. Data safety must be your priority while using the internet.

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So that’s all for my guide to Session Hijacking.

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