eCommerce stores have become very popular these days. And why not. E-commerce has removed the geographical barrier that retail businesses used to experience.
On top of that, developing an e-commerce website doesn’t cost much compared to opening a retail outlet in a prominent location in the city. This is probably one of the reasons that almost every day, there are hundreds of e-commerce stores that get launched.
However, with the growing number of e-commerce websites, the threat of online security has also arisen. It is, therefore, the responsibility of every e-commerce website developer to ensure that the schemes of internet fraudsters must be rendered futile. But how this can be achieved?
In this blog post, I will talk about 9 security checks that will help you secure your e-commerce store.
#1 Choosing a Secure E-Commerce Platform
There are many e-commerce platforms out there.
However, it is essential that you do not just choose anyone. Choosing the appropriate and more secure e-commerce platform is critical.
Your eCommerce developer must consider when choosing an e-commerce platform, the safety, ease, convenience, and functionality of the chosen platform.
OpenCart, Magento, PrestaShop, and WooCommerce are some of the preferred e-commerce platforms available today.
Recommended post: WooCommerce vs OpenCart: Which one is the best for your eCommerce website design
#2 Using HTTPS
In terms of standards and security, HTTPS is the real deal. Thus, if e-commerce security must be achieved, HTTPS must be implemented in your eCommerce website design.
This is because it ensures the security of any online transaction and secures the data of users as well. Sticking to the HTTP protocol, which is not only outdated but lacking in terms of ensuring security, can have adverse consequences.
So, why not switch to HTTPS instead? Google recognizes the value of HTTPS, and that’s why they now prioritize sites with HTTPS in search results.
Thus, implementing HTTPS on your site is a wise SEO tactic that can help your site rank higher while receiving good protection at the same time. To switch to HTTPS, all you have to do is shift your site to HTTPS, set up 301 redirects, and then, have all internal links updated.
#3 Securing Admin
A password that is weak can give hackers the opportunity to control your site. This can result in a very costly consequence for your business.
How this can be prevented.
You can request your web developer to take precautionary measures to secure the admin section of your website by following some of the norms below:
1. Change the admin username.
2. Another thing you should do to secure the admin panel is to make use of a password that is strong for every entry point of your site.
3. Change the conventional URL of admin access.
You can use tools like LastPass to generate secure passwords.
Recommended Post: 10 Ways To Secure Your WordPress Website
#4 Backup Your Website
No matter how secure is your e-commerce website, regular data backups are vital to your business & customers.
Backing up your data helps you retrieve your data if you lose them or your site gets hacked.
Data backup should be scheduled & done regularly. Also, it is essential that the data are backed up in a different server to prevent it from being affected by the malware.
#5 Avoid Storing Confidential Information
It is risky to store the confidential information of your customers on your server such as their credit card details.
Avoid it as best as you can. If, however, it is necessary that you store it, make use of a PCI compliance certificate. With this, credit card data on your e-commerce website will be safe.
#6 Protect against SQLi, XSS, and malware
Malware put your website at risk of being manipulated by hackers.
This is why your website must be protected against any threat especially threats from XSS and SQL injections.
To fix these threats, you can either use a security plugin or use your store code.
#7 E-Commerce Security Plugin
If you’re looking to enforce security on your website, then, using some security plugins or modules is an effective way to do it.
Typically, they give protection against code injections, SQLi, Bad Bots, XSS, and several other threats.
If your web developer has used WordPress for your e-commerce website development, there is good news for you. There are several options of free and paid security plugins that you can plug-n-play with your WooCommerce website.
#8 Following Best E-Commerce Practices
One wise thing that you can do to secure your e-commerce store is to follow the recommendations for your chosen e-commerce platform.
For eg., if you are using WordPress for your e-commerce store development, you can follow the best practices of WordPress CMS:
1. Ensuring that all of the plugins are built by reliable developers.
2. Ensuring all the security plugins have been integrated & configured properly.
3. Ensuring that the conventional URLs, file structures, file permissions, database configurations, and passwords have been changed to a custom pattern.
#9 Update Your E-Commerce Platform
It is integral to have an e-commerce platform that is updated regularly.
This is a successful website strategy for e-commerce website maintenance that will not only make your site excels but also protect it from hackers.
It actually ensures that there are no loopholes for hackers to take advantage of.
Therefore, make sure that plugins, themes, and CMS are regularly updated.
