There’s no denying that shopping online is much easier and faster. In fact, many customers prefer to shop online. This trend is also driving a steady rise in online store transactions, which unfortunately also means more security breaches by hackers.
You need to protect your online store and your customers from the many dangers posed by scammers and hackers. Why? Because cybersecurity is a challenge every business has to face, since hackers can break into even bank and government websites around the world.
Many people say we should be optimistic, but the truth is that cybercrime isn’t going to go away. A worrying fact: losses from security breaches on commercial websites were estimated to reach $6.4 billion in 2021. This highlights how important it is to take preventive measures if you want to keep your online store secure.
In one study, 64% of small businesses that sell online said the internet had helped them increase sales or revenue. But it also means you’ll need to protect your sales and your money.
Even so, securing your online store doesn’t have to be an overwhelming task. It’s just a matter of putting the right strategies into practice and implementing the right tools. By implementing the right strategies with the right tools and processes, you can protect your online business and reduce the chances of an attack.
► Promote good password hygiene
Although passwords face stiff competition from technologies such as multi-factor authentication (MFA) and facial recognition, they are still the standard way to log in to most software.
More than 50% of businesses still rely on passwords as their main authentication method.
Unfortunately, bad or risky password habits are still common and tend to make online breaches easier. When cybercriminals can correctly guess login credentials, buy them online or crack them with brute-force bot attacks, you’re likely to end up with potentially dangerous strangers in your system. They may gain access to your company’s web applications, databases and confidential emails.
Some security breaches may not be your fault. In many cases, customers use weak passwords that are easy to figure out. They may have unknowingly handed sensitive information over to hackers or phishing websites.
Educate your customers about the risks of cybercrime, such as unsafe security practices and phishing. It’s important to explain that they need to create strong passwords and update their credentials regularly.
► Enable secure authentication and address verification systems
To log in to a website, two-factor authentication requires the shopper to have a username and password combination plus an additional code. This code is sent by SMS to the phone number the user has provided. That way, even if the customer’s password and username are compromised, only the person who received the text code will be able to access the website. This means that even if hackers manage to find the password, they would also need to physically have the phone to access the website.
► Use address verification systems for extra online security
This is an advanced fraud prevention tool that is now available on a number of payment processing platforms. AVS compares the numeric parts of the credit card billing address stored in the system with the address on file with the credit card company.
► Check transactions and accounts daily
Nobody can run your business better than you. You know your customers’ patterns and which users tend to spend the most in your store. Monitor their transactions and accounts for warning signs, such as inconsistent data or incorrect billing information.
Use reliable tools to track customers’ IP addresses so you can spot any addresses coming from countries known for fraudulent activity.
You’ll need to be much more careful with customers who use free or anonymous email addresses, such as Yahoo and Gmail. There’s a higher chance of fraud with free service providers, since accounts are easy to create and cost nothing to use.
► Use high-quality plugins
Plugins are an easy way to improve your website’s security. Security plugins protect your website from XSS, SQLi, code injection, malicious bots and many other serious attacks. For example, installing the Astra plugin helps protect your WordPress site automatically. Virtual patching software stops malicious requests from reaching your website.
Although plugins and extensions greatly increase your online store’s functionality, they’re not all created equal. A poorly coded plugin makes it easier for cybercriminals to hack your website, so always make sure you use apps from trusted, reputable sources that also have positive reviews.
Don’t waste your time downloading free premium versions of third-party plugins. They’re often modified to include malware.
Make sure you update your plugins regularly and only work with the latest versions of WooCommerce and WordPress.
► Keep your software and platforms up to date
Always use the latest version of the operating system, since vendors keep updating their software. New security patches are designed to prevent fraud and protect your website from malware, viruses and newly discovered vulnerabilities.
Also install enterprise-grade anti-spyware and anti-malware software to prevent attacks that could exploit weaknesses in outdated software. In general, powerful free software with limited resources may not be enough to protect your business. Many systems come with vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit, so you should update all your content regularly.
► Check your error messages
System updates and maintenance can occasionally trigger error messages that cybercriminals can take advantage of, since they can take this information and use it to hack and compromise your website. Check your pages regularly to turn these error messages off. You can do this from your website’s back end. You can also create a php.ini file and then upload it through your website’s file manager.
► Implement SSL certificates
Secure Socket Layer (SSL) is the recognized leader when it comes to protecting your online store and securing online transactions. An SSL certificate clearly shows that your website can be trusted, and for a website that sells, implementing SSL is essential. Any hacker trying to intercept SSL-protected data will find a jumble of unreadable characters that is impossible to decipher.
There are different SSL certificates on the market; for example, SSL2Buy’s Wildcard SSL certificate helps encrypt and authenticate the user’s identity when there are unlimited subdomains.
For tech-savvy online shoppers, the HTTPS padlock icon in the address bar is essential. These users will check whether the website is secure before agreeing to provide their personal and credit card details. Using HTTPS on your website has advantages that go beyond trust and security. Google gives a higher search ranking to websites that use HTTPS, which brings more clicks and visitors.
Google may also flag an unencrypted website as “not secure”, which will scare off many visitors.
► Use a firewall
Another effective way to protect your online store is to use firewall software and the latest plugins.
These systems regulate the traffic coming into and leaving the website and keep untrusted networks out.
Effective firewall systems offer selective permeability, only letting trusted traffic through. They’re also good at protecting your pages from cyber threats such as cross-site scripting and SQL injection.
► Protect your payment gateways
If you want to improve communication, sell more and make repeat purchases easier, you’ll need to collect your customers’ data.
The danger, however, is that this valuable data makes your website a target for phishing, hacking and other forms of cyberattack.
While storing credit card details in your database makes payment processing easier and more convenient, it can be a risk, because if they’re stolen, you would be liable. You have to understand that this kind of website is an open invitation to hackers. To protect your business from this risk, never store credit card details on your servers; it’s better to work with secure payment gateways.
► Back up your data
According to a 2018 report, small businesses reported an average of 249 fraud attempts per month. Since the administrators of these websites have fewer resources to invest in security, these sites are more vulnerable and an easier target for criminals.
Data loss due to cyberattacks or hardware failure is not uncommon. If you don’t back up your data regularly, you could lose it forever, and if that happens, customers may lose trust in your business. Use an automatic backup system so that, even if you forget to make a backup manually, the system will automatically back up all your data.
You can go one step further by backing up your backup, which gives you a contingency plan in case the original backup is lost or doesn’t work properly. Another great option is to hire a managed hosting company that automatically creates backups for all your pages. When looking for this service, choose providers with a proven track record of solutions for online stores, such as SSL certificates, encrypted payment gateways and strong seller/buyer authentication protocols.
· Conclusion
Today, online commerce is the backbone of most businesses. However, running a store goes beyond using your website to sell products and services online.
As the owner of a business that sells online, you’re responsible for keeping your users safe. This means protecting your customers’ financial records, credit card details and all their personal information.
In other words, it’s your responsibility to secure your website so hackers can’t get into it.
As you’ve probably guessed after reading this article, you can’t afford to make mistakes. A single critical flaw can cost your business dearly, and you could lose most, if not all, of your customers.
The best defense strategy is to invest in cybersecurity, just as you invest in web design or digital marketing. That way, your store will be safe, and so will your money.
Taking care of these aspects also strengthens your visitors’ trust and protects your digital marketing strategy in the long run.