{"id":3830,"date":"2022-06-21T08:18:56","date_gmt":"2022-06-21T08:18:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/123formbuilder.polarbuildingcleaning.net\/blog\/?p=3830"},"modified":"2024-10-03T13:27:31","modified_gmt":"2024-10-03T13:27:31","slug":"how-to-create-a-secure-web-form","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/123formbuilder.polarbuildingcleaning.net\/blog\/how-to-create-a-secure-web-form","title":{"rendered":"How to Create a Secure Web Form | 7 Best Practices"},"content":{"rendered":"

Do you know what goes through someone\u2019s mind when they\u2019re about to fill out a web form? I\u2019ll tell you mine: \u201cIs it safe?\u201d, which also stands for \u201cWhere will my sensitive information end up?\u201d, \u201cIs this a secure web form?\u201d and \u201cShould I just drop it?\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

For anyone who\u2019s collecting data, I\u2019m sure this is no news. Trust is at the forefront of data collection. People are reluctant to share their information as it is, and the <\/span>concern for the privacy and security of data<\/span><\/a> keeps growing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

With cyberattacks increasing yearly – they <\/span>increased by 31%<\/span><\/a> from 2020 to 2021 and their cost went up to <\/span>$6.9 billion<\/span><\/a> – businesses need a safer way to collect data so they don\u2019t lose their customers or the company\u2019s reputation. We\u2019ve put together a guide to help you understand why it\u2019s vital to use secure web forms<\/a>, what threats you could be facing, how to know your form is safe, and the best practices for creating secure web forms.<\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s get right into it.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why is Web Form Security Important?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Without web form<\/a> security, you\u2019re exposing your company and customer\u2019s data to vulnerabilities that attackers can easily exploit. For example, did you know that <\/span>44% of retail and education organizations<\/span><\/a> were hit by ransomware in 2020? This high percentage tells us that most organizations probably didn\u2019t make it hard for attackers or spammers to go through the front door. While having a bulletproof IT infrastructure plays a crucial role in securing your organization, there are many things you can and should do in the front end.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Building <\/span>secure forms<\/span><\/a> can ensure that any bit of data users share with your organization is protected and reaches your system safely. You want customers to return to you, but no one will come back to a place that\u2019s not guaranteeing a safe environment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Since we\u2019ve started talking about customer expectations, let\u2019s go a little bit deeper and explore why they\u2019re key to building secure web forms and websites.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Customer Expectations for Secure Web Form Building<\/b><\/h3>\n

Every time customers fill out one of your online forms, they usually share information about themselves (contact details, medical information, payment, etc.). As far as the customer is concerned, any information they give is sensitive, and they rely on you to protect their privacy and keep that information safe.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Customers don\u2019t ask for a security measures list before engaging with you. But they expect that once you ask for their data to provide them with a product or service, you can also safeguard their information. They also expect you to walk the talk.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If they don\u2019t get a sense of security, they will move on. There\u2019s fierce competition on every front, so it won\u2019t take customers long enough to search for other businesses that show they care about their customers\u2019 data privacy. And since it makes sense to have a strong website safety policy, it’s a need to hire a backend development team<\/a> so they will protect all your customers’ data.<\/span><\/p>\n

So what can you do to ensure you live up to customers’ expectations regarding secure web form building? Here are just a few of the things you can start with:<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Have a<\/strong> <\/span>Privacy Policy (Cookie Policy, Terms of Service) <\/b>that\u2019s visible, easy to access, and understand.
\n<\/span>Tell your customers how you\u2019ll protect their data and what happens once you get a hold of it. They might not ask you for a security measures list, but you can be proactive about it and tell them about your commitment to their data protection.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Web<\/p>\n

2. Stay on brand and make yourself available.<\/strong>
\n<\/b>Trust also comes through recognition. When filling out your form, users need to recognize your brand and be sure that it\u2019s with your company only that they\u2019re sharing their data.<\/span><\/p>\n

With 123FormBuilder, you can completely customize your forms: add a logo, style it with your brand\u2019s colors, and edit any text on your form. Also, give users an easy way to get in touch with you; making yourself available reassures them that you are not a ghost company and genuinely want to hear from them whenever they have a question.<\/p>\n

\"Customize<\/p>\n

3. Stay compliant and<\/b> use a compliant tool<\/b>.
\n<\/span>For example, if you\u2019re collecting ePHI (Electronic Protected Health Information), you\u2019ll need to be HIPAA compliant. 123FormBuilder is 100% HIPAA compliant, so you won\u2019t need to worry about not abiding by regulations that safeguard your customer\u2019s data and legally protect your company.<\/span><\/p>\n

These are just small steps to meet your customers\u2019 expectations. There is much more you can do, but before we go into detail on how to create a secure online form, let\u2019s see the typical security threats you can face.<\/span><\/p>\n\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\tStart Creating a Secure Web Form<\/a>\r\n\t\t<\/strong>\r\n\t\n

Common Web Form Security Threats<\/b><\/h2>\n

Online forms are one of the easiest and most convenient ways to collect users’ data. And because they\u2019re so popular among companies and customers, they also make an attractive target for spammers, hackers, phishers, and cyber attacks.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are the most common web security issues that you could encounter.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Customer data breaches. <\/b>They<\/span> happen when a cybercriminal accesses your data and steals, deletes, or modifies it without your permission. Weak and stolen credentials, malware, or human error are some of the main reasons for data breaches.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks. <\/b>These are security vulnerabilities where an attacker injects client side-scripts or malicious code into the users\u2019 web pages. It allows attackers to steal users\u2019 credentials and data and even access their computers.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Cross-site request forgery.<\/b> CSRF attacks happen when a hacker uses social engineering to trick an authenticated user into performing an unwanted action, such as changing their password or making a financial transaction. It usually results in the attacker gaining control of the user\u2019s application, data theft, or financial fraud. To prevent these, usually, the server-side application generates a unique CSRF token every time there\u2019s a new HTTP request (user session) that protects the web session.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  4. SQL injection (SQLi) attacks. <\/b>These are a type of attack vector that injects malicious code into the application\u2019s databases. It alters SQL code to<\/span> access the user\u2019s data, passwords, or credit card information.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    7 Best Web Form Security Practices<\/b><\/h2>\n

    Sensitive information has always been a sweet target for hackers. So every time you\u2019re collecting data, you\u2019re inviting – unintentionally – these cybercriminals to explore your vulnerabilities. So you\u2019ll want to lock the door and make it extremely hard for them to even attempt to aim towards your system. There are many things you can do to create a secure web form.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Let\u2019s explore 123FormBuilder\u2019s seven best practices that will change the way you look at web form security.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    1. Use SSL to Secure Form Data<\/b><\/h3>\n

    SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is a security protocol that encrypts the communication between the client and your web server, protecting it from man in the middle (MITM) attacks. What does it mean? <\/span><\/p>\n

    For example, when users transmit data to you, only you and the user can access it and no one else. SSL certificates can ensure this protection, and you can check if there is one enabled by looking for an \u201cHTTPS:\/\/\u201d connection instead of an \u201cHTTP:\/\/\u201d one in the URL (the \u201cs\u201d stands for security). An SSL connection will ensure that every time the user submits sensitive data in the web form fields, that information will be transferred securely to your system.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    2. Data Encryption is Essential<\/b><\/h3>\n

    Reinforce your SSL connection with data encryption. Besides securing your communication with users, encrypting their submitted data is also essential. End-to-end encryption prevents attackers from \u201ceavesdropping\u201d on all the data flowing through your forms and remains encrypted until recipients decrypt it using their private keys. <\/span><\/p>\n

    For example, if a user shares their payment information<\/a> in your form, and you have data encryption enabled, that financial information will travel in the form of a cipher text. And will change into plain text only after it has reached your web server and you\u2019ve decrypted it using your private key.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    3. Virus and Malware Protection<\/b><\/h3>\n

    Hackers attack every 39 seconds, according to <\/span>research<\/span><\/a>. One way to protect yourself against that is to proactively identify threats and tackle them by constantly scanning your system with virus and malware protection software. It\u2019s relatively easy to infect your computer with a virus or malware. <\/span><\/p>\n

    It usually happens when you click on a link that leads to a malicious web page or download infected files. But if you are protected against it, you\u2019ll be able to safeguard your data\u2019s privacy and integrity. If you let your users upload files on your forms, scan them for unwanted viruses so that no harmful programs are installed on your system.<\/span><\/p>\n

    4. Enable CAPTCHA Authentication<\/b><\/h3>\n

    CAPTCHA authentication is one of the most common ways to prevent spam submissions. You want accurate, relevant data from the market, whether people sign-up for your event or fill out a job application. With CAPTCHA authentication, you\u2019re adding an extra step to your form submission process that helps you distinguish a human from a robot software. <\/span><\/p>\n

    It helps you block bots, fake submissions, and any hacker attempt to break into your system. 123FormBuilder supports Smart CAPTCHA or reCAPTCHA that can help you stop bots from filling out your forms and keep your data collection process clean and real.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    \"CAPTCHA<\/p>\n

    5. Control User Input<\/b><\/h3>\n

    Controlling user input implies validating the data and accepting or rejecting form submissions if they do not comply. When users fill out a form, they usually type in the information in the format that you request. <\/span><\/p>\n

    For example, if you\u2019re collecting users\u2019 phone numbers, you\u2019ll probably ask for a numeric value in the dedicated form field<\/a>. Suppose the submission doesn\u2019t match your criteria. In that case, you\u2019ll inform users with error messages that their input data is incorrect or doesn\u2019t follow the particular format you are asking for (e.g., file types, file extensions, or an email). Although it seems like a very basic step, controlling user input can protect you from potentially dangerous information that can lead to more brutal attacks on your system.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    \"User<\/p>\n

    6. Secure Data in a Trusted Database<\/b><\/h3>\n

    Securely storing your data is just as important as collecting and handling it. If you\u2019re using a form builder like 123FromBuilder, you\u2019ll find that we store our data on AWS (Amazon Web Services). Their robust security protocols make it a safe and trustworthy choice because their servers are highly guarded and offer our clients peace of mind.<\/span><\/p>\n

    7. Password Protection<\/b><\/h3>\n

    Whether it\u2019s account login or accessing a form, ensure secure authentication and access to your forms. You might want to add extra layers of protection with multi-factor authentication and protect your forms with solid passwords. <\/span><\/p>\n

    At 123FormBuilder, we double-check customers\u2019 identities and ensure users are who they say they are, so only authorized access is allowed. User trust is not something you want to compromise on, nor is data security, so rely on a robust password policy to make it hard for hackers to reach you.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \"Password<\/p>\n

    Create Secure Web Forms with 123FormBuilder<\/b><\/h2>\n

    We\u2019ve touched upon a couple of security best practices you can follow to make your web forms secure. But you might be wondering how to create a secure web form<\/a> with 123FormBuilder.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    The great thing about 123FormBuilder\u2019s web forms is that they already have the security measures we discussed earlier built into how they function. And if they\u2019re not, you can add them as you see necessary, along with many other advanced security features<\/a> that we haven\u2019t mentioned yet.<\/span><\/p>\n\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\tStart Creating a Secure Web Form<\/a>\r\n\t\t<\/strong>\r\n\t\n

    On top of Anti-Spam Protection, Data Residency on AWS, Authentication Security, Data & Form Encryption (and so on), we also cover:<\/span><\/p>\n