Ever wondered why your company’s website content management system (CMS) is so restrictive? You can add text and images, maybe tweak some colors, but the moment you try to insert a bit of custom JavaScript, you hit a brick wall.

Why won’t they let you add your own code? There are a few reasons for this, primarily focusing on security, maintenance, and preventing your website from crashing.

Not everyone can read code. Even if you think you know what a piece of JavaScript does, it could contain hidden surprises. When you insert random scripts into your website, you’re essentially opening a backdoor for hackers to exploit.

Consider these real-world examples.

The Magecart incident(s)

Magecart is an ongoing threat to website owners of all sizes. These cybercriminals inject malicious JavaScript code into websites via third-party vulnerabilities. This code can be difficult to detect, as attackers use obfuscation techniques and constantly change their tactics. Once embedded, the code can steal sensitive customer data, including credit card information, without the user’s knowledge.

The Polyfill.io incident

In early 2024, this popular open-source JavaScript library was acquired by a company named Funnull. Despite the original developer urging users to seek alternatives, malicious code was later discovered within the Polyfill.io scripts, impacting over 100,000 websites. This code primarily targeted mobile devices, redirecting users to scam websites typically filled with adult content or gambling themes. Many website owners only took action after widespread media coverage of the attack.

These widespread attacks demonstrate the risks of adding unvetted code to your website. While website owners were able to manually remove the malicious code in both instances, the damage had already been done.

It’s really a maintenance nightmares for everyone

Even if the code you insert is perfectly harmless, it could still cause problems down the line. What if it clashes with another element on your site and causes errors? Subtle errors such as this can go unnoticed but can interfere with the way your website works. For example, the “Add to cart” button may not actually be adding the product to the cart if the external code added is not working.

Debugging your own code is one thing, but troubleshooting someone else’s code within your website can be a nightmare. It’s a headache for everyone involved, and it’s much easier to simply let the professionals handle the code.

Worst-case scenario: you insert some code, miss a curly brace, and your entire website goes down. (It really happens!) Trouble is, now you and your customers are faced with a blank screen and you’re making a frantic call to your developer.

It might be frustrating not having full control over your website’s code, but trust me, it’s for the best. By leaving the coding to the experts, you’re protecting your site from security breaches, minimizing maintenance headaches, and avoiding potential crashes.

The next time you have an idea for a custom JavaScript feature, reach out to your development team. They’ll be happy to help you bring your vision to life in a safe and sustainable way.