Cybersecurity for protection of E-Commerce One of the most effective ways to create secure web pages

Nov 22, 2024
Security requirements and best practices for WooCommerce

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If you've got a website particularly an e-commerce website It is your obligation to ensure that transactions happen safely in addition to ensuring your personal information of your customers and clients aren't breached. Your database WordPress site's database stores personal information such as addresses, as well as electronic and physical address of credit card numbers, as well as transaction logs, along with various other information. The site is responsible for the accuracy and security of this information.

The controller of data is the one who determines the motive for the data being processed, as well as the way in which the personal data is dealt with. If you choose that your organization determines the motive and procedure by what personal information is handled, then you are the data controller. Personnel who process personal information within your business do this to comply with your responsibilities as controller.

Secure websites could put the security of the business in danger. Which person is hesitant to provide the personal details associated with their credit card to an unsecure website? What damage could this do to your reputation, if the customer's personal data was taken and used for criminal reasons?

13 major security risks which affect online stores

Based on the 2020 Trustwave Global Security Report, traditional brick-and-mortar retailers as well as e-commerce sites are among the most susceptible businesses to cybersecurity threats that account for around 24% of total cybersecurity-related incidents during 2019.

That's why it's crucial to contemplate the importance of security on e-commerce sites Learn about security issues that may affect the online enterprise and what steps e-commerce website administrators should take to safeguard the transactions of their customers and the information they collect.

It is important to know the steps and procedures that the proprietor of a business which is online has to adhere to in order to protect the websites of their online store. The first step is to be aware of the most significant concerns regarding security that online stores have to deal with.

Based on the top 10 Web Application Security Risks which we've created in this list, we've created a non-exhaustive checklist of the top threats to security that stores on the internet are facing today.

OWASP Top Ten for 2021 compared to 2017
OWASP 10, 2020 (Source: OWASP). 10 in 2021 (Image source: OWASP)

1. Malware and Ransomware

Check out the video guide for Malware

2. Phishing

A diagram of a phishing attack
Diagram of diagram for Phishing attack (Image of the Phishing attack) (Image Cloudflare)

It's a way of trying to gain access to confidential details, including usernames, passwords and the number of accounts which are on credit cards and other crucial data that can be used or even sell to make a profit. Most of the time, it is done by way of spam, other kinds of fraudulent emails, as well as via the use of instant messaging.

Google's phishing warning sign, showing
Google's warning signal to avoid scams. (Image source: FixMyWP)

3. DDoS attacks

My dashboard analytics showing resource consumption
The analytics on my dashboard show the use of my resources.

4. SQL injection

Example of SQL injection
An illustration for SQL injection (Image source: Cloudflare)

5. Cross-site scripting

Cross-Site scripting (XSS) is defined as a type of attack where malicious code is embedded into an internet site to execute during the period that the site is loading. It is accomplished through the browser on computers. This is usually made to steal confidential data.

Cross-site scripting attack
What happens when a cross-site scripting attack happens? (Image source: Cloudflare)

6. Man-in-the-middle attacks

Man-in-the-middle (MitM) (also called the"on-path" attack is a form of cyberattack that involves placing on top of two systems that comprise computers (such as a web browser, which is used for web, or servers for web) for the purpose of stealing information and/or appear to be an agent that have a ulterior motive.

7. Credential stuffing

Credential stuffing scheme
What is credential stuffing. (Image source: Cloudflare)

8. Zero-day exploits

How hackers carry out a zero day attack
What do hackers do to exploit zero-day attacks to attack. (Source: Norton)

9. E-skimming

E-skimming, also known as electronic skimming is the process of placing malicious software on the website of an online retailer to collect information about your purchase when you make a purchase. This is often referred to in terms of Magecart attacks on cyberspace.

MageCart diagram
Illustration of how a MageCart attack functions (Image Source: Sucuri)

10. The attacks of Brute Force

The"brute force attack" is a technique of trial and error which assists in determining crucial data including API keys or login credentials, as well as SSH credentials. If your password gets stolen the password can be utilized to access different services when you are using the same password on different sites. (See credential stuffing.)

11. Backdoors

Backdoors backdoors allow you to override any encryption or authentication method in order to let users log in to a site or device. If a website or service is compromised, an attacker could create backdoors to access your website as well as accessing your personal information. possibly even destroy your site.

12. Social Engineering attacks

Social engineering attacks pose a particular risk because they attack certain aspects of human nature confidence in other people and lack of confidence, an inability to respond to the breach of the order of things, utilitarianism as as others. Social engineering is the manipulation of an individual's mind to expose sensitive information including passwords, accounts or financial information.

Check out our video guide to understand what is the CSRF attacks.

13. Supply Chain Invasion of Supply Chain

In the majority of cases, when there is an supply chain security breach, the cyber-attacker infiltrates malware into the vendor's systems before being disseminated in the form an update.

9 steps to increase your site's security online commerce

The process of securing a website can be difficult if you're not equipped with the appropriate equipment and expertise but it's not a job for skilled engineers. The most important thing is to be aware of vulnerable places and educate your staff that you employ and yourself about the best ways to protect your online store from common threats.

The job you have to accomplish is two-fold. In addition the responsibility lies with you safeguarding WordPress and WooCommerce as well as determining who's able to connect to the platform, which includes the plugins that must be installed along with the payment gateway and security process for authentication. This is in addition to everything connected to WordPress as an online platform. This includes its plugins, as well as the maintenance and upkeep of your site. It is essential to establish an updated and secure system. The reliability of your hosting provider will determine the success of the hosting you use.

1. Choose a cutting-edge hosting infrastructure

Your choice of hosting system is essential for the security and reputation of your website, and eventually, the growth of your enterprise. There are numerous types of hosting solutions available, and each differs in the use of infrastructure in addition to the type of service they provide.

  • Host shared by Shared Hosting
  • Host is committed
  • VPS hosting
  • Cloud hosting
  • Managed WordPress hosting

If you're trying to take control over the web hosting provider you make use of, yet you do not have the latest technical expertise and/or resources, you should think about an option of Virtual Private Server (VPS) hosting. It's a middle ground between shared and dedicated hosting. The VPS could have some disadvantages. It could not cope with the volume of traffic or fluctuations and it depends on other websites located in this server.

HTML0 Cloud-based, managed WordPress hosting service that combines advantages of both solutions, including the quick and secure cloud-based infrastructure and the simplicity of managed WordPress hosting services.

Technical stack and hosting infrastructure

Google Cloud regions
Google Cloud Regions (Source: Google)

We've developed a secure technological stack that is secure and reliable that is based on Nginx, MariaDB, PHP 8.3 containers, LXD, and the combination of Cloudflare Enterprise, which provides another layer of security. It offers firewalls as well as DDoS security, as well many other security options. This is a feature that is available to all clients, regardless of the plans they are making use of.

     We make use of Linux containers (LXC) and LXD for control of them. Google Cloud Platform (GCP). Google Cloud Platform (GCP) that ensures total isolation of every single WordPress website. Your website does not connect resources to another site as well as other websites that are that are linked with your accounts.

A diagram of ’s WordPress Hosting infrastructure
Schematic for WordPress hosting infrastructure.

2. Utilize a firewall for web applications

The WAF is essential to your site, regardless of whether you're just beginning your blog journey or a seasoned business proprietor. For eCommerce sites, having an application firewall to protect your website is vital because a site that's not safe is an easy target to hackers and criminals.

If there's no security on a site application, hackers could quickly gain access to control the website. They can modify login credentials, delete or steal data, harm it, and execute all kinds of illegal actions. When hackers gain access over your website and destroy your website totally. Additionally, your site could be the target of DDoS or any other attack using the power of the power of.

The sites hosted by Cloudflare are secured by Cloudflare

Cloudflare waf
A firewall built into web-based apps works (Image source: Cloudflare)

3. Make an SSL certificate

SSL certificates can be used to

Cloudflare SSL certificates are offered at no charge to any client, regardless of which provider they decide to use.

Go to our Video Tutorial on Choosing the Correct SSL Certificate to protect Your website

4. Utilize Secure SFTP in addition to SSH connections

Setting SFTP protocol in Filezilla
Setting SFTP protocol in Filezilla

Only connections to SFTP/SSH are accepted.

Since SFTP is a more secure option and is safer, it should only be used with an SFTP connection.

Information about SFTP/SSH can be found in Your My Dashboard in the section WordPress Websitesunder Name> Environment> Information. Name of the website> Websitename> > Environment>Information. Info.

SFTP environment credentials in My
SFTP credentials for the account in the environment of My

5. Use PHP in the latest version. PHP

Every PHP version is usually supported for a period of 2 years. Only PHP versions that are supported receive upgrades in security and speed. So, using non-supported PHP versions can slow down performance and increases the security risk.

Starting in August 2024 the PHP versions officially being supported by PHP include PHP 8.1, 8.2, and 8.3.

Supported PHP versions
Versions of PHP which are compatible to PHP Version (Source PHP.net)

     In the year of this article in the current post, the vast majority of PHP versions earlier than 8.1 don't receive security patches. If you're using PHP 8.0 or later is vulnerable to security issues that aren't rectified.

Only allow PHP versions that are compatible.

This could require more effort to create in the event you're using plugins that don't work with the compatible PHP versions. Our main responsibility is to provide the best protection for your site and the entire infrastructure. That's why we won't let users to run versions of PHP that aren't compatible with this PHP version.

Users are able to modify the PHP versions of the WordPress website by using My. The area for configuration is available after which you can go to the section for configuration and then go to the configuration section and click Tools from the left menu. Find the last section of the page and you will be able to find your web engine PHP. Select the change button to choose the PHP version you need for your site.

Modify PHP engine in My
Modify the PHP engine within My

6. Enable two-factor authentication

Using strong passwords to secure your hosting and website account will not be enough in security of your online store. Making use of the multi-factor authentication solution is recommended.

Multi-factor authentication refers back to an authorization process that requires the person that is accessing the account present at least two proofs proving the authenticity of their account. The process is carried out using a variety of options, including fingerprint authentication apps, email messages, SMS or a token that can be an electronic device or a hardware token in addition to different.

Set up 2FA by

Furthermore, if you're using a password that is secured to MyI'm a Celebrity, it suggests enabling two-factor authentication. Also, you should request everyone in your company to accept this. If 2FA has been enabled, login to My requires an additional authentication number generated by an authenticator app (e.g., Google Authenticator) via your phone or an account management program.

In order to activate 2FA in My, simply choose your username from the top left hand corner and select the Settings option for users. In My profile, go down to the section Two-factor authentication. A switch will be shown, then look up the QR code within the authenticator app. Enter the six-digit code that will be displayed on the app. Click the button to confirm.

Two-factor authentication in My
Two-factor authentication in My

It's vital to note that 2FA cannot be compatible using SMS-based 2FA because it is vulnerable to being hacked via phone and is less secure because it's a token linked to time. Most recent security breaches made by Authy disclosed 33 million phone numbers of phone numbers of customers, increasing the danger of SMS scams and SIM swapping.

 no longer supports SMS authentication
It's not possible to utilize the service. SMS authentication via SMS

Create 2FA with the help of WordPress

You can also enable two-factor authentication on your online store. WordPress cannot activate 2FA using the default settings. However you are able to quickly and effortlessly integrate the feature on your website by using one of the plugins below:

Alongside WordPress releases core updates, WordPress releases security updates frequently when a security flaw is discovered. It is the same with plugins and themes.

For keeping your WordPress website safe You must be sure to keep the whole WordPress site up to date in order to guard against security risks.

You can also automate updates to themes and plugins.

Enable/disable automatic plugin updates
Enable/disable automatic plugin updates
Enable/disable automatic plugin updates
Enable/disable automatic plugin updates

If you'd prefer not to use this option, you can carry out the update yourself, you can do it. but changing several sites can be an exhausting long process. Numerous agencies rely on third-party applications that allow for the management of updates on all of their WordPress sites on a single external platform.

Users don't need to buy any third-party software to handle the updates as they have the ability to regularly update their My Dashboard.

WordPress Updates and Updating with

Update plugins in bulk in My
The plugins are regularly updated often on My

When you've completed an update, My The system creates a backup to ensure that you're capable of reverting this process over a period of 2 hours should the situation arise that the update fails. This provides you with a sense of security as well as protection when you need to update the themes as well as plugins or plugins.

A system-generated backup is created when you bulk update your plugins
Backups that are generated by the system will be generated following a massive update to your plug-ins.

In addition, you are permitted to carry out massive updates on multiple WordPress websites at once. Within your My dashboard you can go to the My dashboard, then choose WordPress sites. Choose either one or all by pressing the actions button to the left. Then, select the one you think is most crucial. want to take. If you're switching plugins you can click the relevant button on the menu. The pop-up will display the number of plugins which have updates available. Updates are now available.

Select the plugins you'd like to change and wait for a few minutes. A pop-up will inform that you've completed the change successful.

If the upgrade does not be successful in the event that it is not able to update, check the name of the site after which select Backups and then the system generated page within My and restore the backup that was created.

System-generated backups in My dashboard
Backups generated by the system are available on My Dashboard. My Dashboard. My Dashboard

     Through this plugin , you'll be capable of upgrading your themes and plug-ins on all of your WordPress websites in one place for no cost. Ideal for companies that manage multiple websites that are on the same platform.

8. Backups

Web hosting services that takes care of the website store they host must offer periodic WordPress backups. includes six kinds of backups.

Six options are available for backup each, which is the quantity of backup options available by

We offer regularly scheduled, automatic WordPress backups and the system generated backups for every one of the WordPress websites. Backups, as the manually-created backups can be accessed as restore points within My. In addition, you are able to create backups using a manual offline backup each week.

Daily backups in My
Restoring a backup to a staging zone My
Hourly backups in My
It is possible to get up to six hours and even regular backups from My
External backups in My
This allows integration to be linked directly to Amazon S3 and Google Cloud Storage

9. You should be alert to plugins

There are many plugins to help you making your own WordPress website. This is particularly true when it comes to e-commerce. These usually need features not readily available on WordPress or WooCommerce prior to the release date. Here's a selection of recommended plugins that you can browse and test on your own.

Choose the last selection that comes up. It is suggested to stick to some guidelines when selecting the right plugins for your WooCommerce website:

Choose plugins that get regular scheduled updates from vendors who have a great standing. Trust the community and look through the reviews and feedback from users. Avoid using will find plugins with poor reviews or are not maintained by reputable providers.

Technical details of the WooCommerce plugin
The technical details of the WooCommerce plugin

Test a plugin applying the staging settings before you place it into Production. This prevents conflicts between plugins, in addition to issues that are related to WordPress core.

Always backup your website prior to installing the plugin in production.

Do not install unnecessary plugins or plug-ins with ineffective functions. Unnecessary plugins could result in security issues or cause problems with other plugins, or result in a decline on the speed of your site.

Check if there are any vulnerabilities that are known to the code. Check if there's any vulnerabilities that are known to be vulnerable for. Make use of security solutions such as WPScan, the WordPress Vulnerability Database or WPScan.

What can web hosts do in overcoming issues with theme or plug-ins?

security alerts

When a security issue occurs in one of your sites or plugins, no matter the severity of the issue with the theme, plugin or vulnerability, you'll be informed via My and an email informing that you of the vulnerability along with suggestions for resolving the problem.

This feature is adored by our clients since it lets them quickly make decisions on security problems that are detected in their websites. If you're a customer and are currently a customer is likely to receive an email with the following content: the following:

An email from  notifying a vulnerability in WooCommerce
A notice email was sent to inform the customer of an issue that was affecting WooCommerce

Most effective method to avoid them

In the first part of this article, we've listed some of the biggest threats to security that be a threat to the safety of eCommerce websites. Some of these threats are particularly serious for WordPress/WooCommerce sites.

Even though WordPress is a free source software, it's crucial to keep in mind that hackers haven't been able to attack WordPress websites due to inherent vulnerabilities in the CMS but they are capable of doing this due to flaws which could have been identified and corrected prior to the security issue.

Inability to update your theme, base, and plugins can expose your website to attack using similar fashion to making use of passwords that are insecure or not having strict security policies for access to your website.

This is a quick overview of risks that can be found and the best ways to keep against them. This can help in keeping your website secured:

Additional options to assist in increasing the security of your website

Our aim is to provide the fastest and safe WordPress hosting platform that is available to the world. We're constantly seeking ways to improve your protection on online stores so that customers can enjoy the best shopping experience possible for both your visitors and customers. Here are some of 's services and features specifically aimed at securing your WordPress/WooCommerce website.

Uptime checks

If your site doesn't respond, or runs slowly What do you do to make sure that your site doesn't go down for all users or for just you?

     The site you're on is scanned every 3 minutes. That's 480 visits per each day.

If your website isn't functioning, the technical staff will take immediate action to resolve the issue. There's a good likelihood that the issue could be solved before you notice it.

Take a look at our video tutorial on how to identify if a web site isn't working:

The security guarantee of the's

At times, however, regardless of how hard you make, it could occur that your site is at risk. How do you respond?

Our customers don't have to worry about this as should a WordPress website is damaged while it is hosted by us, it can be fixed by the webmaster without cost. The webmaster will look into the problem and fix the problem.

Our security pledge is comprised of:

  • The website's analysis is supported with a thorough examination of the site's files for malware.
  • Repair of WordPress the core by using a dirty copy of the Core Data files.
  • The elimination and the detection of themes and plugins which have been affected.

Blocking IP

In some instances where it's required to delete an IP or group of IPs so that you're able to block illegal activities from spammers, bots and others. It is generally possible to exclude IP addresses in the configuration files on your server.

To verify IP addresses as well as the number of requests made To check IP addresses and the amount of requests being made, sign to My, then access the WordPress site >> Name of the Website >>> Analytics > Geo and IP.

Top client IPs.
The best IPs for clients.
Add IP addresses to the IP Deny tool in My.
Add IP addresses to your IP Deny tool in My.

After you've blocked all IP addresses, it'll be possible to view it on the same page.

Add an IP address to deny in My.
Incorporate an IP address into My. My.

Security certificates

The requirement to ensure that their websites are secure for their clients is confirmed and validated across a variety of levels.

The trust service requirements consist of five components:

  • Security
  • Accessibility
  • Processing integrity
  • Confidentiality
  • Privacy

They provide assurance of safety and security for online proprietors who can rely on a web hosting provider that allows them to focus their working hours at peace.

ISO/IEC 27001 is the most well-known standard used to manage information security systems. A ISMS that is implemented conforming to the standards "is an instrument that is used for the protection of security, risk management, and operational efficiency."

Conformity with ISO/IEC 27001 means that an business or organization has put in place the proper system of managing the risks that arise from security concerns for information held or processed by the business and complies with all high requirements and guidelines outlined in the International Standard.

ISO/IEC 270717 from 2015 provides guidelines on the protection of information that could be used to provide and usage of cloud-based services. It also provides

  • Additional implementation guidance regarding the proper controls, as defined in ISO/IEC 2702
  • Additional guidelines and controls for implementation specifically for cloud-based services.

Final ISO 27018:2019

Sets goals for control that are based on common sense. They define standards, controls and goals that are implemented for the security of Personally Identifiable Information (PII) as per the rules to protect privacy. These standards are laid out in ISO/IEC29100 for cloud computing within the context of cloud computing in the context of public computing.

Visit the Trust Center to find more information on the firm's current conformity initiatives.

Summary

There's a lot to be done when it comes to creating an online shop. To create your own website will require a significant amount of technology expertise that isn't readily available to smaller companies and young start-ups.

A business owner who is planning to open an online store, and is prepared for the challenges of global markets, shouldn't ignore the opportunities for growth that the internet-based commerce market offers. That's why an enterprise-level platform like WordPress and WooCommerce Hosting will aid.

When you implement these security measures to safeguard your site, you will be able to secure your store on the internet and lower the possibility of data breach and the likelihood of interruptions.

You have the chance to shine. What are the threats and pitfalls you must be aware of every single day? Do you know a hosting company that offers an adequate security against harmful individuals? Tell us about your experience by commenting in the comments below.

Carlo Daniele

Carlo is a huge enthusiast of front-end Web design and development. He's been playing around using WordPress for more than a decade. In addition, he collaborates with Italian as well as European schools as well as universities. He has also written a number of tutorials and posts on WordPress that have been published on Italian websites as well as in printed magazines. The author is as well discovered on LinkedIn..

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