Are you a proud owner of an E-commerce store? Worried about the growing eCommerce threats in 2022 that can cause harm to your online business? Fret not! Infosec4TC has in store for you the best online cyber security courses with certificates through which your employees will get insight into the world of cybercrimes and how to create a defence against cyber threats.
In 2021, online e-commerce sites witnessed a 22.4 % increase in cyber-attacks. Ecommerce sites are a hot target for cyber-attacks. For the hackers, e-commerce sites are the treasure troves of personal and financial data. E-commerce business owners are aware of the cyber security issues prevailing in the online world and, as a defence mechanism, are investing in new security products.
In the game of cat and mouse, while the online store owners update their security system, hackers develop new skills to exploit the vulnerabilities in the system. The only way to protect your e-commerce business from hackers is to keep a check on the latest cybercrimes and invest heavily in cyber security.
Why Are E-commerce Sites Vulnerable to Cyber Threats?
By attacking e-commerce websites, hackers gain access to valuable data like customers personal and financial details. By manipulating this information, hackers carry out identity fraud or sell the data on the dark web. Also, many website owners don’t patch their underlying CMS systems, increasing cyber-attacks. Other reasons why e-commerce sites are vulnerable to cyber-attacks include:
- Small e-commerce businesses with fewer employees and low operating costs are easy to target.
- SBM’s spend less money on cyber security and are more vulnerable to attacks.
- E-commerce owners rely completely on websites, so if the site gets hacked business will lose its ability to perform normal operations.
Why Must Businesses Protect Their Website?
- 87 % of customers won’t buy products from a company if the firm cannot handle their data.
- 88 % of customers say the amount of data they will share depends on how much they trust the firm.
- 92 % of customers want the firm to be proactive about data protection.
If an e-commerce website experiences a cyber-attack, it will lose business and also the ability to retain or attract new customers. Cyber-attacks also have a knock-on effect across many business areas, like disrupting business operations or reducing the availability of services.
Types of Cyber Security Threats that E-commerce Websites Face
Before you appoint a certified information systems security professional who will look after the security of your website, get insights into different types of security threats.
- Phishing
- Malware
- SQL injection
- Cross-site scripting
- E-skimming
How to Improve the Security of your E-commerce Store?
Use Strong and Unique Passwords
- Password must contain at least eight characters, lowercase letters, numbers and symbols.
- Make sure you don’t share your password with anyone else
- Make use of a password manager
- Don’t use any form of default admin name provided
- Don’t use the same password for more than one device
Keep a check on the activity on your Database/ Site
The database becomes vulnerable to attacks when customers attach files or fill out forms where codes are written. E-commerce owners have to determine whether people who visit the website can access the code and modify it. Google webmaster tools like Google Search Console are a great way to determine abnormal activities on the website. Also, Google regularly updates its search index and quickly spots any suspicious activity.
Make use of Security Plug-Ins
E-commerce owners can install WordPress security plugins to increase website security to block the path of would-be hackers. There is n number of plugins you can install specifically designed for WordPress while others work for CMS.
Tools For Checking Website Security
Use tools to carry out the general diagnosis of the security level of your website and suggest ways to improve the security mechanism. The tools are effective and can be activated regularly, weekly or monthly. Perform security scans whenever a medium or large change is made to the website.
Install SSL Certificate in Website
If the website has the letter S and a small padlock in front, that means the website is secure. Many people think the HTTP protocol exchanges data during an online transaction. But, in reality, it sends the data as plain text without creating any security risk. Website owners must install an SSL certificate that encrypts data sent between the users and the server for additional security. Also, if you don’t install the SSL certificate, there will be an impact on the organic positioning of the website.
So, are you all set to protect your e-commerce website from cybercrimes? Infosec4TC has the top-rated online cyber security courses for you that give a detailed overview of the online security domain. Enrol in our courses now!