Secure E-commerce platforms are the foundation for a secure online shop. These are five essential security tips that will help you secure your e-commerce website.
Cybercriminals are attracted to the e-commerce sector as it is one of the most lucrative. Online retailers must be aware of these risks and take steps to protect their websites.
These are the top five security tips to protect your online store, prevent fraudsters and keep your customers' data confidential.
Tips to Protect Your E-commerce Business
These are five ways to ensure your online store is safe.
1. Secure E-Commerce Platforms are Recommended.
It is important to understand the basics before you can move on to the more complex areas.
A secure platform is the first step in building an e-commerce site. It can be hard to choose the right e-commerce platform from the many available.
It doesn't matter what platform you choose, make sure it is PCI compliant and has strong security measures. To verify compliance, run PCI scans of your server.
Make sure you have the most recent version of the software. Install any new patches immediately if they become available.
2. Use SSL Certificates
SSL is the standard for online transaction security. SSL certificates authenticate the identities of users and encrypt data on the store as well as in transit.
SSL is vital to secure communication between your e-commerce website and end-user systems.
Tech-savvy buyers will need to know that the padlock icon in the address bar and "HTTPS” in the address line are prerequisites for entering their credit card details.
Consumers are more likely to do business when they feel that the vendor is protecting their transactions.
3. Consider Two-Factor Authentication.
Web security breaches are often caused by compromised or stolen user credentials. You can use phishing to steal or guess your user credentials, and compromise your online store's security.
This is why you need a reliable user authentication mechanism. It's an essential foundation to protect your online store against hacking attempts.
Two-factor authentication (2FA), is a security feature that many e-commerce websites use to add an extra layer of protection. This security feature requires a valid user to provide two forms of identification.
The username/password combination is the most common, while the second is an autogenerated code that is sent to the verified number.
Hackers may crack the password but cannot steal this code which is usually valid for a short time.
4. Take Advantage of Virtual Private Network.
Public networks are a danger when you deal with customer data and financial transactions. Malicious users can intercept data transferred over public networks.
In such situations, a VPN service can be very useful. This service provides an encrypted connection to a secure server off-site, which protects you from any third party inserting themselves between you and the server.
SSL-based VPNs are cheaper than traditional VPN services. OpenVPN is a popular choice because it provides an open-source and community-based edition you can use free of charge.
5. Educate Your Employees and Customers.
Customers need to be educated about the laws and policies that impact their data. Your information security practices should be shared with your clients and your employees.
Tell them how your organization protects the credit card information of customers and what they can do to ensure financial security.
Your organization's data security best practices should be highlighted and told to customers not send sensitive data via email, chat, or text message.
Employees must be taught how to protect customer data. To protect your business from possible legal consequences, instruct them to strictly adhere to the security policies and protocols.
What is E-Commerce Security?
It also protects it from malicious bots or cyber criminals. It protects your business and your customer's private information online.
Security is Crucial in E-Commerce
You, as an owner of an e-commerce company, must ensure that customer data is securely and safely handled.
Although e-commerce security is a complex topic, it is your responsibility to ensure that your website is secure and prevent sensitive customer data from being stolen.
They expect security when they submit their personal information to you, such as their credit card number and other banking details.
Consumers will be less inclined to do business with your company if their information is stolen or compromised.
This isn't about your customers. Hackers can compromise your website and force you to pay for the repairs.
This could include a forensic investigation and data recovery as well as credit monitoring for your customers.
To meet legal requirements for online businesses, your business must maintain a certain level of security compliance.
You could be subject to fines or other penalties if your company doesn't adhere to these regulations, such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard(PCI DSS). This is the standard that you must follow when taking credit card payments.
Potential Security Threats to E-Commerce
You can protect your consumers and business from online threats if you have the right safeguards. These are some of the most common threats that you need to be aware of.
Phishing
Hackers use email, text, and phone calls to try to trick store owners into giving out personal information such as passwords, banking information, and Social Security numbers.
They often pretend to be an authority who is just "checking" and "updating" the information it already has.
If you initiated the conversation, it's not a good idea for anyone to divulge any sensitive information.
Reach out to the customer service line of the company instead of responding to an email, text, or giving any information over the telephone.
Ransomware and Malware
Avoid clicking on links and downloading software that you aren't familiar with. These are common ways to infect your computer and other devices and networks.
Hackers can block you from accessing your data and demand money to restore it once your system has been infected.
You can also take preventive measures to avoid such a crisis. For example, back up your data regularly. This will allow you to restore your system even if it is compromised.
SQL Injection
SQL injection is a technique attackers use to manipulate your backend system. This is a data breach. They can access your private data and run your system without you knowing.
This attack can be avoided by making sure that your system is current. You may also consider installing a web app firewall to block malicious data.
Cross-Site Scripting (“XSS”)
This happens when hackers inject harmful code onto your website. This is a way to steal directly from your customers.
Visitors to your website will be exposed to malware, phishing, and other methods to steal their data. To increase your data security, you might consider using the HTTP Content Security Policy.
E-Skimming
Hackers can infiltrate your eCommerce store by phishing, XSS, or other attacks.
They wait for customers to complete their checkout pages so that they can swipe their credit cards and collect personal information. Attackers skim after all information on your payment card processing websites.
The FBI recommends that you keep your software up-to-date, change all default credentials to strong passwords and implement multifactor authentication.