Every year, security threats in e-commerce cost online retailers billions of dollars. These threats are so devastating that they can even force online stores to shut down. Although many e-commerce businesses are taking security seriously, cybercriminals still attack them because they deal with sensitive data and financial transactions.
The e-commerce industry accounts for 32.4% of all cyberattacks.
This is why, e-commerce website’s owners need to understand the cyber threat landscape and implement the best security measures. In this blog, we have listed the top 10 latest e-commerce security threats that are troubling business owners and their best solutions.
Why is E-commerce Security Important?
E-commerce security is important to protect both customers and businesses from various cyber threats and security risks associated with online shopping and marketing. But by implementing effective security measures, e-commerce platforms can prevent data loss, ensure compliance, and attract more customers.
1. Protect Customer Data
E-commerce platforms typically collect and store all the sensitive information from customers such as credit card numbers, bank details, addresses, and personal information. If you fail to secure this data, it can lead to identity theft and harm to the individuals. Additionally, failing to secure customer data can lead to a loss of reputation.
2. Prevent Financial Loss
With 2,200 cyberattacks happening every day, you might be the next target. Since e-commerce websites handle financial transactions, any breach can result in financial loss, both for businesses and customers. Additionally, conducting security tests regularly costs far less than recovering from a breach.
3. Comply with Industry Regulations
Many industries have strict regulations for protecting customer data online. For example, PCI DSS, GDPR, SOC 2, and ISO 27001. These regulations make it mandatory to conduct regular security checks as a part of their cybersecurity. Not complying with these regulations can lead to legal problems, fines, and reputation loss.
4. Attract More Customers
Customers are more likely to choose safe e-commerce sites. Since e-commerce platforms consistently compete with each other, having strong security can give you a competitive advantage. By focusing on the best security practices, you can attract and retain more customers.
Top 10 Latest Security Threats in E-Commerce
Keeping your e-commerce business running and building a loyal customer base requires you to be ahead of evolving security threats. E-commerce attacks can come in various forms that can disrupt your platform and harm your customer’s account and data. Here are 10 latest e-commerce security threats that you need to be aware of:
1. Payment Manipulation
Payment manipulations are now a severe cyber threat in e-commerce, where cybercriminals exploit vulnerabilities in payment processes to steal money or sensitive information. This type of threat occurs when hackers tamper with customer’s payment data. They redirect funds to their accounts or manipulate transaction details to deceive both customers and vendors. Such cyber threats can result in financial losses and break customer trust.
2. Coupon Manipulation
Coupon manipulation is where fraudsters exploit discounts or promotional offers to cheat the system for personal gain. This type of cyber threat involves the misuse of coupons, such as generating fake or unauthorized codes, exploiting loopholes in the redemption process, or abusing the terms and conditions to get illegal discounts. Coupon manipulation not only results in financial losses but also damages the integrity of promotional campaigns.
3. Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF)
In cross-site request forgery (CSRF), the attackers trick users into taking unwanted actions on their behalf, without their consent. For example, they could trick you change your delivery address or payment information. Such attacks can occur when a malicious website or email forces the user to make the necessary changes in the e-commerce platform. It can lead to account takeovers, unauthorized transactions, or data breaches.
4. Data Base Takeover Through SQL Injection
SQL injections allow attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data stored in the website’s database. This type of attack happens when cybercriminals exploit vulnerabilities in the website’s code to insert malicious SQL commands. As a result, the commands manipulate or receive sensitive information from the database. In e-commerce platforms, it could lead to the theft of customer’s private information such as credit card details, addresses, and purchase history.
5. Business Logic Issue
The business logic issue is a significant e-commerce cyber threat that arises from errors in the logic of their operations. These issues occur when the business rules and workflows implemented in the system are not properly validated. This can give rise to vulnerabilities that can be exploited by attackers. In e-commerce, business logic issues can result in various problems such as incorrect pricing, errors in order processing, or unauthorized access to sensitive data.
6. Payment Gateway Bypass
In payment gateway bypass, attackers exploit vulnerabilities in the payment processing system to gain unauthorized access to financial transactions. This type of cyberattack occurs when attackers manipulate payment data during the transaction process, bypassing the payment gateway’s authentication and encryption mechanisms. As a result, they can steal private data such as credit card details, compromise user accounts, or carry out illegal transactions without any detection.
7. User Account Takeover
Attackers can easily gain unauthorized access to user accounts in e-commerce websites through various ways such as credential stuffing or exploiting weak passwords. Once an attacker gains access, they can perform many fraudulent activities such as stealing personal information, making unauthorized purchases, or conducting identity theft. This not only results in financial loss but also damages the trustworthiness of the e-commerce platform.
8. OTP Bypass
OTP (One-Time Password) bypass is one of the most recent security threats in e-commerce that everyone needs to be aware of. It is where attackers try to bypass the security measures that rely on OTPs to authenticate users. Here, the attacker intercepts or manipulates the OTP sent to the user’s registered mobile number or email during the authentication process. By exploiting vulnerabilities in OTP delivery or validation, attackers can gain unauthorized access to user accounts. As a result, they can perform fraudulent transactions or steal sensitive data.
| Also Read – Top 10 Web Application Vulnerabilities |
9. Brute Force Attack
Nowadays, cybercriminals use automated tools to systematically guess passwords or encryption keys to gain unauthorized access. Brute force attacks basically rely on the sheer volume of attempts made by the attacker to eventually discover the correct credentials through trial and error. After they successfully guess the credentials, they can compromise user accounts, steal personal information, or make fraudulent transactions.
10. Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
Cross-site scripting (XSS) is where attackers inject malicious scripts into the e-commerce website that are viewed by other users. This type of attack occurs when the website fails to validate user inputs, which allows attackers to inject harmful scripts that can steal sensitive information, hijack user activities, or redirect users to malicious websites. It will eventually lead to data theft and financial loss.
E-commerce Security Solutions for Latest Security Threats
All these above-mentioned security threats in e commerce require top security solutions. Here is a noteworthy list of 7 e-commerce security solutions that can ease your life:
Solution 1 – Implement A Secure Firewall
A strong firewall system can detect and stop various cyberattacks on the e-commerce platform. It acts like a shield against malicious traffic and ensures your website stays accessible. Additionally, it blocks suspicious networks, cross-site scripting (XSS), and SQL injections. It also helps manage the network traffic flow to and from your online store.
Solution 2 – Use Secure Payment Gateways
Avoid keeping customer credit card information in your database. Instead, use third-party services like Stripe and PayPal to handle payment transactions off-site. This protects your customer’s personal and financial information in a better way. Also, if your business stores financial data, ensure compliance with PCI DSS regulations.
Solution 3 – Have Multi-Layered Security
Use a strong multi-layer security system, which includes using CAPTCHA tests and bot detection tools. This will differentiate between genuine users and malicious bots that hackers use. You can also add multi-factor authentication for additional security to protect your site from unauthorized access. Some other popular multi-layered security methods include:
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- Two-factor authentication (2FA)
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- OTP (one-time password) along with personal ID
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- Content Delivery Network (CDN)
Solution 4 – Switch to HTTPS Protocol
Using outdated HTTP protocol can be a huge security risk for your e-commerce website and your customers. Use HTTPS to encrypt data sent between users’ browsers and your site. This will display a trustworthy “green lock” symbol on the URL bar, assuring customers that their private information is protected. Additionally, switching to HTTPS also helps you rank better in Google search engine results.
Solution 5 – Conduct VAPT Assessments
Employ a third-party cybersecurity company to perform vulnerability assessment and penetration testing (VAPT) on your e-commerce platform. VAPT is the process of identifying and exploiting vulnerabilities present in the applications, websites, and networks that could lead to a cyberattack. As a result, you can fix these vulnerabilities and make your security stronger. Additionally, the VAPT report also helps you comply with necessary industry regulations, preventing legal penalties and fines.
Want to see a real VAPT report? Simply click below and download it instantly!
Latest Penetration Testing Report
Solution 6 – Use SSL Certificates
Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificates are files or keys that secure transactions across different paths on a network. These certificates are linked to credit card details and transactions to regular queries. They encrypt data and secure the information you send from your end to the server. If you are doing any kind of business transactions on your website, you require SSL certificates.
Solution 7 – Secure your Servers and Admin Panels
Most e-commerce platforms often come with default passwords that are very easy to guess. If you don’t change them, you are opening yourself up for a possible attack. Use complex passwords and usernames (characters, symbols, and numbers) and change them frequently. You can also go one step further by making the panel notify you whenever an unknown IP tries logging in.
Conclusion
Security threats in e-commerce are evolving and getting more vigilant. This means, businesses must implement a variety of strong security measures to protect their e-commerce websites and applications from cybercriminals.
The solutions listed in this blog are some of the best e-commerce cybersecurity practices that you can adopt to enhance your security posture. By implementing these security measures, you can protect your customer data, prevent financial losses, and maintain your reputation in the online market.
Are you looking for the best cybersecurity company to protect your e-commerce business? Qualysec Technologies provides process-based VAPT services that can help you prevent cyberattacks. Protect sensitive customer data and ensure secure transactions by choosing us as your e-commerce security partner. Contact us now!
Talk to our Cybersecurity Expert to discuss your specific needs and how we can help your business.
Talk to our Cybersecurity Expert to discuss your specific needs and how we can help your business.
FAQs
Q: What are the security threats in e commerce?
A: The biggest security threats in e-commerce include:
- Payment Manipulation
- Data Base Takeover Through SQL Injection
- Payment Gateway Bypass
- OTP Bypass
- Brute Force Attack
- Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
Q: What is e-commerce security?
A: E-commerce security is the protection of e-commerce websites, applications, and APIs from unauthorized access, data breaches, and destruction or alteration of user activities.
Q: What is the cyber risk of e-commerce?
A: The e-commerce industry accounts for 32% of all cyberattacks globally. This is because e-commerce platforms store highly sensitive customer data and manage payment transactions. Also, most e-commerce companies lack high-quality cybersecurity.
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