What’s breaking the Internet now? Funnily enough, it is the tricks and tips to stay alert on the Internet. While uncountable sites teach us the dos and don’ts, it is hard to know where to begin from. But, some of the basics should stay unsaid. This includes – your e-commerce website security lies in your hand.
Our ecommerce store is seen and used by millions of user online. While that is a definite good stamp on your business, it does come at a price of its own. We are also aware that the frequency and velocity of cyber-attacks have sky-rocketed in recent decades. On that note, this blog will go over some of the best cybersecurity tips and practices for securing that precious data from any further breaches. So, without any further ado, let us get started. Here are the following pointers that we will be delving into today:
Table of Contents
list of 5 ways to secure your ecommerce store
Say Yes to SSL Security
Investing in the right kind of cybersecurity products is the need of the hour. In the world of cybersecurity, an SSL is a digital certificate that encrypts and secures your in-transit user’s communications. This entails trust within two systems and creates a hindrance for the hackers to extract any piece of valuable information from you. These days, getting an SSL Certificate is pretty straightforward. You can buy and install it on your e-commerce store. This will put a full stop to all your cybersecurity-related worries. Moreover, this makes it difficult for the cybercriminal to break into your system and hack your passwords or card credentials.
However, as mentioned above, buying the right kind of SSL certificate to meet your bespoke needs is of utmost importance. For example, if you run an e-commerce business, you probably have many first-level subdomains such as payment, product pages, blogs, etc., under the main domain that you seek to protect. If you’re thinking on the lines of buying multiple single-domain SSL certificates for each of the domains that you wish to secure, allow us to show you a better option.
Investing in a wildcard SSL certificate is a very thoughtful move, as it affords premium encryption to the selected primary domain and an unlimited number of first-level subdomains below it. So, you can keep adding as many new subdomains on level one as you like without worrying about their security.
Educate and Empower your Staff on Cyber Security
According to a recent report published by IBM, almost 95% of cybersecurity breaches occur due to human error. This means your most significant threat is in-house itself. Educating your staff about the whole of cybersecurity is essential here. If your staff is unaware of malicious cybercrimes like email scams, phishing, hacking, then you might land yourself in a world of trouble. Teach your staff to report when they find something fishy in their systems.
There is always a difference between a link that might look authentic but isn’t. Also, avoiding emails from unknown strangers should be advised too. It is your staff that handles your chain of systems. If they are unaware or unsure of how to tackle such a case, there is no point in employing them in the first place. Go through a selective round of interviews before hiring the right candidate into your company.
Put up a STRONG Password
Having a strong password does not just mean clubbing a few letters followed by numbers. A strong password is tricky and is not easily hackable. You will be surprised to know that as per the 2020 Verizon Data Breach Report, a whopping 37% of the data theft occurred due to weak or stolen credentials. All you need to do here is put in a bit of effort and ensure that you, your employees, and your customers implement good practices for a strong password.
First and foremost, put up a password that has at least eight characters in it. Then, make it a point to club in a perfect blend of alphabets, numeric, signs, and symbols into the password. If you can use uppercase and lowercase letters, that would be greater. Also, do not use the same password for any other credentials on your e-commerce site. Better yet, if you can get in contact with one of those password managers, nothing can beat that. These are a few simple bits that can be initiated from your end that will safeguard your e-commerce site, your employees as well as your customers.
Only store data that is needed
Know what to store and what not to store. The bottom line here is to know what not to store:
- Take a backseat from holding on to more than you need to operate your business. The more luggage you carry on your shoulders, the higher are the chances that they will get heavier till the point where it breaks.
- Always keep track of the growing number of data privacy regulations.
- It is of high pertinence to establish and develop your own business’ policies to balance user experience, security, and convenience for all.
- Ensure that all of your security measures have been adequately audited and that they function in the manner they are supposed to.
Update your E-commerce Site
It is a given that security is a continual ‘cat and mouse’ game. Cyber Attackers can sniff vulnerable sites. That is what they are an expert at. To steer away from this game, keep your site and system updated. The second the attackers see an outdated site, they call their colleagues to dine in on your priceless data. Keep track of your expiry dates. And turn on your proactive side to address these issues at the earliest. Remember, the hackers are proactive enough to sniff in your precious data the second you go outdated. Be responsible enough to implement the necessary updates, fix bugs and vulnerability patches as and when required.
That’s a Wrap
Developing a healthy e-commerce website security is the need of the hour now. You simply cannot afford to lose out on the trust of your customers by exposing their personal data. Remember to follow and practice these five battle-tested strategies that we have laid out for you. As we have already laid down the groundwork, all you need to do is ensure that you and your employees stick around to it. Stay alert on the information that you download and upload as well. Put up a team to review your third-party integrations specifically, which might initially look unknown to you. You want to give your customers a seamless customer experience – something that they can cherish and look up to. And by following the given steps, you are already halfway through doing it.
