When Varien created the content management system Magento ten years ago, cyber attacks were already a common occurrence in the online world. However, since then the open source software giant was required to take great strides to keep up with the increasingly complex methods being used by hackers.

Many online shop owners prefer using Magento, making its lucrative businesses a common and convenient target for cyber attacks. That being said, let us understand what makes Magento such an appealing option for website owners and how users can avoid any complications when it comes to hackers and website security.

Magento – the perfect online companion

With its excellent structure, Magento is a leader in terms of innovation. Shop-owners are provided with an enormous range of filters, options and features from which to choose for their online stores. As an example, there is ample choice when it comes to customising price dialogs, products and modules.

Another benefit of Magento is its popularity with search engines, which tends to increase users’ prospects of ranking higher on results pages. Furthermore, there are free modules as well as paid options that provide users with the option to upgrade their websites whenever they desire.

For these reasons, Magento is the perfect companion for shop owners. Unfortunately, popularity comes with its downsides – Magento is a prime target for hackers looking to attain the sensitive details that come with having an online store.

Ensuring security on Magento

Because every online shop deals with credit card details and personal information from customers, ensuring a high degree of security is a top priority.

Hackers often take advantage of the customer being the weakest link of ecommerce sites. The most crucial period during transaction is when a customer is inputting their details – at this point, hackers can input their own script in place of the website and use this cover to extract card information directly from the customer’s fingertips.

Security tips

Update your software

An absolute priority in internet security is making sure you always have the latest software update offered by your provider. Large numbers of websites are hacked daily simply because they haven’t installed the latest patch from their provider.

Choose a secure password

By having a simple, predictable password, you’re practically inviting hackers to gain access to your website. Choose a strong and complex password that makes use of a combination of numbers, letters and symbols. Try to use unique passwords for every account you have. We recommend using a password manager to keep your passwords organised and accessible. A fantastic, cheap option is LastPass.

Create a custom admin path

Hackers can often infiltrate a website because of their knowledge of standard procedures. Changing your admin path from the standard www.yourwebsite.com/admin to something different and non-default will make it difficult for hackers to breach your admin page.

Remain vigilant of malware

Malware can cause a host of problems on your website by providing a backdoor for later access and stealing personal information such as credit card details, names and addresses, to name a few. The best way to handle malware is by running a virus scan every day, so you’re always aware of the status of your website.

Install a Web Application Firewall (WAF)

A Web Application Firewall (WAF) examines web traffic on your server for suspicious activity, and filters out any illegitimate traffic based on rules you have set for it. It also allows you to blacklist IP addresses and protects your site from attacks such as cross-site scripting (XSS) and SQL injection.

Cyber attacks can be unpredictable and extremely damaging to your website. Remain one step ahead by following the above tips to make sure your Magento site remains safe and secure for both you and your customers.