Running an ecommerce business can be stressful, without having to worry about keeping yourself and your customers’ sensitive data secure. So how do you protect your WordPress ecommerce site secure from hackers? Here are ten top 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 work with security researchers and hosting companies to continue to make WordPress as secure as possible.

2. Use a secure connection for online checkout

Customers need to trust that your ecommerce site is safe, particularly when web-based attacks are on the rise. So it’s important to use SSL certificates to protect your company and your customers from getting their financial or important information stolen.

Making the switch from HTTP to HTTPS is a vital component for your ecommerce site as it secures the connection between your browser and your server, making it harder for third parties to intercept data passed between the two systems. You can read more about it here.

3. Don’t store sensitive data

There’s really 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 there is just the minimal amount of data held.

And although some customers prefer their card details to be saved so they don’t have to re-enter them at the checkout, the risk of fraud firmly 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 important not to overlook this step. Complex passwords should be compulsory for both your customers and anyone who has access to the back end of your site. By only accepting passwords that are a combination of numbers, special characters and upper and lowercase letters, you are protecting 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 in 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 the 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’re going to have a more difficult time attacking.

6. Provide security training to employees

Your employees need to be trained and educated as to common security breaches and what can be done to prevent them. They should know never to email sensitive data or reveal private customer information in chat sessions as none of these communication methods is secure.

Strict written protocols and policies will reinforce and encourage employees to adhere to best security practices to keep your business reputation intact and your customers’ sensitive information safe.

7. Update your systems

Remember to update everything immediately – the very day they release a new version if you can.

WordPress Themes and Plugins are regularly updated for security reasons and performance. If you’re using an out of date theme or plugin, it will limit its function and its security which is why you need to 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

Having the best security features installed on your site is a huge 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 easily happen at any time, so it’s worth investing in a robust backup solution.

When done right, a WordPress backup can effectively restore your entire website straight back to its previous condition leaving your business and reputation intact. This can be achieved by remote data storage centres, backup plugins and data recovery software.

9. Monitor your site regularly

Regularly check your website’s analytics to observe how visitors are navigating and interacting with your website. This will allow you to detect fraudulent or suspicious behaviour and take the necessary actions to rectify the situation. A sudden unexplained influx in traffic may be a sign that there has been 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-do-date, secure and optimised can be a complex and time consuming process. 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 have developed a premium quality support and maintenance service for all WordPress website owners that delivers total peace of mind. Take a look at our monthly payment plans to find the best option to suit your business requirements.

By taking 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. It’s not something you can afford to leave until a later date so act now to keep your site secure.