Henner Diekmann is one business advisor who understands cyber crime, how it affects businesses and the different laws and regulations of dealing with it. Implement HTTPS Hypertext transfer protocol Secure (HTTPS) and secure sockets layer (SSL) certificates are the best ways to secure online transactions on e-commerce websites. They don’t only secure purchases, but other simple and innocuous data such as email addresses used for newsletter subscriptions. Choose a highly secure e-commerce platform With the large number of e-commerce platforms on the market today, choosing the right one can be a daunting endeavour. Focus primarily on safety, and if your preferred platform doesn’t have a concrete plan on protecting your customers, go elsewhere. For login security, use software that prevents password guessing with features such as two-factor security and CAPTCHA. A session timeout feature that automatically logs out a user after certain periods of account inactivity is a must. Secure web hosting When you choose a web hosting service, focus on reliability and security. A service that is not reliable won’t draw customers to you just as one that is prone to attacks. Select a host that can integrate enhanced security features like SSL certificates and backups. Also, go for one that offers 24/7 customer support. Use several layers of security Implementing a single solution won’t be enough. You need redundancy to ensure security for an e-commerce website. Place backups at all points of entry, then backup those backups. When it comes to e-commerce sites, hackers can be so relentless to the point that no amount of security is full proof. They are sure to find a loophole, but the best way to beat them is to ensure that what they find behind every loophole is another wall. Require strong passwords Security on an e-commerce website begins with you, but can also end with your customers. Even the best security cannot protect a user who decides on a ‘1234’ password. Ensure that your customers enter better passwords by enforcing stronger passwords. These should include numbers, upper and lowercase letters and characters. For added security, encourage two-factor protection. Authenticate logins by mobile apps and text message to enhance security and polish your image. Don’t store billing information Store minimal billing information, and encrypt the data you keep. You should only store credit card information to process chargebacks and refunds. Remember: security makes the difference To properly secure an e-commerce website, time, resources and specialised knowledge are required. For a start-up website, these attributes can be difficult to come by. Security can spell the difference between a successful online entity and a failed one, and for that investing in security is paramount.]]>
