10 Essential Cybersecurity Tips to Ensure Safe Online Shopping for Customers

Online shopping is pretty convenient nowadays. Customers can easily shop around, look for the best prices, and have their orders delivered right at their doorstep from the comforts of their own homes. But the thing is, online shopping is more than just getting the lowest price in the market.

You also must ensure that your customers’ online shopping experience is secure. With essential data being passed by your consumers whenever they transact or shop in your store, it’s important to make sure that their connection is secured.

Here’s how you can make it hassle-free, and a comfortable experience:

 

1. Choose the right platform for your business

Choosing the right platform for your business can impact the cybersecurity of your ecommerce store. That’s why you must choose the right platform to build an ecommerce website.

 

There are three primary types of platforms:

• Open source (like Magneto)
• Closed source
• Custom (usually used by more established companies with excellent cybersecurity resources and expertise like IBM.)

 

Among these platforms, the least secure option is the closed source since it isn’t open to public review. Thus, particular vulnerabilities might go unnoticed, especially during testing phases. Unlike open source platforms that are already well-tested before updates are even rolled out.

 

2. Install SSL certificate for safe online shopping

SSL certificates aren’t only crucial for ecommerce stores. In cybersecurity, SSL is a digital certificate that’s often used to secure and encrypt website communications or apps. It creates trust between two computers. Thus, preventing hackers from eavesdropping on the communication channels.

It also means you should purchase an SSL certificate and install it in your ecommerce store. That’s because hackers often intercept data like credit card details and passwords.

 

3. Consider fraud-checking systems

Even back when contactless payments were even developed, many businesses were plagued with fraud, chargebacks, and overall risk.

Today, more and more business owners (and their customers!) face the risk of stealing credit card information. Then, that information is used to make fraudulent purchases online.

Fortunately, plenty of fraud prevention tools are already on the market to create a safe online shopping experience. One of those uses a machine learning algorithm and manual rules to detect fraud. So, if you accept a cashless payment option, get excellent fraud software. That way, you can track and eliminate these fraud risks in your business.

 

4. Set Up PCI compliance for secure online payment

If you’re accepting credit card payments, you must comply with the PCI Security Standards Council.

This usually includes more than 400 testing procedures and 12 core requirements to ensure your personal information is secured on all levels.

It would help if you also kept in mind that compliance starts with the security of the hardware level that moves to your hosting provider. Then, assess your software’s safety.

 

5. Store passwords securely

If your customers need to create accounts for them to purchase on your site, you must ensure that all passwords are stored securely.

You also need to ensure that your client data is secured depending on the rules in the industry. Also, whenever possible, all your sensitive data shouldn’t be readable. Moreover, solutions like salted hashes also need to be applied.

 

6. Enable multi-factor authentication

One of the best ways to ensure that your customers are safe online is by enabling multi-factor authentication. It is true especially for returning visitors.

You can also ask your customers to share their phone numbers and email address. That way, they can confirm their identity when purchasing from your site. This tip also lets you track who’s accessing your site.

 

7. Use firewalls

Firewalls are like software solutions that act as an invisibility cloak. They’ll usually protect your site’s cybersecurity defenses. That way, it will be difficult for backers to look for weaknesses they want to exploit.

In the same way, they’re also vital, especially if you have vulnerable protocols. That’s because they can quickly scan incoming connections. Then, decide whether or not the requests are allowed based on predefined rules.

 

8. Keep online shopping platforms up to date

Most security issues with your ecommerce systems are usually fixed by the provider during the support period. That’s why it’s vital on your end to keep your online shopping platforms up to date.

That way, after that period ends, upgrade IT systems and unmaintained code couldn’t get through those online transactions.

 

9. Implement data protection

It’s vital that, as an ecommerce site, you provide enough protection to your customer’s data. You can gather personal data. That way, the more individually identifiable information you’ve collected, the better data protection mechanisms will be available.

Data encryption is also an excellent idea. In case of an ecommerce system database leak, attackers couldn’t easily read or use your clients’ data. Finally, you should also know how to prevent brute force attacks on these accounts. One form is automated log-in attempts. Outsourcing your authentication process to a third-party provider is worth considering as well.

 

10. Encourage secure behaviors

Log-in and passwords aren’t the only things that protect your online store from an account takeover or fraud. Ideally, you should also promote good practices when it comes to password creation and handling.

One way to prevent an account takeover is to acquire and use a list of leaked passwords. You should check whether specific passwords are already leaked. Similarly, use a password strength meter.

That way, you can help your customers or clients create secure passwords.

Another thing that you can add is multi-factor authentication as an additional layer of protection. One-time codes sent via text message or email can prevent an account takeover.

 

Over to You

So, there you have it. Is your ecommerce business falling short in terms of the safety department? If so, what are the things you need to do to keep your site safe?

As an ecommerce owner, you must protect your site and clients from online fraud. Implementing the following tips helps encourage secure behaviors and make the online shopping experience safer.

Author Bio:

Andi Croft is a freelance writer interested in topics related to business, technology, and travel. She has a passion for meeting people from all walks of life and bringing along the latest tech to enhance her adventures.