Cybersecurity may not be on your list of priorities when you founded your startup. If so, then you’ve already committed one of your first mistakes in business. Looking at the big hacking incident in 2016, it’s apparent that cyber criminals are getting more sophisticated and ruthless every year. Some of them even offer on-demand DDoS services, which competitors can leverage for as little as $5.
A DDoS attack utilizes a large network of infected computers, also known as a botnet , to flood the target website’s servers and deny access to real users “ thus, resulting to lost revenue. It may also lead to secondary damages such as lost data, high remediation costs, and a ruined brand reputation.
To help you better understand how DDoS attacks work, you can refer to the infographic below:
Infographic source: Incapsula “ The Anatomy of a DDoS Attack
To protect your startup from such attacks, below are 5 platforms you should consider:
1. Cloudflare
The most straightforward way to protect against DDoS attacks is to leverage a comprehensive security platform like Cloudflare. It has everything you need to protect your startup from security threats, including but not limited to a web application firewall (WAF), a shared SSL certificate, and advanced DDoS protection.
One of the downsides to using an all-in-one solution like Cloudflare is that it’s not cheap. You do have the option to avail the free plan, but the level of protection you’ll receive will only be adequate for personal blogs. At the very least, you’ll need to look at their plan add-ons such as a dedicated SSL certificate and additional page rules.
2. Incapsula
Incapsula is one of the most popular alternatives to Cloudflare when it comes to providing website security. It pretty much offers the same features like DDoS protection, a WAF, and page rules for a slightly higher price. This is mainly due to the real time dashboard that allows you to monitor traffic data and events in real-time.
The scripting language for the rules editor, however, has a steep learning curve. But once you master it, you have complete flexibility on the traffic rules and filters you can incorporate on your site.
3. Akamai
When it comes to DDoS protection, the third most popular alternative to Incapsula and Cloudflare would be Akamai. But unlike the prior platforms, DDoS mitigation is only part of Akamai’s suite of online solutions for websites. They also offer image optimization, mobile performance tools, cloud networking, and a host of other features that can help enterprises build a solid presence online.
Akamai, along with Incapsula and Cloudflare, are the go-to options for established e-commerce companies “ regardless if they use WooCommerce, Shopify, or Magento. Not only do these companies have customer data to protect, a successful DDoS attack may lead to significant revenue losses. Furthermore, security also affects the SEO-friendliness of an online store, which in turn affects residual traffic and the site’s overall profitability.
4. Inxy
Inxy is one of the few hosting services with a built-in CDN or Content Delivery Network. A CDN mitigates DDoS attacks by absorbing the bulk of data requests. This allows your site to maintain functional speeds should an attack break through Inxy’s built-in DDoS protection features
It’s worth noting that Inxy also has one the cheapest CDN rates in the market “ suitable for startups that need to make every dollar count. To recover from data losses caused by an attack, the platform also comes with a backup service as a failsafe.
5. WordFence
WordPress users have the advantage of free plugins when fulfilling their security needs. When it comes to DDoS protection, Wordfence is by far the most popular option. The plugin integrates directly with the WordPress dashboard, so it’s very easy to setup and use.
Wordfence is complete with powerful features that can protect your site from cyber-attacks. This includes a WAF, a threat defense feed, scheduled scans, country blocking, and even two-factor authentication. You can also take advantage of the Live Traffic view to track traffic data and hack attempts as they happen. The only disadvantage of Wordfence is that it’s tied to the WordPress content management system.
Do I Need to Invest in Digital Security Now?
Take note that startups are highly vulnerable to cyber-attacks during their first 18 months. Further research reveals that 43% of attackers target startups and small businesses, while only 35% and 22% target large companies and medium-size enterprises respectively. With the platforms above, you should be able to avert traffic-based attacks proactively and keep your startup safe during its period of vulnerability.
