How easy is it for a website to be hacked with port 443 and 80 opened?

Ports 80 and 443 are standard ports for web traffic. Port 80 is typically used for HTTP (unencrypted), and port 443 is used for HTTPS (encrypted). Simply having these ports open doesn’t inherently make a website vulnerable. However, the services and software listening on these ports, and their configurations, can be potential targets for attackers.

Here’s a breakdown:

Vulnerabilities Associated with Port 80 (HTTP):

1. Unencrypted Traffic: Since HTTP traffic is not encrypted, it can be intercepted, read, and modified by malicious actors in what is called a “man-in-the-middle” (MITM) attack.
2. Eavesdropping: Attackers can eavesdrop on the unencrypted traffic to extract sensitive information like session cookies, credentials, and more.

Vulnerabilities Associated with Port 443 (HTTPS):

1. SSL/TLS Vulnerabilities: While HTTPS is much more secure than HTTP due to encryption, the underlying protocols (SSL/TLS) have had vulnerabilities in the past (e.g., Heartbleed, POODLE). Using outdated SSL/TLS protocols or configurations can expose websites to risks.
2. Certificate Issues: Misconfigured or expired SSL certificates can expose websites to attacks. Additionally, if an attacker can compromise a Certificate Authority (or impersonate one), they might be able to perform MITM attacks on HTTPS connections.

General Concerns for Both Ports:

1. Software Vulnerabilities: If the web server software (e.g., Apache, Nginx, IIS) is outdated or misconfigured, vulnerabilities might be exploited.
2. Application Vulnerabilities: Beyond the web server software, the actual web applications hosted can have vulnerabilities like SQL Injection, Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF), and more.
3. DDoS Attacks: Open ports can be targets for Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. Though the aim isn’t to gain unauthorized access, such attacks can disrupt the service.
4. Brute Force Attacks: With access to a login interface, attackers can attempt to brute force usernames and passwords.
5. Exposure to Bots: Ports 80 and 443 are often scanned by various bots on the internet. Some bots look for vulnerable websites to exploit, while others might be search engine crawlers or benign bots.

Mitigations:

1. Update & Patch: Regularly update and patch web server software and applications.
2. Configuration: Properly configure servers to minimize vulnerabilities and disable unnecessary features.
3. SSL/TLS Best Practices: Use strong and updated encryption protocols/ciphers for HTTPS, and regularly renew and properly configure SSL certificates.
4. Web Application Firewall (WAF): Implement a WAF to detect and prevent web-based attacks.
5. Rate Limiting: Implement rate limiting to fend off brute force and certain types of DDoS attacks.
6. Monitoring & Logging: Monitor server logs for suspicious activity and set up alerts for potential threats.
7. Use Content Security Policies (CSP): This can help prevent certain types of attacks, like XSS.

In summary, just having ports 80 and 443 open doesn’t automatically make a website “easy” to hack. Vulnerabilities arise from the software and configurations associated with those ports. Properly maintained and secured websites can safely operate with these ports open. However, an unmaintained, outdated, or misconfigured website can indeed be a ripe target for attackers, even if only these standard ports are open.