In 2022, in the US alone, there were over 1800 data breaches, according to Statistica, while the National Cyber Security Centre in the UK found that hackers hit over 4,100 retailers in Black Friday sales in 2021 via a payment merchant, and they were victims of skimming.
Heightened security to offer your customers peace of mind is vital when asking them to use your website, or when entering any sensitive information you might hold on them, such as names, addresses, and credit card details. If you experience a data breach, chances are you won't see those customers returning, and you will land yourself with a fine should you be found to be willfully negligent in keeping your data secure.
With this in mind, these tips can help you to stay safe and secure and protect your customers when using your ecommerce site.
Strong Passwords
52% of people use the same password for multiple websites, and this is something you need to discourage employees and customers from doing. Always suggest that they use a unique, strong password when creating accounts and that they are changed regularly, especially for employees.
Firewall
Firewalls monitor all traffic for any signs of attack and can be your first line of defense in stopping hackers. Each firewall is unique to the website and is determined by a set of rules to pick out any traffic that is intended to cause your website harm, including SQL injections and DDoS attacks.
Payment Provider
Using a third-party payment provider can offer your customers peace of mind as they are directed from your website to a secure terminal to make the payment. You then don't need to store any payment details; this is done via an encrypted server. If you want to know why you should use hosted checkout, this is why. To help you offer additional security to customers when entering payment details.
Install SSL
SSL or Secure Socket Layer on your website. Websites with an SSLare automatically changed from HTTP to HTTPS, which instantly offers an added layer of protection. 64% of customers will leave a website if they see that it doesn't have a green padlock in the search bar or the words “not secure” pop up.
Update Software
It can be easy to overlook updating the software if you are busy, but it doesn't just offer front-end improvements and tools; it provides a better line of defense for your security and is often carried out to repair any vulnerabilities. You should use a platform that rolls out updates frequently to help you make sure that the code is up to date and that security is prioritized.
Multi-Layer Security
You need a multi-layered security plan for your website. It isn't enough to put one measure in the palace and hope for the best. You should be implementing as many tools as you can to offer an extra line of defense, from limiting access to customer details when they purchase and encouraging users to use two-factor authentication when logging into your website or app.
Security should be a top priority for any business, but especially for those who are taking online payments. Offering your customers the best experience with the added confidence their details are safe and secure is vital.
