How Can You Protect Your eCommerce Website or Store from Cyber Attacks during the Festive Sale?

What is eCommerce security?

As the name suggests, eCommerce security is the security and protection of your eCommerce website or store
from unauthorised use, access, destruction or alteration.

To explain it broadly, eCommerce security is a set of guidelines which are accepted globally to offer safe
and secure buying experiences to the customers. This includes both, the customers as well as the businesses
from being the victim of cyber crimes.

The Most Dangerous Security Threats That Could Affect Your Ecommerce
Store

Most online buyers eagerly await sales events like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Amazon Prime Day, etc. So they
can take advantage of the numerous deals and special offers at these times.

Now more than ever, shops must be ready to not only deal with a swell in customer traffic during the holiday
shopping season but also to shield their clients from the cybercriminals who wait for just such an opening
to steal money from them.

Well, how can internet retailer’s best safeguard their businesses and customers from fraudulent activity?
There is a vast and varied spectrum of cyber attacks, and it would be hard to cover them all in a single
article. However, a few stand out as must-knows for robust e-commerce security.

1. Phishing

Phishing is a form of social engineering in which cybercriminals utilise electronic messages (email, text, or
phone) to deceive their targets into divulging sensitive personal information.

2. Malware and Ransomware

Malware and ransomware are both forms of malicious software that can prevent you from accessing your data and
systems if they infiltrate your computer or network.

To keep your computer safe from hackers, you should avoid clicking on questionable links or installing the
software you haven’t researched.

3. SQL injection

If your e-commerce website uses an unsecured SQL database to store customer information, you may be putting
your customers at risk.

A malicious query injected into a packaged payload might grant the attacker access to read or modify any data
in a database if the payload is not properly vetted.

4. Cross-site scripting (XSS)

PThrough cross-site scripting, malicious code (usually JavaScript) can be inserted into a target website.

Users of that page, i.e. your customers, would be vulnerable to malware, phishing efforts, and other threats,
but the site itself would be unaffected.

5. E-skimming

The term “e-skimming” describes a technique used to steal sensitive data, such as credit card numbers, from
online storefronts that handle payments by credit card.

Phishing, brute force attacks, cross-site scripting, and compromised third parties are all the ways through
which hackers might get access to your site.

They steal the financial information that your customers provide on the checkout page in real-time.

Tips To Secure Your Ecommerce Store From Cyber Attacks

Having learned about the most prevalent website security issues, you may ask what else you can do to
safeguard your site, visitors, and yourself. In light of this, we have created a set of guidelines to follow
to ensure the safety of an eCommerce website you may manage.

1. Choose a Safe Web Server and eCommerce Platform

Numerous options exist for eCommerce platforms, but the safety of your business depends on having both a
reliable host and a safe platform.

Most eCommerce website builders do have specific security features built-in. However, only some hosts or
platforms are created equal.

It is best to investigate several hosting and platform options to determine which is most suitable for your
needs and those of your consumers.

Find a host and platform combination that will offer total protection from the most prevalent risks, such as
malware and SQL injections.

2. Get an SSL Certificate

You should acquire an SSL certificate, and locate suppliers with built-in security protocols and perks.

It helps to encrypt the data that is transferred between your website and the user’s web browser. This
renders the data unreadable to anyone other than the user and yourself.

An SSL certification is necessary for all eCommerce websites under the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data
Security Standard.

The PCI Security Standards must be met by any business accepting credit card payments in-store or online.
They’re in a place to guarantee that firms take action to safeguard consumers from identity theft and fraud.

3. Schedule Frequent SQL Checks

If you care about the security of your website, you must frequently test for vulnerabilities like SQL
injections, which can occur in any user input form.

Many different kinds of software exist, each tailored to a specific platform that can monitor and protect
your website from injections of this sort.

You can also find free site scanners that do the same, but it’s essential to conduct your research and only
download from reputable sources.

Determine which scanner will be used to do regular security checks on your website, and then set that
scanner to do so. This will allow any flaws to be discovered and fixed before they are exploited.

4. Secure The Payment Process

Having no consumer data means never worrying about losing any of it. Do not ask for or store sensitive client
information on your website unless required.

It is common for eCommerce sites to employ a secure payment gateway provided by a third party. Most
prominent payment processors are safe to use and have never been accused of leaking users’ private
information.

Selecting a payment gateway compatible with your eCommerce platform and the web server is essential.

It would help if you had something that could effectively stop fraudulent transactions and safeguard your
personal information from identity thieves.

5. Constantly Update and Patch Your Website

As malicious actors discover flaws, responsible programmers create patches. Frequently, these software
updates for websites will include important security fixes that were previously unavailable.

Therefore, you must constantly monitor for new updates. You must take particular care while updating
manually if your updates are optional. In any case, you should enable automatic updates for your website and
your entire computer.

6. Be Careful What You Add To Your System and What You Download

The ability to quickly and easily add new features to your website through downloadable plugins, tools, and
applications is a huge benefit.

However, you must be cautious about what you install and use. A small but dedicated group of hackers will
secretly utilise these plugins to inject malware into your website.

It’s only sometimes done on purpose. Your site’s security could be compromised by third-party plugins that
aren’t compatible with your software’s core.

The same precautions you take to secure your website should also be taken to ensure the rest of your
computer. Use reliable security measures for all business-related activities.

7. Perform Routine Back Up

While it’s true that taking precautions like backing up your eCommerce site won’t prevent any potential
security breaches. It will assist in mitigating their effects. Essentially, action plans to prevent data
loss, corruption, and hostage-taking.

It would help if you backed it up regularly to protect your website and business. Always make a copy of the
website before making any significant changes.

Backing up the website at least once every three days is advised, but doing it daily is the absolute minimum.

You can save yourself the trouble of initiating backups by setting them to run automatically.

Make sure you select a platform that can provide regular website backups, as most website builders and web
servers offer this feature.

8. Implement a Firewall For Web Applications

Website application firewalls (WAFs) are a great way to beef up the security of your online store. It will
prevent cross-site scripting (XSS), SQL injections, and forged requests from reaching your server.

In addition, your website should be safe from brute force and other hacking attacks. The likelihood of being
the target of a denial-of-service or distributed denial-of-service assault should also decrease.

Excellent providers of web application firewalls are readily available. Try to settle on one that is both
affordable and well-liked among other eCommerce companies.

Conclusion

Protecting the privacy of your consumers and your brand’s reputation is crucial when running an online store.
Every website should be considered a potential target, but with the proper security measures in place, you
can protect yourself from hostile visitors.

The best method to ensure peace of mind is to implement all of the above security measures, including
installing
any available software updates. For any kind of assistance, you can surely contact us.

Wishing you the best of luck in keeping your website safe and attracting customers!