Amidst the varied variety of sites in the internet world, ecommerce sites are one of the most vulnerable to attacks by scammers. As ecommerce sites contain loads of personal and financial data, it becomes equally important to guard these sites in the cybersphere.
No matter the size of a particular business, the result of a breach is extremely devastating as it causes monetary loss and a reduction in customer trust. These two aspects are extremely important for a business and must be guarded through all the efforts possible.
All these points in totality increase the importance of eCommerce data security more than ever.
Though the ecommerce business owners are very aware of key issues related to data security, they have also enhanced the security measures to be taken directions. The market has seen a boost in the purchase of new and improved security technology in the previous year.
Even after putting the best foot forward, these ecommerce businesses are frequently attacked by cyber attackers in the online world. Therefore, it is seen that online retailers have started combining the improved technologies with best-suggested practices to stay forward in this game of ecommerce security.
As the nature of cyber-attacks and the frequency are experiencing an all-time high in the past few years, it is the need of the hour to emphasize e-commerce security against cyber mischief.
Though all the ecommerce business owners are leaving no stone unturned in maximizing the efforts against the cyber-attacks, there are still some areas that need immediate attention. Therefore, we have addressed the same and tried to list all the eCommerce data security best practices for online retailers.
Let us quickly dive in and understand the same in a better manner
1. Ensuring Security through SSL Certificates
As the number of cyberattacks are increasing day by day globally, various tools and technologies have been implemented to keep security in check. Most of the midsize and multi-million ecommerce companies are focusing on ecommerce data security to keep the user trust intact.
There are various types of SSL certificates available in the market. One can select as per the security coverage required and the budget. Wildcard ssl certificates are a popular form of SSL certificates employed by ecommerce website owners to guard the business against security-related threats.
It is a very scalable option as it affords security to unlimited first-level subdomains under the chosen main domain. So as the business expands, you can keep adding multiple subdomains without worrying about buying extra SSL certs for each new subdomain that you incorporate.
SSL Certificates follow HTTPS protocol instead of HTTP and amplify the user security in the world of ecommerce. It is seen that the users also check for the SSL enabled security before trying an ecommerce platform. They search for the grey padlock in the address bar before logging on to a site.
2. Strong password for the win
A crucial step in ensuring data security is a strong password; in this case, the password must be strong and lengthy. Even the statistics suggest that a weak credential is a huge cause for thefts and breaches in the cybersphere. The password must contain a minimum of eight characters, including letters, numbers, and symbols in both upper and lower case.
It is important on the user end and the business side that the password must not be shared under any condition. This unique and authentic password is going to protect you from the most common thefts and mischief. It is also suggested that you do not keep the same password for more than one platform. It is also advised not to keep your name and last name, and other public details as your password.
3. Installing adequate AV software
Security and privacy are two aspects that need to be taken seriously. Ecommerce security is vital to the success of a particular business, and thereby it is important to include good practices to the maximum security. One such practice includes installing adequate software as one may find fit for the business.
In this regard, it is important to equate the pros and cons of the software. Antivirus software must have all the characteristics to provide security coverage and hamper the attackers in executing the cyber-attack. As the business deals with a lot of sensitive information, the importance of installing this software becomes even higher.
4. Not responding to suspicious emails
The employees should be trained not to respond to suspicious emails as they can put the business into a vulnerable position with this step. It is usually seen that scammers execute cyberattacks with attractive emails and steal away sensitive information from companies.
The scam mail received by a company or person may look like an authentic source, but it is malice in disguise. In this direction, employee training also plays a very important role as it becomes a habit of the employee not to click on suspicious mail.
5. Protection through two-factor authentication
It may appear as a tedious step, but it provides you maximum coverage as suggested by experts. Through the authentication factor, it is ensured that only the chosen group of people can access the crucial information shared by the ecommerce store.
Other than this the multi-factor authentication is also popular in ecommerce website owners in ecommerce data security. This particular factor ensures the user that they have been served the best in terms of security. Through this method, it becomes really easy for the business owners to survive the cut-throat competition and emerge victorious in the market.
6. Keeping the ecommerce site up to date
The user information is crucial for any ecommerce business, so it becomes mandatory for owners to keep the ecommerce sites up to date. It is advised not to keep using the expired versions of software and always rely on the latest software versions. It may appear a simple step, but it is very important to keep cyber attackers away as it has the best technology.
According to experts, it is also advised to keep the updates on auto mode as many times employees forget to update it manually. Hence it is a very important point to be kept in mind and should be included in the SOPs of the company. Keeping the site up to date is also necessary to keep the customers attracted to the website.
7. Having a proper backup
As the user data must remain secure in a world full of cyber-attacks, the need for having a proper backup is at its maximum. The entire team and you as an owner need to stay prepared against all the common threats, which emphasizes the importance of proper backup.
The cyber risk associated with ecommerce brands is a great concern among retailers because of the attackers that acquire sensitive information regarding credit and debit card credentials and cause harm to them.
In a fraction of a second, fraud can be committed this way, and the retailers suffer as it decreases users’ trust towards the brand. Even if the fraud is committed and data is stolen, a proper backup provides strength to the business to rebuild its stance in the market.
8. Not storing sensitive user data
Another important step for ecommerce data security is not storing sensitive data. It is important not to overlook the user’s security as even a little carelessness can result in huge losses.
The risk associated with the storage of sensitive data is very high these days; therefore, companies prefer such methods that involve no user data storage. This step helps in reducing the associated risk and helps companies in stepping up their security game. In addition, it decreases the chances of data being stolen by hackers from all over the globe.
9. Keeping in touch with the IT team
In case of a cyber-attack, the employee and the IT team will be your biggest savior. They are not only the first responders in case of cyber-attack but also going to save you from massive losses. It is very important to have a trained IT team that can rescue the entire system in case of attack. There should be good communication between employees and the IT team, especially at the time of the cyber-attack and good coordination too.
Conclusion
The outbreaks of global breaches skyrocket during the current times. Even the corporate legal department statistics suggest that data and security-related frauds are increasing day by day. Alongside, the ecommerce business has established a good image within the users due to its diverse benefits.
As ecommerce websites provide the option of offering the service from the comfort of the house of users, it is equally important to pay attention to ecommerce data security. As the website owners, along with the users, are more aware, and the prevailing losses are more stringent, it results in some great efforts by the ecommerce businesses in reducing cybercrime. The measures mentioned above are helpful in curbing the increasing cybercrime rates, and these practices are easy to follow. In this direction, keeping a strong password, installing adequate software, installing best ssl certificates from the reliable ssl providers, not responding to suspicious emails etc., is mandatory. Being an owner of an ecommerce website, if you are going to follow all of these, we guarantee you the fact that you can easily win over competition and rule out incidents of cyber-attack.