It’s no surprise that consumers are becoming more concerned with the security of their personal data while shopping. A study was conducted that took 5,000 online shoppers surveys and determined that 62 percent of online shoppers thought traditional shopping had lackluster security. 60 percent viewed eCommerce sites to be untrustworthy, while 65 percent wouldn’t trust a mobile transaction with their credit card data. PCI training can go a long way to help your employees reduce the likelihood of cybertheft. Click here to see what this type of training involves.
It will require a bit of upfront cost to make sure your security for your website is top-notch, but this initial investment will cost you less than what a breach of security will cost. If you’re a small business, you should still make cybersecurity top priority. Cybercriminals don’t care if you’re big or small – they just look for lax security protocols. Make sure to update your website to the latest version so large security holes don’t occur, but there are other ways for you to protect your customers’ data as well.
HTTPS Upgrade
Switching your website to an HTTPS server will help secure your site better. More and more of your customers are becoming internet savvy, so many of them will look if your website is on an HTTPS server before they shop. Google also favors HTTPS servers when it comes to SEO, so it’s essential for your business to switch immediately or you risk the visibility of your website. If you’re a shopper, look for an HTTPS server before buying anything online.
Keep your Employees Updated on Website Security Protocols
Your employees could be the weakest link in your security chain. Make sure to always update your employees on how you intend to protect your website so they can implement these rules. In 2011, Sony had a breach in their PS Network that made millions of credit cards available to the public. This breach inspired Forrester Research to do a study on security breaches. They found that 46 percent of breaches are from internal incidents. It’s also necessary to instruct your employees on proper passwords, as “password123” is all too common.
Breach Policy
If a breach does occur, you should have a plan in place. Breaches in security are all too common and should be handled appropriately, so no further information gets leaked to hackers. If you’re able to correct the issue quickly and let your customers know a breach has occurred, you can protect additional information. Your brand will also look more trustworthy. If you lie to your customers or make the breech look less than it is, you could lose them.
Ensuring your customers’ data is safe should be your top priority as a business owner. Customers who trust you, your website, and your product are more likely to come back and speak highly of your business. Although it’s impossible to protect yourself from all breaches, you can still train your team to prevent most cyberattacks.
