Website Secure

All Must-Know Magento Security Practices: Better Safe Than Sorry

by Stephanie Greene

>> You have to know Magento website maintenance  service as the best security practices

How to enhance Magento security?

“Safety first!” is the critical component in running online stores since the security headaches such as spamming, phishing, and data exploitation face both owners and customers. Without a doubt, Magento is of the world’s most popular ecommerce platforms but also the prime target of hackers for illegal purposes.

In fact, the Magento team always puts security at the heart of development by continuously issuing new solutions to fix and enhance the specific Magento security issue. Today, we introduce you to a must-know tool to keep you stay informed of Magento security status. Also, do not miss out on tips on how to secure the Magento site. 

>>> Check If Your Magento 2 Store Is Secure First <<<

Note:
  • This FREE Magento 2 Website Security tool is developed by Magento to help online merchants to regularly monitor and receive real-time updates on security risks, unauthorized access, and malware.
  • You need to login Magento account. This tool is freely available from your account dashboard. Check User Guide.
  • It may take a few minutes for the tool to check all your sites. While waiting, keep reading with us to find out how to secure the Magento website!

The Importance of Security in eCommerce Industry

magento-security

1. Your customers require a secure shopping experience

Compared with purchasing from a brick-and-mortar store, online shopping is definitely faster. However, it also puts customers’ privacy at a heightened risk. Every customer knows that the eCommerce website stores its data and payment information during online transactions. Hence, they are all worried if those data are exposed to cybercrime, who can fake their identity, take money from credit cards, and others more.

If your site is not safe enough to protect customer benefits, they will turn away forever.

2. Your businesses require security to build trust and protect revenue

Without enhanced Magento security, your business is in threat. Customers feel uncomfortable since their data are not adequately protected; they will soon click out without purchases. Your bottom line hurts as an indispensable result.

Even worse, cyber-attacks are ready to damage your sites, especially the small and mid-size stores. That time, hackers can cause a Distributed Denial of Service that brings your store operation to a temporary halt; or steal customers’ credentials and credit card details to make unauthorized transactions. No wonder, payment disputes arise. Customers ask for reversing transactions, and you have to refund the charge.

On the other side, your business data is also the victim. Cybercrime reveals information that harms the reputation or makes you pay much to retain the data. 

The Most Vulnerable Magento Security Issues

magento-security-vulnerability

One more time, your concern is how to secure a Magento website. First, you must have known that the Magento team keeps their tight rein on security problems to inform users of detected Magento security vulnerabilities and new Magento 2 security patches. However, there are still several common issues, as follow:

  • Web hosting security issues: credit card fraud, bot rings, malicious software, etc.
  • Insecure server operating system
  • Weak Magento 2 installation: Admin URL, password, access settings, third-party themes, and extensions, etc.
  • Ignorance of Magento 2 version and security patch update
  • Lack of frequent security review

Remember to Check Magento Security Scan Result

 

Have your entire sites checked? A notification will be displayed when the Magento 2 Security Scan completes. Check the report list issues (Failed Scans, Unidentified Results, and Successful Scans) in the Reports column of the site row.

  • Congratulations if your Magento 2 websites are secure. However, don’t put your guard down as your stores might still be the lucrative targets for hackers at any time. We recommend setting a weekly scan to monitor your website’s security status as well as stay aware of the latest security updates.
  • In case, there is something wrong with your Magento 2 security, don’t worry too much. Check the report carefully to get the details of the scan, investigate the issues, and refer to suggested remediations. Additionally, keep digesting our “How to Secure Magento website”

If the detected problems are severe, hire a helping hand from the Magento experts to solve it as quickly as possible. 

“Precaution Is Better Than Cure” – Learn How to Secure Magento Website Best Practices

Though there is no perfect way to remove all security risks, you can still make many efforts to keep your Magento 2 less vulnerable targets for hackers and protect your lovely customers from being compromised.

Whether you are about to go live or you have already launched your online stores, these security best practices are must-check and followed:

How-to-secure-Magento website-infographic

DOWNLOAD FREE NOW >>> Magento 2 Cookie Notice extension to enhance Magento security

Bonus Advice: Magento Security Industry Compliance

When doing online business, it must be kept in mind that your Magento 2 security capabilities comply with legal regulations. Or else, the privacy of your store and your customers is compromised, and you might get into the heavy-price lawsuits. Hence, in this How to Secure Magento Website article, we would like to update you on several data laws. 

1. PCI Compliance

The Payment Card Industry Requirements (PCI) refers to businesses accepting online payment via credit card to protect card brands, merchants, as well as customers.

Since payment is indispensable to eCommerce procedure, Magento 2 store owners must process sensitive data, including customers’ personal information and credit card numbers, which are the attractive targets of cybercrime to track and make unauthorized transactions.

Failing to PCI compliance means not just the monetary penalty imposed by card issuers you have to pay but further is customer dissatisfaction and your brand reputation.

“Trust takes years to build, seconds to break, and forever to repair!”

Much as PCI Compliance is essential, don’t worry too much as we provide you with a checklist to make your Magento security fit well with the requirements:

Comply-PCI-secure-Magento-website

In brief, there are six steps you need to follow:

  • Build and Maintain a Secure Network
  • Protect Cardholder Data
  • Maintain a Vulnerability Management Program
  • Implement Strong Access Control Measures
  • Regularly Monitor and Test Networks
  • Maintain an Information Security Policy

2. GDPR Compliance

It has been nearly three months since the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) officially went into force in May 2018. Though you might be aware of this personal data protection law, let us remind you of several vital components.

  • GDPR covers various fields of personal data protection. Hence, its regulations are extensive
  • Monetary fines might up to €20 million or 4% of your annual global sales you might get affected even if your business is not in EuropeReview Magento service as Magento is always backup GDPR Compliance efforts

Magento-2-cookie

KEEP READING: All Magento 2 Users Need to Know about GDPR Compliance

3. Cookie Law Compliance

To collect and analyze customer’s behavior on Magento 2 websites, cookies are in use as the temporary information holding places. In that way, store owners can measure traffic patterns, personalize customers’ shopping experience, improve business performance, and finally boost revenues. Hence, it involved the customer’s information.

Another bonus practice under the topic “How to secure Magento website” is to comply with Cookie Law, GDPR, as well as other personal data protection legislation. In Magento, you can obtain customers consent to use Cookies by either of the following methods:

  • Implied Consent
  • Expressed Consent

FURTHER DISCUSS HERE: EU Cookie Law Compliance

4. Privacy Policy

Remember to update the Privacy Policy page on your Magento 2 store to well inform online users about what type of data your business will collect and how such information is processed. Also, as cookies are tightly under GDPR law, you must include a brief overview of how cookies are handled to be linked to that Privacy page.

In Magento Admin, to edit the Privacy Policy page, please follow the Content ⇒ Elements ⇒ Page ⇒ Privacy Policy ⇒ Action ⇒ Edit.

A Note about Magento 2.3.5 Security Updates 

magento-security-updates

Recognizing the importance of Security to the survival of businesses, Magento developers have constantly and increasingly improved its security through versions.

This section will summarize the security enhancements in Magento 2.3.5 – the latest version.

In general, Magento 2.3.5 release note claimed to bring fixes to core code & 25+ substantial security improvement and provide the security-only patch.

25+ Security Updates to End Remote Code Execution (RCE) & Cross-site Scripting (XSS) Vulnerabilities

Although there haven’t been any confirmed attacks related to these issues yet, hackers may still exploit specific Magento security holes to intrude customer & admin privacy.

Thus, you should pay attention to your admin with some efforts such as IP whitelisting, two-factor authentication, VPN, the use of a unique location rather than /admin, and good password hygiene.

Magento Security Enhancements and Fixes to Core Code

Besides the main updates, Magento 2.3.5 also offers two advancements so you can optimize your store management as follows:

  • Implement Content Security Policies (CSP):  Congratulations! If you intend to upgrade your Magento store to the newest version, do it now to savor this powerful set of security tools. Specifically, Content Security Policies (CSP) form additional layers of defense by helping to detect and mitigate Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) and related data injection attacks.
  • Exclude session_id from URLs: As you may know, the presence of session-id values in URLs results in a potential security vulnerability in the form of session fixation. Magento team strives to remove code from the classes and methods that add or read session_id from URLs.

Platform Upgrades

The following platform upgrades contribute to boosting website security and performance:

  • Support for Elasticsearch 7.x;
  • Deprecation of core integration of third-party payment methods & Signifyd fraud protection code;
  • Upgrade of Symfony Components to the latest lifetime support version (4.4);
  • Migration of dependencies on the Zend Framework to the Laminas project.

Wanna absorb more? DIVE IN Big Updates of Magento 2.3.5 NOW to comprehend this latest version!

Final Words

In short, the above Magento security checklist is the must-read to keep online merchants from operation error, loss of merchandise, financial and reputation damage, or even lawsuits threat. Further is to protect customers against identity theft and data exploitation.

The keys of how to secure Magento website you must take home:

  • Hire professionals: hosting service, web developments, extension, themes, etc.
  • Secure system requirement and Magento 2
  • Use the most recent updates: software, version, security patches
  • Be not taken for a ride with suspicious things
  • Monitor Magento 2 security frequently
  • Stay calm and well prepared.

We are willing to give you a helping hand to Magento 2 security problems at all times, so feel free to take a tour around and contact us. We are BSS Commerce.

About BSS Commerce:

We are one of the leading Magento extension providers and web development services in the world. With experienced and certified Magento developers, we commit to bring high-quality products and services to optimize our business effectively. Let us know about your problems. We are willing to support you every time.

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