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Running an e-commerce business can be stressful without worrying about securing your and your customers’ sensitive data. So, how do you keep your WordPress Ecommerce site secure from hackers? Here are ten tips to stay ahead of the curve and keep your reputation intact.
1. Choose a secure WordPress Ecommerce platform
Choosing the platform to build your website on is a crucial first step. WordPress is a popular platform for ecommerce sites – among other types of sites. With thousands of free themes and plugins, it’s extremely versatile for a business in any sector. And the fact it’s been tested on millions of websites for over a decade has allowed it to be refined into what it is today.
The team behind WordPress also collaborates with security researchers and hosting companies to keep WordPress as secure as possible.
2. Use a secure connection for online checkout
Customers must trust that your e-commerce site is safe, mainly when web-based attacks are rising. So, it’s important to use SSL certificates to protect your company and your customers from getting their financial or essential information stolen.
Switching from HTTP to HTTPS is a vital component for your e-commerce site. It secures the connection between your browser and server, making it harder for third parties to intercept data passed between the two systems.
3. Don’t store sensitive data
There’s no reason to store thousands of records on your customers, especially card expiration dates and CVV2 codes. Old records should be purged from your database so that just a minimal amount of data is held.
Although some customers prefer to save their card details so they don’t have to re-enter them at the checkout, the risk of fraud outweighs the convenience for your customers.
4. Require strong passwords
Longer, more complex logins will make it harder for brute-force attackers to breach your site. As the most vulnerable area of your site, it’s essential not to overlook this step. Complex passwords should be compulsory for your customers and anyone accessing your site’s back end. By only accepting passwords that combine numbers, special characters, and upper and lowercase letters, you protect yourself and your customers from potential hack attempts.
5. Layer your security
One of the best ways to keep your business safe is by layering your security. Adding firewalls is an essential aspect of stopping attackers before they can gain access to your critical information. Next, consider obscuring the back-end login page.
Brute-force attacks are typically automated and will try to access your site using one of the following login URLs: www.websitename.com/wp-admin or www.websitename.com/wp-login.php. So, if your login page is called something completely different, they’ll have a more challenging time attacking.
6. Provide security training to employees
Your employees need to be trained and educated about common security breaches and what can be done to prevent them. They should also know never to email sensitive data or reveal private customer information in chat sessions, as none of these communication methods are secure.
Strict written protocols and policies will reinforce and encourage employees to adhere to best security practices to keep their business reputation intact and their customer’s sensitive information safe.
7. Update your systems
Remember to update everything immediately – the day they release a new version if you can.
WordPress Themes and Plugins are regularly updated for security and performance reasons. Using an outdated theme or plugin will limit its function and security, so you must check frequently for updates.
By keeping your systems updated, you’re taking the necessary precautions to protect your site from vulnerabilities. This is vital to staying visible in search engines and keeping your customers safe.
8. Invest in an offsite backup solution
Installing the best security features on your site is a considerable step to deter hackers, but none of it matters if you aren’t regularly backing up your site. Aside from hackers, data loss, hardware breakdown, and human errors can quickly happen at any time, so it’s worth investing in a robust backup solution.
A WordPress backup can restore your entire website to its previous condition, leaving your business and reputation intact. Remote data storage centers, backup plugins, and data recovery software can achieve this.
9. Monitor your site regularly
Regularly check your website’s analytics to observe how visitors navigate and interact with it. This will allow you to detect fraudulent or suspicious behavior and take the necessary actions to rectify the situation. A sudden unexplained influx in traffic may be a sign of a hack attempt, so be sure to investigate further if you notice abnormalities within your analytics data.
10. When in doubt, hire a professional
Keeping your WordPress website up-to-date, secure, and optimized can be complex and time-consuming. If you don’t have the skills or the time to stay on top of your website, you should consider hiring a professional to do it for you.
WP Tech Support has developed a premium-quality support and maintenance service for WordPress website owners that delivers total peace of mind. Look at our monthly payment plans to find the best option to suit your business requirements.
A proactive approach to security and maintenance can put you ahead of 70% of WordPress websites and save your e-commerce website from cyber criminals. You cannot afford to leave it until later, so act now to keep your site secure.