Gear up for 2020-Security

You work hard to have an eCommerce experience that funnels customers to your checkout page. You have comprehensive product pages, you know your niche, and you have an amazing marketing strategy. You are working hard to get the maximum number of conversions. However, there is another important element that eCommerce businesses should consider from the onset.  

Why you need security ?

If you run an eCommerce store, you know that eCommerce websites are a major target for hackers and frauds. Most people don’t think that their competition will also target the security of your site but it has happened before. Just think about all the information that your eCommerce business stores online. That’s what makes eCommerce websites so attractive to criminals.  

Gear Up With Security 

Having eCommerce security refers to the principles which safeguard electronic transactions and allow the buying and selling of goods online. However, there are protocols in place to ensure safety and security for those who are involved. Seller and buyer alike are looking to be secure while processing eCommerce transactions. 

Think of your eCommerce security like a tent. It protects you from elements and allows you to relax a little bit. Of course, there are different types of tents for different types of environments and there are many ways to increase your security out on the trails. 

Use SSL and ensure PCI Compliance

An SSL is a digital certificate that encrypts information sent between a web server and a web browser. It is one of the most effective ways to achieve data security and keep your customer’s data protected when they use your eCommerce website. SSL also allows your eCommerce store to be secure enough to process credit card information. 

PCI compliance is a security requirement created by major credit card brands to try to mitigate fraud and increase eCommerce security. PCI applies to all companies who process, transmit, and store various payment card data online. If you don’t have these two basic things you risk losing not only trust and business, but you may be fined as much as $100,000 a month until compliance standards have been met.

SSL certificates are the tent of your eCommerce gear bag. Of course, you can go camping without a tent but that leaves you and anyone camping with you unprotected from even the most basic of hazards. The lean-to below protects you from the drizzle and even overexposure of sunlight but do you want it for needed privacy? 

SSL certificates are a large part of ensuring a business is secure online but is not the only requirement for PCI compliance. In fact, merchants have different PCI requirements based on the number of credit, debit, and prepaid card transactions they process in a year. The larger the business, the greater the PCI compliance needed because of the increased security threat. 

So depending on how many travelers you have with you determines the tent you bring. Something more like this tent would be better suited if you have many people with you. It has walls, flaps for doors, and even netting to keep pests out. This tent is something that is way more appealing than the lean-to we already looked at. Make sure that you have the right tent for your expedition. 

Use Real-Time Bot Detection

More traffic is good because it hopefully leads to more converting traffic. However, bots can account for up to 50% of web traffic and bad bots can represent about 30% for eCommerce fraudulent purchases. What you view as an increase in traffic could actually be malicious bots used by your competitors or fraudsters to scrape your product listings, or steal customer and vendor data. 

The impact these bots can have on eCommerce can be substantial in terms of compromised security. Additionally when bots constantly crawl your site, up server resources may be used and slow site speeds. 

Time to install a trip alarm around your campsite. These alarms will make noise whenever something comes into your campsite. Malicious bots and bears get handled in a different manner but knowing that they are there is important for your security. Think how much safer every one inside your tent will feel knowing that whenever someone or something comes into your campsite, you are alerted.

Web Application Firewall

A web application firewall is a network security system that monitors and controls the incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules. A firewall typically establishes a barrier between a trusted internal network and an untrusted external network. These firewalls protect websites from common attacks such as DDoS and SQL injections. Since the goal of your eCommerce website is to have a lot of inbound traffic, you need firewalls to protect yourself against malicious entry. Two very effective firewalls for eCommerce websites are application gateways and proxy firewalls. 

When you implement a web application firewall keep in mind that it has to be configured properly to be effective at all. That means that firewalls don’t automatically know what traffic is malicious. They need to be programmed with this information.

Your camping firewall helps to keep the wind off your fire but also reflects heat to you if you are on the right side. If you are camping for any amount of time, build a little firewall. You will get more out of your fire and more out of each piece of timber you burn. Much like your eCommerce site, this firewall is ineffective if not established correctly. 

Select Secure eCommerce Platform 

Do research about the different eCommerce platforms. There are may additional plug-ins and apps that can be added to increase security measures for most eCommerce platforms. If you are unsure about which platform makes the most sense for your business goals, reach out today for a free consultation. 

You wouldn’t want to select a campsite on the side of a mountain generally speaking. If you pick a spot too close to the river, you could get flooded out. Think of this as your platform on which to put your tent. Choose a good, reliable, and stable platform.  

Train Employees about online Security 

The sad truth is that a lot of fraud occurs because of human error. Customer support reps may reveal an account number accidentally on a support call or social media. Another might give login info over the phone to someone falsely claiming to be another. Strict policies should be established to avoid these pitfalls. Remember loose lips sink ships. 

Train your travel mates. Having a campsite is great. You have your alarms, stable ground, firewalls, and the most amazing tent money can buy, but setting it all up efficiently would be easier with help. If your friends don’t know how to set up a tent, teach them. The team members on your business are only as strong as the weakest link.

Conclusion

Security is something that should be integrated into your eCommerce business. Think of this as a mosquito net that you sleep in. It seems like an unneeded feature until you wake up to bugs crawling all over your body and you’re panicked. As soon as a pest makes their way inside your tent you’ll wish you had your net on. 

Let NuEthic help you get geared up for this year. In our next blog about gearing up for 2020, we will talk about more campsite essentials such as sleeping bags and camping chairs.