Top 10 Cybersecurity Features That Are A Must-Have In An Ecommerce Store

14 April 2021

Managing an eCommerce store is quite a task these days. Given the fact that cybercrimes are mounting, following cybersecurity best practices is paramount.

Back in 2020, cybercriminals cost $12 billion off the table to companies around the world.

When it happens, a cyberattack harms a company, directly and indirectly, affects its reputation in its potential customers’ eyes.

The losses that happen because of this can only be estimated, not counted.

A concrete solution is necessary for businesses to keep themselves protected at all times.

We have the solution to it but, before we discuss that, let us first understand why we need to safeguard our eCommerce store?

Significance of eCommerce Website Security in 2021-

In 2021, most businesses are working in the online framework. Their revenues heavily depend on their websites.

If they do not emphasize their website’s security, their customer base and reputation will get vulnerable.

As an eCommerce website owner, you need to comply with certain payment guidelines such as PCI/DSS (Payment Card Industry – Data Security Standard) to ensure smooth payment transactions.

Moreover, you need to install security protocols to secure your data integrity. They will not only protect your customer data from hackers but also keep the search engines satisfied.

Thus, security is essential for your eCommerce website.

10 cybersecurity features every eCommerce Website Must Have-

1: Employ the two-factor Authentication Method:

Does not matter how frustrating it may sound. As long as you are keeping your customer’s data secure, every security method is fine.

Employing 2-factor authentication may make your customers a bit agitated. They first enter the login credentials and then enter the OTP received on their number to decrease security breaches and hacks drastically.

So, employ the process and safeguard your customer accounts.

2: HTTPS Authentication is Must:

To obtain HTTPS authentication businesses need an SSL certificate to be installed on a website. Before installation, you need to buy an SSL certificate as they encrypt the data communication between the server and the client. It then passed over a secure network through cryptographic functions (symmetric & asymmetric) so that no cybercriminal can intercept the communication.

Out of all the SSL certificates, the EV SSL certificates require a user to undergo a unique validation process to verify his credibility through his name, ID, address, and more.

Thus, get an EV SSL to secure your Ecommerce website and obtain the highest validation level.

3: Secure Payment Gateway System by complying with PCI-DSS guidelines:

PCI-DSS or Payment Card Industry – Data Security Standard is a body that governs a website’s right to maintain an online payment transaction system.

If you are a website that sees over six million+ transactions every year, you must be a level 1 compliant but, if your transactions range from 20,000 per year, you are safe as a level 4 client of PCI-DSS.

The compliance helps you to secure your payment gateway system and allows you to use a third-party app to accept payments and make refunds on your behalf.

4: A VPN can act as a Night Watchman:

When you use public networks such as Wi-Fis to access the site, it is better to use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) to watch your back and restrict other connections to manipulate the ongoing connection between the server and the client.

Without a VPN, hackers can easily manipulate the payment transaction and hack credit and debit card details.

VPN will secure your customer’s payment transaction even on Wi-Fi and keep their sensitive data safe as houses.

5: Use reCAPTCHA to restrict malicious bots:

The reCAPTCHA method is extremely effective in keeping hackers at bay. ReCAPTCHA generates random questions to which a bot cannot answer.

There are plenty of malicious bots lurking around the internet in hopes of finding an ideal prey for cybercriminals.

When they get access to your account, malicious bots can steal information, leak it, or even bring your site down.

ReCAPTCHA adds an extensive layer of security that is impenetrable for a code or a bot.

It restricts bad guys’ entrance by protecting login pages, signup pages, contact form pages, form submission pages, payment gateway pages, etc.

6: Choose a reliable CMS platform:

Choosing the right CMS is important for businesses to determine whether an eCommerce website will stay safe.

Mediocre CMSs are a big risk to have. They might help you save a few bucks, but you will always be vulnerable to theft.

But, CMSs like WordPress and Joomla are renounced entities having customer bases in millions.

Moreover, they are regular in updating security patches and always stay a step ahead of the bad guys.

The only thing you need to do is keep them updated.

7: Don’t install Unsolicited Extensions and Plugins:

Plugins and extensions are necessary to enhance your website’s reach. They allow you access to multiple tools and features on the internet.

But not all plugins are safe to install. These days due to rising cybercrimes, you must be aware of what you’re installing or adding.

Cybercriminals can engrave malicious codes in the plugins, and when a user installs it, they get access to his site.

Before installing any plugin, make sure that its source is known. Check for its review and ratings across the internet.

Also, check its performance reports and badges for further inquiry and self-satisfaction.

8: Site Security Audit:

Site security auditing does not interest a lot of merchants but it is essential for their survival.

Site security auditing includes checking whether the anti-virus is working appropriately and security protocols are repelling attacks or not.

As a merchant, you must initiate site auditing from time to time. It will help you prevent attacks, fix bugs and technical glitches.

If detected early, some security issues can be repelled; otherwise, they may harm the website if they stay for longer periods.

So, keep auditing your website at regular intervals of time.

9: Install a Firewall:

If you own a web application, the firewall can benefit you immensely.

Web Application Firewall or WAF protects the website or web app by analyzing the traffic between the application and the internet.

A firewall protects the user data, the application from XSS (cross-site scripting), SQL injection and cross-site request forgery, etc.

A firewall is the need of the hour to suffice the mounting cyberattacks and help sustain the business.

10: Create Data Backups:

In today’s tech world, data is more important than cash in your wallet. Cash can be earned by you again but data once lost cannot be retrieved in the same proportion.

For businesses, data is their lifeline. They thrive on data and channelize their operations accordingly.

Since it is immensely important, protecting it is quite a task for businesses as cybercriminals are always on the lookout for data.

The best way to protect your data is by creating a copy of it and save it on the cloud.

Cloud allows you to access your data anywhere at any time, making it extremely reliable.

To Conclude:

eCommerce is booming every day. New ways of marketing, selling, and attracting are getting invented to make life convenient for customers.

On the hind side, hackers also build new ways to capture as much data as possible.

They employ bots and bugs to do the dirty work. Bots can enter your website and steal customer data, whereas bugs can get attached to plugins and gain access once you install them.

Keeping track of what you are installing, where you are visiting, and who you are allowing access to is of paramount importance.

But everything can get simple if you follow these ten steps, as they will help you frame a robust website security system.

Read Also:

Ariana Smith

I enjoy writing and I write quality guest posts on topics of my interest and passion. I have been doing this since my college days. My special interests are in health, fitness, food and following the latest trends in these areas. I am an editor at Content Rally.

View all posts

Staying Safe in the Office: 8 Workplace Safety Tips Everyone Should Know

Workplace accidents don't only happen on construction sites and in warehouses. The office environment poses risks to health and safety, too. Although most office hazards don't result in death, they do cause injury and sickness. In this article, we take help from one of America’s leading work injury lawyers, Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard. We ask them to list down some constructive steps which can help businesses not be at the receiving end of workplace injury lawsuits. If you are a business organization that is concerned about your workplace safety requirements, please read on to get a fair idea of the topic. Are you safe in your workplace? Do you know which hazards to look out for? It's your employer's responsibility to make the workplace safe, and yours to maintain it. It's important to know how to protect yourself from potential hazards. Keep reading for the eight most important workplace safety tips. 1. Ergonomic Desk Setups: The most common office injury is muscle strain from a poor desk setup. When the body stays in uncomfortable positions too long, it causes strain. Muscle strain can create short and long-term pain. You can prevent this situation by making sure your desk is set up ergonomically. First, make sure the height of your computer monitor is at eye level. Your chair should allow you to sit with a straight posture, your elbows at desk height. When you type on the keyboard, your forearms should sit gently on the desk. They shouldn't be straining to reach the keyboard. Second, make sure your office chair is on wheels. Reaching for objects and twisting to grab them cause back strain. Use the wheels to move closer to whatever you're grabbing. If you use the phone a lot at work, invest in a headset. This prevents neck pain from leaning into the phone. Your employer should supply any ergonomic materials. 2. Make Emergency Exits Clear and Known: It's crucial that everyone in the office know where the emergency exits are. In the case of a fire, you can't take the elevator. You must be able to take the stairs. Not only does mean you need proper signage, but you need clear pathways. Many offices are guilty of having filing boxes sit in the hallway for weeks. Someone will put them away eventually, right? If these boxes get left in front of an emergency exit, they could prevent a speedy exit. This is only one of the reasons to have a clean and clutter-free office. 3. Prevent Slips and Falls: Boxes left on the ground are also serious tripping hazards. You might turn a corner expecting it to be clear, only to knock your shin on a stack of boxes. If you don't trip and fall this time, someone else will. Make it a rule to always keep pathways clear of clutter. If someone takes a box from its storage spot, they must put it back. Slips are another common office safety concern. The breakroom is where people fill their water bottles and prepare lunch. Spilt liquids are hazards for slipping and falling. Your office needs to have "wet floor" signs so employees can signify a spill right away. Until the janitor gets there, people will know to use caution near the spill. 4. Proper Storage: Improper storage of boxes can cause muscle strains and injuries. The basic rule is to keep heavier items on the bottom shelf, lighter on the higher ones. If a box were to fall from the top shelf, you don't want it to be the heavy one. Every bookshelf should have a step ladder near it. Reaching upwards to lift a box is dangerous for your back muscles. Instead, use the handy ladder to bring down whatever you need. When it comes to filing cabinets, it's crucial all the drawers aren't opened at the same time. This can cause the cabinet to fall over and land on you. Open one drawer at a time and make sure it's closed when you're done. 5. Inspect Electrical Cords: Fire hazards exist in office workplaces, too. Since so much of the office equipment relies on electricity, there are tons of cords and wires. Cords and wires that have tears or rips are risks for starting a fire. Some offices use extension cords as a regular office tool. These, too, are serious fire hazards. Check the state of your office’s cords regularly. Don’t get used to using extension cords. Instead, have an electrician from Barwon Heads to re-position the outlets. 6. Use Hazardous Tools Correctly: Even the office has hazardous tools that need instruction. All employees should get training on the various office tools and equipment. For example, large paper cutters are common for workplaces that work with paper. Without proper training, these tools can cut off a finger or seriously slice you. Any automatic office equipment requires caution. Keep your hair, jewelry, and sleeves away from any openings. 7. Be Aware of Surroundings: Many workplace incidents occur when the employee isn't aware of their surroundings. You may walk around reading text on your phone or looking at the ground. While you'll see clutter on the ground, you won't see hazards at eye level. When people don't close the top drawer of a filing unit, someone could walk into it. If you bump into a ladder, the person using it could fall. It's everyone's responsibility to be aware of their surroundings. Encourage all employees to slow down; it's better to be safe than fast. 8. Choose a Health and Safety Officer: Staying on top of all the different health and safety aspects is tedious. You may not have time to check cords, signs, and declutter every day. As a solution, elect one employee to be a health and safety hazard. Give them the task of doing a weekly or bi-weekly check of the office. They can have a report to fill out. Any hazards that need fixing can be on the report. Bonus pay could be the incentive for an employee to take this role. Even the employees who aren't appointed officers should take safety training. Click here to find out why safety skills are important in the office. Want More Workplace Safety Tips? The safety of all employees depends on health and safety procedures. If you keep the workplace clean, organized, and up to date, there will be fewer risks of incidents. Use the workplace safety tips above to make your office a safer place to work. There are tons of other ways to improve your workplace. Stay up to date on business news and trends to improve your office. Happy employees do productive work which thus boosts sales. Read Also: How To Improve Workplace Security The Top Reasons Why Your Business Needs A Security Guard

How Do You Recover after Getting Defrauded?

That moment when you realize you have been defrauded can be soul-destroying. At first, you may be shocked and not know what to do. You cannot believe you have fallen for it. But once you get your head around what has happened, you can start working toward recovery. Here are the things you can do to recover after being defrauded. Stop Any More Money First of all, when you have identified a scam, ensure that you stop any funding. Make sure that no further payments are going to be made out to encourage them to defraud you anymore. It is easy to be shocked about what is happening and lose even more money. So, try to stop the scam at the source. For instance, if you have used a credit card, make sure that it is canceled and that you inform the card issuers of the fraud. Do Not Blame Yourself After you have discovered the scam and process what has happened, you will be angry and blame yourself. However, you have got to avoid doing this. This is not going to be productive and help you move on. Know that millions of people fall for fraudulent scams every year. You are not the first or the last person to do this. All you should think about is what you are going to do next and how you can prevent this from happening again. Try to Get Your Money Back A lot of people assume that once they have been defrauded they will never get this money back. However, this is not always true. Unfortunately, stock market fraud happens a lot and this means many people have looked for help over the years. Now, there are companies out there that can help you recover the money you have lost. Avoid Unsolicited Emails When you have been the victim of fraud, you need to learn your lesson. Avoid all unsolicited contact that you receive about another investment opportunity. For instance, if you receive any emails or telephone calls with so-called ‘great opportunities’ make sure that you ignore them. This could be another fraudulent scam that you do not want to get involved with. Delete all emails and messages you receive and ensure that you do not send any personal details. You also want to avoid opening any attachments or links they send to you. Follow Your Gut Unfortunately, there are thousands of scams happening every day to innocent people. If you have been one of these victims, you will know the worry and stress it can cause you. Indeed, you may have also lost a lot of money. In the future, in order to stop this from happening again, follow your gut. If something seems too good to be true or you have a bad feeling, ignore the opportunity. If you really want to make investments, do your own research and know that other opportunities are going to come along. Do not rush into any decisions without thinking them through. Read Also: Credit Card Fraud the Holiday Season: Things to Consider for Next Year Surviving Loss: What to Do With an Estate After You Lose a Loved One

5 Ways To Prevent Cyber Attacks

Cloud vulnerabilities represent the Achilles' heel of a cloud computing environment, embodying potential weaknesses or gaps that cunning attackers may exploit to breach security defenses. These vulnerabilities expose organizations to the risk of unauthorized access, data theft, and service disruption. The evolution toward cloud transformation necessitates a vigilant focus on identifying and addressing the foremost cybersecurity challenges that emerge in this dynamic landscape. As organizations migrate their operations to the cloud, the expanding attack surface becomes a critical concern. The broader range of entry points presents more opportunities for cyber adversaries to exploit vulnerabilities. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of potential weak links in the cloud infrastructure is imperative to develop effective defense mechanisms. Data security stands at the forefront of these challenges. With sensitive information traversing virtual channels, safeguarding against unauthorized access and data breaches becomes paramount. Robust encryption, stringent access controls, and continuous monitoring are indispensable components of a resilient defense strategy. The seamless and interconnected nature of cloud services introduces the challenge of shared responsibility. Organizations must collaborate closely with cloud service providers to delineate and understand their respective roles in ensuring security. This shared responsibility model underscores the need for clear communication and collaboration to fortify the overall security posture. Securing against cyber attacks demands a multifaceted approach that extends beyond conventional measures. Here are five often-overlooked strategies to fortify your defenses and prevent cyber threats: Employee Training And Awareness Equip your team with the knowledge to recognize and mitigate cyber risks. Conduct regular training sessions focusing on phishing awareness, social engineering, and the importance of strong password practices. A well-informed workforce serves as a crucial line of defense against various cyber threats. Device Management And IoT Security Beyond traditional endpoints, the proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) devices introduces additional vulnerabilities. Implement a robust device management strategy, ensuring that all connected devices adhere to security standards. Regularly update and patch IoT devices to mitigate potential exploits. Zero Trust Architecture Move away from traditional perimeter-based security models and embrace a Zero Trust Architecture. Assume that threats can originate from within your network and implement strict access controls, authentication protocols, and continuous monitoring to verify the legitimacy of all users and devices. Incident Response Planning Develop a comprehensive incident response plan to minimize the impact of a potential breach. Establish clear procedures for identifying, containing, and eradicating threats promptly. Regularly test and update the plan to ensure its effectiveness in the face of evolving cyber threats. Regular Security Audits And Penetration Testing Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing to identify and address vulnerabilities before malicious actors exploit them. This proactive approach helps organizations stay ahead of emerging threats and ensures that security measures remain effective in a rapidly evolving threat landscape. Conclusion: In safeguarding against cyber threats, fostering a culture of awareness, adapting to emerging technologies, and embracing a shared responsibility form the fabric of resilient defense. Together, these measures not only fortify against potential vulnerabilities but also cultivate a digital environment where security becomes a collective commitment, ensuring a safer online landscape. Read Also: The Importance Of Cybersecurity In The Digital Age What Are Some Best Practices To Prevent Phishing Attacks? Learn Everything About Google Verification Code Scams In 2023

Top 10 Cybersecurity Features That Are A Must-Have In An Ecommerce Store

Significance of eCommerce Website Security in 2021-

10 cybersecurity features every eCommerce Website Must Have-