4 Ways to Secure Your Ecommerce Website To Keep Your Customers’ Data Safe

in Business, Software

Ecommerce is a booming business, and it’s no wonder why. According to Grandview Research, the global ecommerce market will grow to be worth over $27.14 trillion. That’s quite a leap from the $10.36 trillion it was worth in 2020. The advantages of ecommerce are clear: It makes selling products online much easier than opening a physical store, and it means businesses can reach a wider audience with fewer limitations on where they can sell their goods. However, running an ecommerce website also presents its fair share of challenges. Security breaches are more common than ever before. Hackers know that many smaller businesses with an ecommerce presence don’t often have the same level of security as larger corporations. This article details 4 ways to secure your ecommerce website to keep your customers’ data safe.

Encourage customers to use strong passwords and change them regularly

Strong passwords are the first line of defense against hackers who try to access your customers’ accounts. If your customers have weak passwords, a simple password-cracking attempt could reveal them and risk your customers’ accounts. Passwords should be at least 10 characters long and include a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols. Passwords are actually much stronger if you use a passphrase, i.e., a sentence rather than a password. A passphrase is much more complex for a computer to crack than a password. You should also encourage your customers to change their passwords regularly.

Use two-factor authentication

There are many ways to add an extra layer of security to your customers’ accounts. A simple yet effective one requires your customers to use two-factor authentication. Two-factor authentication is a security method in which a user has to provide two pieces of information to log in to their account: something they know (e.g., their password) and something they have (e.g., a unique token). You can use third-party software to add two-factor authentication to your ecommerce site. You can choose between an app-based authentication or a text-based one. The former secures your site by generating a code for each user that can be used only once. The latter requires users to enter a passcode sent to their phone.

Encrypt all customer data

You might not realize it, but most ecommerce software stores your customers’ data in an unencrypted format. This data includes customers’ names, addresses, payment information, and IP addresses. You need to encrypt this data so hackers cannot access it. Also, remember that when you store customer data, you must comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) rule. You can find encryption software online to suit your needs and help secure all data.

Use a hosted payment page

eCommerce websites usually allow customers to pay for their purchases via an online payment form. While this is a convenient way to accept payments, it also opens your site to hackers. Malicious software can log keystrokes and discover your customer’s payment information. Using a payment page hosted by a payment provider can ensure greater security for your customer’s payment data. You must input your customer’s payment information once, which will be sent to the payment provider each time the customer uses it. The payment provider will then take care of the rest. You can learn more about hosted payments here.

Conclusion

Running an ecommerce website is an excellent way for small businesses to reach a wider audience with fewer limitations on where they can sell their products. However, you must ensure you are keeping your customer’s data safe using the tips in this post.


Image Credits: Towfiqu Barbhuiya

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