Hacking attacks are a severe threat to e-commerce businesses. They can result in the loss of customer data and financial information and even the shutdown of your website. Protecting your e-commerce store from hacking attacks is essential to keeping your business up and running. Below, you will find all you need to know about hazards and how to protect your e-commerce store from them. Keep reading!
According to Statista, about 40% of companies worldwide were victims of ransomware attacks in January 2021. India took first place, while second place went to Austria. The USA is third.
Types of attacks
There are several different types of attacks that hackers can launch against e-commerce stores. They can be run against a store or its clients. However, some of the most common include:
Distributed denial of service (DDoS)
This attack occurs when hackers flood an e-commerce store’s server with traffic, causing the site to crash. It can prevent customers from being able to access the site and make purchases.
SQL injection
This movement occurs when hackers inject malicious code into an e-commerce store’s database. It can allow them to gain access credentials to sensitive data, such as customer information and payment details.
Social engineering attacks
One of the most common attacks is when someone tries to trick you into giving them information or access to your computer or network. Best Writers Online, writing services reviews, admit after research, “They may pretend to be from a company you trust or try to scare you into giving them what they want.”
There are many different types of social engineering attacks, but some of the most common include the following:
Phishing
It is when an attacker sends you an email that looks like it’s from a trusted source but is actually a way to get you to give them your personal information.
Baiting
It is when an attacker leaves a USB drive or other storage device in a place where they think you’ll find it. They can access your files or install malware if you plug it into your computer.
Pretexting
It is when an attacker creates a false story or situation to get you to give them information. For example, they may pretend to be from a research company and ask you to take part in a survey.
If you’re ever unsure about an email or request for information, verify it with the supposed sender before giving out any information. And never plug in a USB drive or other device from someone you don’t know – it could be infected with malware.
Cross-site scripting (XSS)
This attack occurs when hackers inject malicious code into an e-commerce store’s website. It can allow them to steal data or redirect customers to a malicious website.
There is a lot of discussion about what e-commerce platform is the safest. While no platform is 100% secure, there are ways to minimize the attack risk.
What should you know about working with e-commerce platforms?
There are a few e-commerce platforms that are particularly hazardous for businesses. These platforms are known for their high fees, unreliable payment processing, and lack of customer support. There are Shopify, BigCommerce, Volusion, 3dcart, and Magento.
Payment processing is often unpredictable, and the platforms have been known to hold funds for extended periods. Pay more attention to the bottlenecks or even hire trusted specialists to cover your business with them.
So, should you use frameworks to build a store instead?
You can do that. Yet, there is no hazardous-free framework either. Hackers can exploit vulnerabilities in these frameworks to gain access to sensitive data, such as customer information and payment details. They can use these vulnerabilities to inject malicious code into the eCommerce store, which can result in data theft or the site’s destruction.
While there are many measures that eCommerce store owners can take to protect their businesses from hackers, it’s essential to be aware of the risks and take steps to mitigate them. Max from Trust My Paper writing service notes, “By being proactive and taking steps to secure your eCommerce store, you can help protect your business from the devastating effects of a hacker’s attack.”
What should you do to protect the store?
1. Informational hygiene
To protect your information, it is vital to practice information hygiene. It means being careful about the information you share and ensuring that your devices are clean and free of malware.
There are a few simple steps you can take to improve your information hygiene:
- Be careful about the information you share online.
- Keep your devices clean and free of malware. Install security software, and keep it up to date.
- Be cautious about the emails you open and the links you click.
- Use strong passwords. Avoid using easily guessed words like “password” or your company name. And be sure to change your passwords regularly.
2. Keep your software up to date.
One of the best ways to protect your e-commerce business from hacking attacks is to keep your software up to date. For example, running a WooCommerce store means that you should update the WordPress, WooCommerce plugin, and all the additional extensions you possess. The same is about Wix, Shopify, and any store developed from scratch. To ensure your eCommerce site is secure, keep up with security patches.
Outdated software is one of the most common ways hackers gain access to websites and systems. Thus, deciding to open your e-commerce, check with the technical team what developer support you get and who will be responsible for updating and maintaining your store ahead of time.
3. Perform Data Validation
Data validation is essential for e-commerce because it allows businesses to ensure that the data they collect from customers is accurate. This can be crucial for things like billing and shipping information.
There are many different data validation methods, but some common ones include using data entry forms that limit the type of data that can be entered or using data validation algorithms to check the accuracy of data.
4. Encrypt your data.
Store owners must take security seriously; e-commerce businesses are especially vulnerable to attack. Encrypting your data can help protect your customers and your business. Then, it becomes much more difficult for hackers to access and make sense of your data, even if they manage to get their hands on it.
There are a few different ways to encrypt your data. One option is to use a service like SSL (Secure Sockets Layer). It will encrypt all the information passed between your website and your customers’ browsers. Another option is to use a VPN (Virtual Private Network). This virtual tool will encrypt all of the traffic that goes through your network.
5. Use a secure hosting provider.
When running an e-commerce business, using a secure hosting provider is essential. Many great options exist, but some of the most popular and trusted providers include SiteGround, GoDaddy, WP Engine, and Kinsta. You may consider Bastion host architecture as well.
Regarding security, these hosting providers go above and beyond to keep your site safe. They offer striking features like malware scanning and removal, firewalls, and intrusion detection and prevention. Check if the provider has any security certificates, such as an SSL certificate, and do not forget to include them in your plan if they go at extra cost.
6. Back up your data regularly.
Backing up your data is another crucial step in protecting your e-commerce business from hacking attacks. There is no need to back up your code as long as you will perform regular updates of extensions and plugins. However, you may back up DataBase as frequently as you need and obligatory before you start performing any jobs on your store or delegating it to an outsourced team.
Then, if your website is hacked and your information is lost or corrupted, you’ll be glad you have a backup to fall back on. Be sure to store your backups in a safe, secure location that hackers can’t access.
Following these tips can help protect your e-commerce business from hacking attacks. Remember, hacking attacks can happen to any website or company, so it’s essential to be prepared. By taking steps to secure your site and data, you can help keep your business up and running even in the face of a hacking attack.
