Shopping Cart Security Measures

Protect the most valuable part of your ecommerce platform.

Shopping cart security is vital.

As an ecommerce business, your website handles a massive amount of valuable customer data and payment credentials. [Top-notch security](v) is your number one priority, because anything less than that could lead to disastrous consequences. As the portal for all transactions, the shopping cart feature is the most crucial area for airtight security. Take the following into consideration as you build your shopping cart tool.

What Does a Secure Shopping Cart Mean?

One may think that having an SSL/TLS certificate guarantees that your website is completely safe. But security, especially when money and customer data is concerned, is built on much more than that. As a rule, you should always have more than one or two security measures in place, so that if one of them fails, your site is not left vulnerable. Pay special attention that the integration between your shopping cart and your CRM is secure. Moreover, you should keep in mind that what “secure” means is always changing: as the owner of a website, you should stay current on the latest types of cyber-attacks and the most current software updates.

Types of Danger

There are many ways that hackers can try to get into your shopping cart’s data, and those methods are constantly evolving. Many attacks involve hackers accessing the back end of your site through the front end. For instance, an SQL injection involves a hacker sending commands to your SQL-powered database through a portal such as the log-in, where they have the power to manipulate your site or view private information. Hackers are also prone to try to manipulate the price of a product, or set up a cross-site faux portal to fool users. In addition to coding with these kinds of attacks in mind, monitor your platform and your records, and react quickly to any suspicious looking activity.

Set Limits One thing that is very easy for computers to do is perform one function over and over. A simple for-loop (a programming mechanism learned in most introductory programming classes) can run through a series of steps until a certain goal is reached. This is a functionality that plays to hackers’ favor if you do not account for it. Design your website so that it recognizes a continuous series of probes. For instance, put a limit on how many times a user can attempt to log-in. Have your system raise a flag if a single IP address is attempting to make an obscene number of purchases. This should not inconvenience normal users, and it can make a big difference in preventing a security breach.

Don't Sacrifice Safety for a Deadline

In the ecommerce world, it is easy to want to rush the building of your platform in order to keep up. However, many vulnerabilities of shopping carts exist in the coding itself. Whether you are building the cart yourself or you are using an outside developer, do not let time become prioritized over thoroughness. Remember, in the world of computer programming, something as simple as a misplaced colon can make an enormous difference. Give yourself and your developers enough time to prevent any holes. You may also consider using Authorize.net or PayPal integration that is already developed if you are worried about time.

Clarity Can Help

To build an ecommerce platform with shopping cart security that is right for you, or if you need assistance with implementing a secure shopping cart system, contact us for a free quote today!