Internet is a treasure of websites and that numbers are rising every second. Approx 380 new websites are built in every minute. Besides it, cybercrimes are spreading their roots in the internet simultaneously and several online businesses are being targeted by prey eyes. "The 5 Biggest Data Breaches in 2019" Network Security, News revealed that the five biggest US organizations have lost $4.2 million in data breaching in the first half of 2019. This includes the most famous websites such as; First American Corporation, Facebook, Fortnite, Flipboard and Oklahoma Department of Securities.
That's why e-commerce administrators are being alerted to take appropriate protective measures to save their vulnerable data. Many security researchers warned e-commerce owners with the upcoming cyber threats and, the primary security features are prescribed that must have on their e-commerce.
If you are building a website, then you must consider the following-mentioned features during the development process:
1. Think Twice before choosing a hosting provider
Past a few years back, if anybody wanted to build a website, they either should have web coding knowledge or needed to hire a web developer because web development was not everyone's cup of tea. But now it is possible to build a website on your own with the help of CMS (content management system) or hosting providers. They offer inbuilt functions for new website and owners don't need to have technical knowledge.
The best instances of hosting providers are WordPress, Weebly or Drupal. But before choosing a hosting provider, think twice because it may compromise your data security. The services of hosting providers completely depend on how much you pay, if you pay less you will get less and on the other side if you invest big bucks you will worth your money. There are always some loopholes with low budget's hosting packs. So be aware of it and choose the best that doesn't compromise your data security.
2. Regularly Update
Thousands of e-commerce lose their business due to outdated software and insecure software. Hackers always look for software vulnerabilities that are usually found in outdated software and applications. So, stay up to date with your system's software and web software. A tiny mistake may lead to losing all your database and corporative reputation in just a few seconds.
3. Install an SSL Security
Data Security always should be on top priority whether it is a corporative database, or consumer's sensitive information such as; Credit Card Number, Bank Detail, Address, Email ID or Personal Identification Number. Therefore, SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) Certificates are widely installed on websites for getting a security padlock. It is a standard security technology that encrypts the information that is being communicated between a web server and a web browser. This encryption technology prevents Man in the Middle (MITM) attack or cyber-attacks.
If you want to secure a single domain, you may install a Single Domain SSL certificate. On the other hand, if you are running a website with unlimited sub-Domains and want to protect all of them, you can buy a Wildcard SSL certificate for your e-commerce.
4. Never Underestimate the Value of Security Plugins
Ransomware Attacks are considered as the most malicious attacks in 2019 cybercrimes. In 2019, new e-commerce is being targeted by ransomware attacks in every 14 seconds. When you think of website security then you cannot ignore security plug-ins as there are many plug-ins out there. Sucuri security plug-ins, iThemes Security, Wordfence Security, Jetpack plug-in, etc. are some famous security plug-ins that protect websites from such attacks. Ensure to install those.
5. Use Complex Usernames and Passwords
Whether it is a corporate employee or a web user, both usually choose default usernames and simple passwords that are easy to remember. Here they do mistakes and are being targeted by cyber crooks. Cybercriminals crack the simple password on a blink of an eye and that's why several accounts are being hacked every second. Thus, make sure to use complex usernames and passwords for all your accounts. The password should be at least 8-16 characters with a lower and upper case of alphabets including numerical.
6. Perform Regular Backups
Having a regular backup can save your e-commerce from a huge loss. Many times, web coding and web content have been modified by the cybercriminals and it can cause a great risk to the websites. In such cases, performing regular backups of your web content and web coding can save your business from folding up. You may install automatic backup software on your web server that automatically takes data backup according to your set time interval.
7. Correctly Assign Roles and Permissions
Proper policies should be set in corporations for assigning roles and permission for accessing the database. These policies ensure who can do what to a file e.g. Read the file, Write the file or execute the file. In such a way, nobody will access sensitive data without permission, and it will save your business to some extent from internal data breaching.
8. Check Google Analytics for Unusual Site Behavior
Denial of Service (DOS) and Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS) have been growing rapidly for the last few years. These attacks slow down the main server by putting fake traffic on a web server. Therefore, you may check Google analytics for unusual site behavior. Here you can identify the unknown traffic and where it comes from. It will help you out in DDOS prevention. Moreover, there are several plugins available online that you may use for DDOS prevention. It notifies you whenever such types of behaviors are observed.
9. Regular Scanning
Last but not least, the regular scanning of all cooperative systems and software. This will protect your corporation from upcoming cyber threats. You may also appoint a professional who can do this job on your behalf.
Conclusion
Whether your e-commerce intends to sell your catalog straightforwardly to the public, or share informative content with the internet users, you should always be concerned with your web security. Besides it, you can follow the above-alluded security guidelines to protect yours as well as your consumers' data from cyber crooks. With developing the security features on your website, you can't only save your business from big bucks loss but also maintain your business reliability.
