Although eCommerce has brought many benefits to both shoppers and sellers, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. In reality, both parties have to shield themselves from cyberattacks every day. To make matters worse, it’s been discovered that cybersecurity threats are evolving and cybercriminals are becoming more sophisticated.
As an online business owner, you have the duty of protecting your business and your customers from potential cyberattacks. Failing to do so will not only harm your business’ performance but also your customer’s confidence in you.
The bright side is that there are actionable steps you can take today to safeguard your online business, like the following:
1. Use Strong Passwords
If you want to protect your eCommerce data from increasingly savvy hackers, you will need to do better than using “password” or “123456” for your password.
Instead, you’ll want to use a password with 12 or more characters. On top of that, it must have a mix of lowercase and uppercase letters as well as numbers and symbols. See to it that different accounts have different passwords, too.
While you’re at it, it’s a great idea to require your customers to create strong passwords as well. Work with your developer to set a minimum character requirement for users creating an account. In doing so, you are helping them protect their data.
2. Educate Your Staff
Safeguarding your online business requires a team effort. Considering this, it pays for you to hold regular training sessions on cybersecurity in your workplace. Even if they don’t work in the IT department, keep them updated about the latest threats in cybersecurity as well as the precautions they must follow. Requiring them to update their passwords frequently will also help.
Finally, help them understand that their participation and cooperation in this endeavor will help them protect themselves and the company.
3. Have a Firewall
No matter how big or small your business is, if your online store has several components, you must use a firewall. This security device protects your network by blocking outsiders from accessing your eCommerce data. Furthermore, it stops cyberattacks and safeguards you from social engineering threats.
4. Be Keen On the Information You Share Online
In these times, you must be extra careful about the things you post on online platforms such as your social profiles. Some hackers will go the extra mile to piece this seemingly innocuous information together and gain intelligence about you. Ultimately, they can use this to unlock common security questions that protect your accounts and identity online.
To protect yourself from identity theft, always safeguard your data. Refrain from posting sensitive data on public platforms and make your personal social media pages private.
5. Update Your Site
Last but not least, see to it that your eCommerce site has the latest security updates. At first, this may sound like extra work on top of your daily responsibilities. However, this will go a long way in maintaining a strong defense against cyber threats and attacks.
The technology that we have today has been progressing—but so are cybersecurity threats. With this, you have the responsibility of safeguarding not only your website but, most importantly, your customers. While this may sound like a daunting task, there are actionable steps you can take today to get started on the right track. Ultimately, know that you can turn to cybersecurity agencies to effectively steer clear of phishing, malware, and other attacks.
At FraudWatch International, our team of security professionals work around the clock to provide a range of cybersecurity services to our clients all over the world. If you require our expertise in anti-phishing, malware protection, or cyber threat intel, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today.