What Is Web Skimming?

As the internet continues to play an increasingly important role in our lives, cybercriminals have become more sophisticated in their methods of stealing sensitive information. One such method is web skimming, also known as Magecart attacks. This type of cybercrime involves stealing credit card and other sensitive information from websites, often without the website owner or user even realizing it. In this article, we will explore what web skimming is, how it works, and most importantly, how you can protect your website from these attacks.

Web skimming, also known as Magecart attacks, is a type of cybercrime that involves stealing sensitive information from websites. This is done by placing malicious code or malware on the website, which then captures any information that users enter into the website’s forms. This can include credit card numbers, personal information, and login credentials.

Web skimming works by exploiting vulnerabilities in a website’s code. Cybercriminals will often look for ecommerce websites that are using outdated or vulnerable software, as these are more likely to be targeted successfully. Once the website has been identified, the cybercriminal will then attempt to inject malicious code or JavaScript into the website’s codebase.

The malicious code used in web skimming attacks is designed to blend in with the website’s existing code, making it difficult to detect. The code will typically capture any information entered into the website's forms and send it to the cybercriminal’s servers. The cybercriminal can then use this information to carry out fraudulent activities, such as making unauthorized purchases or stealing the user’s identity or payment information.

Akamai Client-Side Protection & Compliance protects websites from JavaScript threats — such as web skimming, formjacking, and Magecart attacks — by identifying vulnerable resources, detecting suspicious behavior, and blocking malicious activity. By detecting compromised JavaScript behavior, it minimizes user data theft and defacing of the user experience. Immediate, actionable insights empower security teams to rapidly understand and act on script-based threats.

Client-Side Protection & Compliance runs in the user’s browser to monitor all script executions for a protected page. When scripts exhibit changes in behaviors, machine learning techniques are employed to assess risk of unauthorized or inappropriate action. High-risk events alert security teams with sufficient information to make effective mitigation decisions.

Protecting your website from web skimming requires a multilayered cybersecurity approach. Here are some steps you can take to protect your website from Magecart attacks:

1. Keep your software up to date: Keeping your website’s software up to date is crucial in protecting it from web skimming attacks. This includes your website’s content management system (CMS), plug-ins, and any other third-party software you may be using. Make sure to apply any security patches and updates as soon as they become available.
2. Use secure connections: Using secure connections, such as HTTPS, can help protect your website from web skimming attacks. HTTPS encrypts the connection between the user’s browser and the website’s server, making it more difficult for cybercriminals to intercept and steal sensitive information.
3. Implement web application firewalls: WAFs can help protect your website from web skimming attacks by blocking malicious traffic and detecting suspicious behavior on the server side.
4. Monitor your website regularly: Consistently monitoring your website for any suspicious activity can help you catch any web skimming attacks early on. This can include monitoring your website’s codebase for any unauthorized changes, as well as monitoring your website’s traffic for any unusual patterns.