How to Secure Your E-Commerce Website (GUIDE)

Do you know it took 280 days even to identify a breach? (according to IBM security Data breach report)

As the internet is expanding, online businesses are increasingly at risk. The internet market is growing, so starting an online business can be fun, exciting, and challenging, but many startups forget the security of their site.

If you’re an online retailer, don’t forget that you’re up against experienced hackers who have the upper hand when it comes to knowing the weakness of an online store. The research found that the majority of the users are hackers using stolen data who log into e-commerce websites.

Thankfully, there are many security measures you can take to secure your e-commerce site. So we have prepared simple tips that can help you protect your site, and you don’t need to be a tech expert to implement them.

What Is E-Commerce Security?

E-commerce web security refers to the activities and measures taken to protect your business and your customers from cyber threats and malicious attacks and keep your online transactions safe.

Security is the most crucial feature of an e-commerce site. Without proper security, business owners might put themselves and their customers at risk of significant suffering. That is why it is vital to take security seriously and understand the common e-commerce threats.

Common Threats to E-Commerce Websites

There are plenty of ways your website might get attacked. Below are the five most common security threats that most e-commerce sites and other online businesses face every day.

SQL Injections

SQL is short for a structured query language that is used to access databases. By using SQL, a hacker can submit a fraudulent command to your e-commerce site by inserting the command into any form (can be a user signup form) available on your site.

SQL injection is one of the most common attacks where a hacker can easily manipulate a database, such as retrieving data or removing a record.

Cross-Site Scripting

Cross-site scripting, also called XSS, involves inserting malicious code into a webpage. It is a client-side code injection attack on your website. Particularly it does not impact the site itself but can affect the users of that site. This type of attack is most effective when used with web pages that allow user input.

E-Skimming

It involves stealing credit card information and personal data from payment card processes on e-commerce sites. Attackers can access a site via phishing, brute force attack, or XSS and then steal the payment information in real-time when a customer enters the checkout page.

DDOS and DOS Attacks

The goal of both attacks is the same, but technically they are different.

A DOS (Denial of service) attack is used to push down your e-commerce site with illegitimate traffic that your site can’t bear and make it inaccessible to regular users.

A DDOS (Distributed Denial of service) attack is also an attempt to clog your traffic by using multiple devices or botnets. Botnets are a group of computers infected with malware to cause more damage to your e-commerce site.

Malware Infections

Malware is a way to access an e-commerce site. It can erase data, steal customer information, infect visitors and even harm a website in any way. It includes viruses, ransomware, worms, spyware, and other kinds of malicious activities.

Security Measures for E-Commerce Websites

Hackers find e-commerce sites extremely attractive, so you have to take all the security measures for your site and your customers. You probably don’t want to ruin your reputation and lose customers’ trust.

Go over each of the tips below to make sure your site and your customers stay safe online.

Use HTTPS and SSL

Buy an SSL certificate if you haven’t. SSL stands for secure socket layer; it ensures that no middleman can snatch data between a website and a visitor. It’s a security layer that boosts your customers’ confidence and helps your site with Google organic search ranking.

When an SSL certificate is added to your website, the URL will show as HTTPS (HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure).

Keep Your Website Updated

Hackers find vulnerabilities where software engineers find the ways to fix them. Developers add crucial security patches on new updates.

You should update your software as it is introduced. Make your system automatically update the software, or be careful to update them manually.

Tip: it is always a good idea to turn on automatic updates for your websites and your entire computer.

Create Regular Backups

Accidents can happen at any time, no matter how safe you are, whether it’s a case of a malicious act or any other conflict among applications resulting in losing your data. You are going to need a backup to help you restore your site as quickly as possible.

For safety, make sure to backup your website daily. As online stores constantly update with each sale, you want your data as fresh as possible.

PCI Compliant Payment Gateways

Payment Card Industry (PCI) standards are a must for all websites that accept, transmit, or store cardholder data. Almost every user is hesitant to share credit card and bank details online, so retailers must protect their customers by partnering with companies that follow PCI standards.

Your store must have PCI compliance to make transactions through it. It helps to reduce credit card fraud by enabling end-to-end data encryption to process the transaction after verification from the user’s bank.

Website Monitoring

Constantly monitor what you download and integrate. Some hackers use your downloaded tools, apps, or plugins to insert malicious protocols on your site.

Use monitoring software to monitor core file changes of your e-commerce platform. It will send an alert when a core file is changed, and if the change were fraudulent, it would help you reverse the change with some clicks.

Use Firewall

A firewall is a network security system that protects your site from common vulnerabilities. It welcomes the secure connection and keeps away the harmful threats.

It’s necessary to install a firewall for safety as e-commerce websites get a lot of traffic. You don’t know who is coming, and you have to make sure to install a firewall in case there’s a threat.

What Are the Warning Signs of Fraudulent Transactions?

As an e-commerce business owner, you should know about “friendly fraud”. When a legal user of your site purchases a product and later changes their mind, this action can lead to cashback and loss of merchandise.

There is a large number of users who are involved in friendly fraud. But don’t worry, there are some steps you can take:

Ask your credit card company to provide you with the list of all chargeback codes so that you may know what’s up against your merchant account.

Make sure the correct notation of charges is on your customer credit card statement. Include a customer service contact number and a description of a product.

Always use a tracking number of shipped orders as a proof of delivery as it is essential to prevent yourself from unjustified cashback.

If you see a customer is getting involved in this kind of fraud or with a high-cost product, you can ban their billing address from preventing future problems.

Wrap Up

Having a secure e-commerce website is very important for both the site owners and their customers.

Besides the ways we have discussed to secure your e-commerce site, you need to choose a secure web host. There are several factors to consider when selecting a host, and one of the main concerns is how they deal with security issues. You should take all the security measures to keep up your brand and your client’s trust.

Aeserver has a good reputation for security. You’ll get the benefit of all security tools required for your e-commerce site. And we will help you to monitor your site. Feel free to ask any questions regarding security.

Good luck securing your website!