Every day, thousands of websites are hacked. When this happens, the website can be used for everything from phishing pages to SEO spam. If you own a small website, it's easy to believe that hackers would have no interest in it. Unfortunately, this isn't usually the case.

The motivations for hacking a website are as varied as the techniques used for doing so. And it follows that just about any website can be a target. If you're wondering why somebody might want to hack your website, here are 10 potential reasons.

1. Payment Details

If you use your website to sell anything then it's an obvious target for hackers. The payment details can be stolen and either used directly by the hacker or sold on to somebody else.

There are various hacking techniques that allow payment details to be stolen as they are typed into a website. This means that even if you don't personally store payment information, your site can still be targeted for this purpose.

2. Information of Any Kind

Websites often collect personal information from visitors. For example, if you have an email list, you might collect information that way. Or if you use your website to run a business, you might store details about your staff or upcoming product launches.

Any of these things can prove valuable to a hacker. If they cannot be sold on the black market (or on the dark web), then perhaps they can be sold to you i.e. they can ask you for money in exchange for their safe return.

It's worth noting that website owners are often liable if a breach on their website negatively impacts others.

3. Phishing Pages

phishing information theft

A phishing page is a web page that's designed to steal confidential information. Phishing pages are designed to look like legitimate webpages. For example, you might find one that looks identical to a banking website. The idea is that when a user tries to log into their bank, their login details are stolen.

Google obviously doesn't like phishing pages and will often try to warn users before they visit one. But if Google already trusts your website then it can be hacked and used to circumvent this. Phishing pages are also illegal and using a hacked website to host them allows the thief to remain anonymous.

4. SEO Spam

If own a website, you probably already understand the importance of SEO. Many SEO techniques involve the creation of backlinks. When a backlink is created from Site A to Site B, it essentially says that Site A recommends Site B.

Many websites are hacked everyday for just this purpose. A hacker can take control of your site and build backlinks manually or they can install a program to do the job for him.

If your website has a good reputation, you might be surprised to learn of its value in this regard. And every time your site is used for this purpose, its own search engine reputation can be harmed.

5. Spam Email

email spam sender

Spam emails are a nuisance but they are also potentially profitable. And this means that websites are often hacked for no other reason than to send them.

If a website is hacked for this purpose then the domain can be used to avoid the spam folder. It also allows hackers to send large batches of them without being shut down by their own email provider.

The worst thing about this attack is that the recipients of spam will likely believe that you are the sender.

6. Malware

Malware is easy to design. Many cybercriminals don't even make malware; they buy it. The hard part about making money from malware is finding a way to install it on other people's computers.

A hacked website can be ideal for this purpose. If Google trusts your website, it can be used to give people malware without warning. If people trust your website, then perhaps they will even consent to downloading a strange file.

7. Free Advertising

If your website receives enough traffic, it may be hacked for advertising purposes. One option is to modify the website so that it starts to show advertising for a product that the hacker is affiliated with.

Another option is to simply redirect traffic altogether. A redirect can be added so that when somebody lands on your website, they're immediately sent to the hackers' website instead.

8. Practice

hacking practice arrow

Hacking is a skill and like any other skill, it requires practice. It's possible to learn hacking in a safe environment. And many online services were created for just this purpose. But most hackers get their start by practicing on real websites.

If you run a small website, it's therefore possible that a hacker will use it for practice before they move on to something more profitable.

9. Fun

Sometimes hackers just like hacking. Quite a few high profile cyberattacks were carried out for no other reason than the perpetrator wanted to know if they were capable of pulling it off. In other words, a hacker might target your website just to see if they can.

Bragging rights are another popular motivation. A hacker may just want to show their friends that they are in control of your website.

10. Take You Offline

Websites are often hacked to take them offline. This can be done for revenge. Perhaps you said something a hacker didn't like. Or it can be done for profit.

If your website makes money, you're going to want it fixed if it goes offline. If a hacker knows this, they can take control of your website and ask for payment in exchange for its return.

Start Protecting Your Website Today

If you own any kind of website, there's no shortage of reasons for hackers to target it. The good news is that keeping the majority of hackers out isn't difficult.

To keep your website safe from small scale hacks, simply choose secure hosting, keep your software updated, and avoid using weak passwords. It's also even more important to watch out for phishing emails.