If you’re running an eCommerce business, you realize the importance of keeping your online store secure and safe from hackers. Magento is one of the most popular and widely used eCommerce development platforms that come with built-in, high-end security features that help in mitigating security threats like data breaches, data theft, illegal transactions, and malware attacks. With its higher level of security and out-of-the-box features, Magento powers 250,000+ stores on the internet. However, no software guarantees 100% security. There are certain things you need to consider to stay safe from hackers and cybercriminals. If you’ve opted for Magento store development, then here are 8 best security practices for securing your online Magento store.
Useful Tips for Protecting Your Online Magento Store
1. Migrate to the Latest Magento 2 Version
If you’re planning to migrate your store to the Magento platform, then you should consider migrating to the latest version of Magento 2. As Magento 1 has already reached its end-of-life last year on June 30, 2020, it is no longer being provided official support and security patches. So, if you’re still running your store on Magento 1, then your customers’ data is at great risk.
Magento 2 comes with numerous major security and performance improvements along with additional security features such as:
- Supports SHA-256 Cryptographic Password Hashing
- Prevention of Clickjacking
- AES-256 Encryption for Personal Information and Credit Card Details
- XSS Protection
- Validation of Session and Cookie
- Security Scan Feature
- Frontend and Backend CAPTCHA.
- Two-factor Authentication
- Strong Passwords
- Advanced Permission for Admin Access
Magento 2 allows you to meet PCI compliance requirements and keep your online store secure with all the aforementioned features.
2. Make Sure Your Magento Software is Up-to-Date
If you have opted for Magento eCommerce development services, then you should make sure you’re using the latest version of Magento software. Newer versions come with significant security features and improvements that help you keep your Magento store secure.
For example, Magento 2.3 version comes with two-factor authentication features that add an extra layer of protection to your administrative accounts and provides support for the Google reCAPTCHA services to prevent botnets from doing brute force attacks.
Newer Magento releases come with minor or major bug fixes, security patches, and updates that will help you protect your Magento 2 store.
3. Implement Two-Factor Authentication
If you’re involved in Magento store development, then you can protect your Magento store with two-factor authentication (2FA) feature. So, even if a hacker has your username and password, he won’t be able to log in to your administrative account.
4. Create a Custom Admin URL/Path to Prevent Bruteforcing
You need to convert your default Magento store admin path or URL to a custom admin path.
- Default base URL – https://mystore.com/magento
- Default admin URL – https://mystore.com/magento/admin
So you see, this makes it easy for site hackers to identify the URL that they can use to attempt to hack your site. They may even do brute-forcing to guess the right password and gain access to your Magento store.
While using two-factor authentication helps you prevent these attacks, creating a custom admin path/URL is also one of the best security practices for securing your online Magento store.
5. Secure Your Magento Store with HTTPS/SSL
With Magento store development, it is quite easy to set up your Magento store to use HTTPS/SSL. This is a major part of PCI compliance which ensures that your web traffic is encrypted and safe from cyber crooks.
If you have technical expertise, you can set it up from the Magento 2 admin panel. However, if you’re new to Magento, then it is wise to hire Magento 2 developers.
6. Enable Session Expiration
You need to protect your Magento store not only from cyberattacks but also from those who gain unauthorized access to your Magento backend after stealing your computer or hacking your website.
You can make your website secure by turning on session expiration and fix a low time limit say 5 minutes. This feature will automatically log you out of your Magento admin dashboard after a fixed amount of inactivity.
If you have good technical knowledge, you can easily configure and adjust it from the Magento backend. Otherwise, you can take the help of a professional Magento developer.
7. Choose a Reliable Web Hosting Service
While you may be swayed by the cheaper web hosting options, it is not a good idea to select low-cost, shared web hosting plans for your Magento store.
A shared server brings you potential security hazards. For instance,
- If a site on the shared web server is affected, the cyber attacker can gain unauthorized access to the remaining websites hosted on the same server.
- A cybercriminal could even purchase hosting on a shared server and then use his site to attack other sites hosted on the same web server.
- In the case of a shared server, you have limited administrative access or capabilities to strengthen your personal sever against malicious attacks.
You should use a dedicated, private server to ensure a higher level of security for your Magento store.
8. Ensure Regular Magento Security Checkup
Examining the security of your Magento store is one of the best security practices for securing your online Magento store. However, if you’re a newbie, then you should turn to Magento 2 experts who can help you identify the security flaws and vulnerabilities and fix them as early as possible.
Hiring a Magento security consultant for a complete security checkup of your Magento 2 store can help you fix the security vulnerabilities and protect your customer data.
Final Thought
While it’s impossible to ensure 100% security of your Magento store, you can follow the above-mentioned 8 best security practices for securing your online Magento store. Follow these practices to protect your Magento store against common cyberattacks and security flaws.
If you’re investing in Magento eCommerce development services, then these tips can help you keep your Magento store safe and secure.
Author’s Bio
Chandan Kumar is Professional Magento Security Consultant at Magento India, a leadingMagento development company in India. He is also an ardent blogger who loves writing informative blogs on Magento eCommerce development trends and technologies. When not working, He loves traveling and exploring new places.