Did you know that there are more than 2 billion ecommerce websites? And Magento, being an active contributor, captures over 7% of the e-commerce market share. According to statistics by the security company Astra, more than 62% of the stores have at least one vulnerability.
Internet Crime Complaint Center claims that victims of cybercrime lost more than $3 billion in 2019, and the numerical value is only going up in 2020. With the number of cyberattacks and data breaches going off the roof, Magento security is crucial.
The above bar graph shows that Magento is the second most attacked CMS out there. (Source: ZDNet)
Hence, in this article, we will discuss some of the best Magento security practices you must include in your security checklist to protect your store.
The right infrastructure will give a boost to your website’s reputation and security. Hence, you must consider a reputed hosting company that doesn’t let you face downtime. Here are some tips that shall help you choose the right web hosting infrastructure for your website:
Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security to your password. Mandating an additional security question, an OTP, or an email verification, along with the password works as two-factor authentication.
The following are certain factors that need to be considered while opting for the right 2FA for your store:
Backing up a website is among the most commonly recommended Magento security practices. This is because when nothing works, you can use a good backup of your website to start afresh. Magento provides backing-up facilities for different parts of the website, such as — databases, file systems, and medical files.
The steps to create a backup on a Magento store are as follows:
The default admin URL is often in the form of http://www.websitename.com/admin, which is widely known, making it much easier to locate your store and crack it via a brute-force attack. The best way you can avoid this fate is by changing your admin URL.
Follow these steps to change the default URL of your store:
SSL ensures a secure connection between the customer and the store. To make sure that your website is SSL encrypted, perform the following steps:
Always limit the access permissions to server activities, files, and folders. Follow the permission guidelines of Magento to ensure that everyone (from subscribers to admins) has the correct permission on the store.
Regularly monitor web server logs for any kind of suspicious activity. You can also implement the Intrusion Detection System (IDS) to add an extra layer of security.
You can also monitor whether new admin users have been created or not, in the Admins action log. For any unsuspected logins, monitor all system logins (FTP, SSH, SFTP).
The best way to protect a website from a possible hack is to get your store audited by security professionals. The known security service company Astra Security provides a thorough and in-depth security audit that uncovers all security defects, vulnerabilities, loopholes, and other flaws in your security system and protocols. It runs over 1250 tests, including code analysis, network configuration tests, business logic error testing, payment security, and so on.
A quick video to understand how hackers hack your Magento store: https://youtu.be/-1XuLrF5bL
VAPT plans come in three different packages called: Basic, Expert & Elite. This is what the VAPT process at Astra looks like:
If you know your store in and out and have a decent experience in technology, you can leverage the following security audit tools to your benefit. For the detailed process of Magento security audit, follow this guide.