8 ways to protect your Magento Stores from Security Issues

In the E-commerce industry, Magento has become a very significant platform and consequently, it became a target for hackers to steal confidential data like credentials of the customers. They hack by spamming, phishing or breaching the database/server of the website. Some hackers can cause severe damage to your website and business to make it lose out badly. They may use all kinds of clever tricks to enter into your admin panel and take control of the website. To prevent these types of attacks on the website, it is in our best interest to walk an extra mile to strengthen your site security. These are some of the best practices to keep the Magento site secured.

1. Use encrypted connection: If an unencrypted connection is used, the exchanged data among web browser and website can be easily seized by the hackers. The website becomes defenceless when the customer is entering login credentials over an unencrypted connection. Thus, it is always suggested and favoured to use a secured connection using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) for the encrypted connection.

2. Backup the website regularly: Backing up the website can help in restoring it to the previous version in case of any data loss or malfunction. By malfunctioning, it means hacking of website or deletion of data by the hackers, website crashes, wrong configuration or accidental deletion of data. To get back to normal quickly, there must be a backup plan. There is an in-built functionality in Magento for active backups like database backup, system backup etc. Backups can be created as per the requirement including hard disk backup and cloud storage.

3. Appropriate hosting plan: From the security point of view, the cloud hosting plan chosen matters a lot. Shared hosting is not an appropriate option and there is a chance of the data being compromised. VPS is always better than shared hosting. Dedicated hosting is also not the best option due to failure to meet the sudden rise in traffic. The most suitable plans are of managed hosting with the best security and frequent patches at the server level.

4. Update to the latest version: Magento uniformly releases its new versions to fix security loopholes and other bugs. Install the new version as soon as it is released because, in case of Magento, it is ensured that the new version is always better and superior to the last version. The new features added and security loopholes fixed are always mentioned in the new version.

5. Use two-factor authentication: To secure the Magento website, a username and password are unfortunately not enough. To gain access to the website, hackers use all the tricks like phishing, spamming etc. Use strong, unique passwords. With two-factor authentication, an additional layer of security is added to the store. It uses complex authentication mechanisms like reducing the login attempts.

6. Choose extensions carefully: Magento has a systematized group of extensions which can be installed to enhance the functionality of your site. It is recommended to read the developer profile and all the reviews on the module before installing it. Look for the number of reviews and positive rating on the extension as there are several extension companies who develop modules but do not address the security vulnerabilities. The reputable extension companies address bug fixes and security threats. Install extensions only from trusted sources. Never use paid extensions that are published on Torrent or other sites

7. PCI compliant payment processors: A business owner is responsible to provide customers with a safe checkout and therefore it should be PCI (Payment card industry) compliant. It provides required protection via a tool to all the online payments. In case of any mishap regarding the payment process, then the merchant’s account can be suspended or even frozen. There can also be fine imposed as per the damage suffered by the customer.

8. Get rid of unnecessary user permissions: There can be many problems with the users but the number one is excessive permissions. Even if there is limited access to the admin panel, there are chances of evil-minded users to hack the store. Take a look at your Magento user list and do not hesitate to disable any if you don’t recognize it.

The End Note

Magento is a booming E-commerce platform and offers consistent security updates. To make the website as robust as possible, it is important to follow the best security practices in the industry. Magento also has a support community to focus on security threats and fixes. Proactive steps to secure the website also need to be taken to maintain a healthy site and assuring customers that the store is trustworthy and their data is secure.

About SynergyTop

SynergyTop provides end-to-end Magento E-commerce Services, including, Design, Development, ERP/ CRM Integration, Support and Maintenance. Our developer chooses Magento for its scalability, interconnectivity and reduced TCO. We can help you build bespoke Magento websites, which are responsive and conversion-friendly. We also help you with the best Magento security options to mitigate the risk. Write to us at contact@synergytop.com