Today, eCommerce has easily become one of the most popular business models. Almost everybody shops online and starting your own online shop has never been easier. But whatever you want to sell online, if you want to open an eCommerce store, your first priority should be ensuring that you have strong security. Cybercrime is a real problem today and the online nature of eCommerce means that these businesses are particularly vulnerable to hackers. So, what are the main things that you should do?
Get Help from an IT Professional
First of all, it pays to outsource your IT and cybersecurity to experienced professionals who can provide you with access to support, technology, services, and expertise that you would not have been able to access otherwise. IT experts like HLB System Solutions can help you with putting together a strong defense against hackers, ensuring that your eCommerce customer data is protected, and creating a strong business continuity and disaster recovery plan to follow should the worst happen.
Make Sure Your Site is SSL Encrypted
HTTPS has become the basic standard for websites today, particularly when it comes to eCommerce. Not only does HTTPS encrypt and protect customer information, but it can also have an impact on your SEO, reputation, and trust with your customers. Failing to get SSL encryption and using the old HTTP protocol can have much more than simply security implications for your online store. It can cause you to lose credibility with customers who may not feel safe to enter their payment details and cause you to drop down the Google rankings.
Use Strong Login Credentials
Using strong passwords for your admin login to the backend of your website is one of the simplest yet most effective ways to make it more difficult for hackers to find their way in. Many eCommerce platforms provide a generated username and password; continuing to use this makes you an easy target for hackers as they are not always difficult to guess. Using strong passwords that are not easily guessable is a must, and consider changing your password at least once every couple of months. Don’t use any words that could be associated with you in your passwords like your child’s name or pet’s name. Make sure that every password you use is unique; don’t recycle them.
Choose the Right eCommerce Platform
Many eCommerce business owners take the DIY route with an eCommerce platform like Shopify or Magento. But when choosing an eCommerce platform, don’t forget to take security features into account along with other important factors like functionality, design options, and speed. Opt for an eCommerce platform that makes security a top priority and are on top of keeping their security measures up to date to keep your online store and your customers safe.
eCommerce is one of the easiest businesses to get started with today, but this model is also a particular target of cybercriminals. To keep your business secure and ensure strong trust with your customers, it’s important to keep these key security factors in mind.
