Top 6 Best Ways to Protect Your Shopify Store
Juphy
As one of the biggest e-commerce platforms worldwide, Shopify is the perfect way of taking your business to the next level.
But a rise in cyber threats means you must stay safe to stay successful. After all, customers will only buy from your store if there are trust or security doubts.
So, what can be done to mitigate the threat of a cyberattack? How can you offer the best shopping experience while reassuring customers that their data is safe?
In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about Shopify and cybersecurity, including simple but effective ways of defending your store and ensuring you can recover from an attack.
What Exactly Is Cybersecurity? And How Does It Affect Shopify?
Cyber security is simply protecting yourself, your business, and your customers from a cyber-attack. Hackers are interested in stealing financial details, personal information, and passwords and holding your business to ransom.
A security report from cybersecurity provider Checkpoint found that last year, an average of 1,168 attacks took place every week, targeting businesses of every shape and size. This statistic showed a 38% increase from the previous year, showing cyberattacks are only getting bigger.
Although Shopify already has many security features in place, including security teams, safety apps, and features, there are things you, as a store owner, can do to improve your protection.
Below are five simple but effective ways to protect your Shopify store:
1. Enable Security Certificates in Your Store
Security certificates are a fundamental security measure that every successful Shopify store must have. They can protect you from a cyberattack and give customers peace of mind that the sensitive information they share will be protected.
These certificates encrypt communication between a user and your store by protecting any sensitive information entered, like credit details, making them unreadable by hackers if they successfully intercept the data.
Customers will know if your shop has certification through two means:
- Your website URL will start with HTTPS.
- There will be a padlock icon beside the URL.
Shopify stores that use security certificates can also expect a boost in their website traffic. This rise happens because search engines like Google and Bing are more inclined to rank stores higher in results if they have these protections in place.
2. Secure Your Logins through Passwords & Two-factor Authentication
As the backbone of cybersecurity, passwords can be our greatest strength or weakness. That’s because, with the rise of AI tools, hackers are cracking simpler passwords at record speeds.
Research has shown that AI can break 51% of common passwords in under one minute. To counter this worrying trend, experts say an effective password should be:
- Lengthy. The longer the password, the better. Aim for 12 to 14 characters.
- Unique. Always create a new password for a new account. Never repeat.
- Complicated. Use a mixture of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols to add complexity to your password.
- Never personal. Avoid using personal information, like date of birth or name, as these can be easily found and utilized.
In addition to strong passwords, you should enable two-factor authentication (2FA) to protect your Shopify store. This approach adds another layer of security to logins, requiring users to verify their identity through a single-use code to gain access to an account.
Even if your password is compromised, 2FA will prevent unauthorized access. It will notify you of this suspicious activity, giving you ample time to change your passwords to thwart the threat. As an additional security measure setup SPF record for Shopify to stay safe from phishing and spoofing.
3. Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to Protect Your Shopify Store
Using a VPN is a fantastic way to bolster your defenses against a cyberattack. It works by encrypting your internet connection, ensuring that whatever data is sent and received by your device is protected.
While this offers total protection on your online activity, a VPN works well with platforms like Shopify, allowing you to work on sensitive customer data without the fear of prying eyes, intercepting your data, and figuring out what you’re working on.
Moreover, many premium and enterprise VPNs offer advanced cybersecurity features, like ad-blocking and flagging malicious URLs and downloads, ensuring you’re also free from malware and viruses.
Because of their ability to hide your online activity, many Shopify owners have one common question: Are VPNs legal to use? You’ll be happy to know that, in most countries, using a VPN is entirely legal, as governments recognize their effectiveness in tackling cybercrime.
4. Use Shopify Apps to Enhance Security
Customers can be incredibly wary of sharing personal details, including credit card numbers. One way to signal trust on an e-commerce website is to highlight any security measures and features you have in place to reassure customers.
Shopify has many free-to-use apps that have been tailor-made for the platform. They’ve been vigorously tested and regularly updated with the latest protections.
By using security apps, you can enhance not only the experience of loyal customers but also boost sales. Some of the best security apps for Shopify users include:
- Shop Secure. This app allows you to block visitors from blacklisted countries, reducing bot activity and potential fraud. It also helps with GDPR compliance.
- LockOn. This app allows you to restrict access to users who are not logged into your website. You can also place a passcode on any shop page to limit access.
- Defendify. This app prevents users from right-clicking on images or copying your product details, thus protecting you from copyright theft.
5. Create Regular Backups
One of the best ways to protect your Shopify store is by creating regular backups. In the event of a hack, which could either delete products or take your entire storefront offline, you have a way to restore information quickly.
Creating a backup of your Shopify store is straightforward — simply export the CSV files from your admin panel. You can combine these with other data, such as your store theme, to create a replica of your shop. Simply import the CSV files from your admin panel to return all your product information when needed.
6. Regularly Update Your Store and Apps
Keeping your Shopify store and its apps up to date is crucial for security. Outdated software can be a magnet for cybercriminals, as they often have known vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit.
Closing Security Gaps: Each update can fix security holes and bugs that might be present in older versions.
Enhanced Features: Updates often come with improved features that can enhance both security and user experience.
Staying Ahead of Threats: Cybersecurity is a constantly evolving field. Regular updates mean you’re equipped with the latest defenses.
Conclusion
This article has shown that protecting yourself from hackers is worthwhile. By implementing simple security measures in your Shopify store, you can safely manage customer data and comply with industry standards while avoiding costly breaches.
Moreover, you’ll be rewarded with more traffic and customers, helping your e-commerce business thrive.
To get more traffic to your Shopify store, you can also integrate the ‘Built for Shopify’ app called Juphy‘s AI shopping assistant and turn visitor into loyal customers.
