Simple Account Security Tips For eCommerce Sites

Fortunately, cyber attacks can be prevented by ensuring your online store is secure and that all of your employees follow cybersecurity best practices. This includes using a PCI-compliant payment gateway to avoid saving customer data on your servers.

Also, encouraging customers to create long passwords featuring lower and upper-case letters as well as symbols will help protect their information. Finally, conducting regular backups will reduce the impact of any data breaches.

What is a cyber attack?

Essentially, any attack that targets computer information systems, networks, infrastructures, personal computers, and mobile devices is considered a cyber attack. These attacks can be used to steal sensitive data, spoof identities, disrupt services, and perform other malicious actions. The most common eCommerce cyber attacks include:

Malware: Malware is software that is designed to damage computer systems, networks, and servers. It can be used to steal or alter data, spread viruses and worms, or render devices inoperable. It is one of the most common forms of cyberattacks and caused 6 out of 10 data breaches in 2018.

Brute Force: A brute force attack is when an attacker tries to crack the password of a website by using programs that attempt every possible combination. This is a time-consuming and expensive type of cyber attack and can be avoided with lockout policies, where users are locked out after a specified number of attempts.

SQL Injection: This attack involves inserting malware into the query submission form of a website. Hackers can then use this code to access the website’s database and view or even delete private data.

Other ecommerce cyber attacks include phishing, where an employee clicks on a link that looks like it comes from a trusted source, but is actually from a fake site. These sites can then steal the employee’s information or money. Another type of eCommerce cyber attack is ransomware, where hackers encrypt files or entire computer systems and demand payment to unlock them.

Another way to protect your eCommerce site is by training your employees on how to avoid these security threats. You can also implement standard safety characteristics such as CIAM authentication and strong password prerequisites to safeguard your customers’ online data.

Brute force attack

A brute force attack is a type of cyber attack in which a bad actor attempts a large number of combinations of account passwords with the hope that one will be successful. This technique is common for sites that use weak or guessable passwords and can be used against multiple accounts at once.

The attacker uses a list of potential credential combinations and login details, or other user logs that may have been compromised from a website security lapse. They then try to match each combination with a user password by using an exhaustive process that includes searching for common dictionary words and patterns, attempting variations of lengths, types, and letter cases, as well as other techniques.

Limiting login attempts and requiring more than just a password to access an account can make brute-force attacks more difficult. Instituting short lockout timers after excessive login attempts can deter hackers, while longer ones can prevent them from returning to try again until another form of authentication is required, such as CAPTCHA (typing images, catching objects, or other forms of verification).

Monitoring networks in real-time is critical to identify brute force attacks and stop them in their tracks. Adding two-factor authentication, using a password manager, and disabling unused accounts can also help to reduce hacker success rates. Encryption is another tactic that can slow down brute force attacks, as it scrambles the data making it nearly impossible to read without the correct decryption key. Taking all of these steps can greatly reduce the impact and cost of a brute-force attack on your business.

Botnet attack

A botnet is a network of devices, such as personal computers, servers, mobile phones, or Internet of Things (IoT) gadgets, infected with malicious malware, and controlled by threat actors. Using bots, attackers can conduct various attacks, such as account takeover, distributed denial of service (DDoS), and phishing campaigns. In addition, hackers can use bots to perform brute force attacks on passwords for accounts they already have stolen credentials for, or to use credential stuffing attacks to gain unauthorized access to customer accounts.

Akamai’s Account Protector solution stops automated bot attacks and credential stuffing attacks with smart detection and mitigation technologies. This allows businesses to stop these cyberattacks without disrupting online relationships and transactions for their customers. Learn how it works today!

Social engineering attack

When it comes to cyber security, most of the threats that attack eCommerce sites stem from human negligence. For example, if an employee uses the same password for their personal and work accounts, they might accidentally allow hackers to breach their work account and gain access to their sensitive company information. Another common type of cyber attack is a brute force attack, where hackers use specialized software to try and guess the login credentials for your website's admin panel.

Social engineering attacks rely on people's natural curiosity or sense of indebtedness to trick victims into taking the attacker's desired action. For example, the attacker may send an email that appears to respond to a question they never asked, ask for confidential information, or include a malware attachment. They may also invoke fear by threatening loss of money or jail time.

A more sophisticated type of attack is the honey trap, in which the attacker entices the victim into an online interaction by pretending to be someone they have a connection with. The attack can take several forms, including an online dating scam or a fake tech support call. Once the victim engages with the attacker, they will likely give up their passwords or other confidential information.

To protect against these kinds of attacks, it's essential to teach employees about the most common types of cyber attacks and how to identify them. In addition, it's important to create a culture where staff report any incidents right away. This will help to minimize the impact of an attack and prevent it from spreading. Finally, it's essential to implement a robust cyber security system that protects the integrity of data and provides scalable cloud or on-premise file storage for eCommerce businesses.

Tips for Sober Cyber Security

Cyber security is a top concern for online retailers, particularly during the holidays. Customers submit sensitive information to eCommerce sites – including credit/debit card numbers, bank accounts, and passwords – all of which can be hacked by malicious individuals and sold on the dark web for fraudulent activities such as identity theft. In order to prevent this, retailers must invest in robust security measures.

Make sure your staff are aware of the most common threats to an eCommerce site. This will ensure they are able to recognize potential attacks and protect their company from a loss of revenue and reputation.

The Sober in Cyber initiative is a non-profit organization that hosts in-person and virtual events for sober people working in cybersecurity. This allows them to conduct professional networking and build community without the pressure of alcohol.

If a sober monitor has anything to drink before or during an event, it sends the message that they are more concerned about their own drinking than their guests’ safety and comfort. It also sets a bad precedent that they are not to be trusted in a role that requires them to be sober.

Be mindful of people and environments that trigger cravings, especially during the holiday season. This may mean blocking acquaintances who are known to drink or going to fellowship meetings that are alcohol-free. It is also important to have a support system in place that you can reach out to. This could be a sponsor, family member, or group of fellow sober friends who can help keep you accountable for your sobriety. Make sure to check in with these people, whether it’s over the phone, on video chat, or face-to-face.

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