One of the most critical aspects of any ecommerce business, the security of your customer’s sensitive data is paramount to the success of any online enterprise. Meanwhile, cyber criminals learn from and adapt to every defensive measure they face. Still, there are some fundamental actions you can take to prevent ecommerce malware security breaches.
Train Your Employees
Perhaps the most vital among these efforts is training your employees to take security seriously. One errant click is all it can take to introduce malware capable of taking down your site. For this reason, training and screening people who have access to the backend of your operation is crucial. Key points of understanding include how to recognize and avoid malware, phishing scams and potential viruses. It’s also a smart idea to only allow employees access to the aspect of the system they need to do their jobs.
In a lot of cases, you’ll have to grant partnering firms entry to certain areas of your platform. Vendors and suppliers often need direct interaction to update orders, check delivery status and process payments. Before handing over the keys to your kingdom, make every effort to ensure they take security as seriously as you do. Examine their hiring and training practices, insist they observe the same security procedures you require of your employees and make your software track log-ins so you can trace the origin of issues and hold the appropriate party responsible.
Do Risk Assessment
Employ a professional risk assessment team to conduct periodic reviews of your site and your practices to make sure your security protocols are as robust as they can be. Yes, your in-house team should be constantly on the prowl as well, but sometimes it’s difficult to see the trees when you’re in the forest all the time. Outsiders can pick up on things to which insiders have become accustomed and may not perceive as threats. Naturally, this firm should be thoroughly vetted and bonded to prevent things from sneaking in with them too.
Use More Secure Software
One of the best ways to prevent ecommerce malware breaches is your choice of software. While the flexibility of open source software makes it an attractive proposition, proprietary software is more secure in many cases. Consider Shopify vs. Magento for example. Shopify’s ecommerce stores use SSL encryption throughout entire sites. It comes out of the box that way. Magento typically only encrypts checkout pages, which can leave the rest of the site vulnerable to security breaches.
Update Software
Similarly, skimping on updates is to deliver an engraved invitation to malware and security breaches. In almost every instance, a software update includes new security fixes put in place in response to an existing threat. You have to make sure your OS, browsers, and ecommerce software are always up to date. To make this as painless as possible, enable automatic updates for Windows and MAC OS, choose web browsers with automatic updates such as Firefox and Chrome and always act upon Java and Adobe update requests. It’s also a good idea to install anti-malware software on all your computers.
Use a Dedicated Server
Other key strategies in your quest to thwart ecommerce malware security breaches include insisting upon a dedicated server from your hosting provider, employing password managers, implementing two-step authentication and encrypting all of your devices. Ultimately, the more roadblocks you put in the way of malicious people intent upon breaching your store’s security, the more likely they will be to leave your system alone and go look for one they can exploit more easily.