Magento 2 being a versatile and user-friendly eCommerce platform is the preferred choice for online sellers around the world. Its pervasive usage by businesses across the board, gives it a huge active support community. Its robust security features are a big reason for its popularity among eCommerce businesses. In spite of all these features, Magento 2 is not free from security vulnerabilities. A recent research indicates that 87% of SME websites using the Magento are at high risk from cyber attacks.

These findings are a major cause of concern for eCommerce businesses using Magento 2. But if you keep yourself updated with the latest security patches and other security measures that Magento releases from time to time, you can make your Magento 2 platform immune to all sorts of security risks. Keeping in touch with Magento communities can also help you in reducing the security vulnerabilities of your web site.

There are a number of best practices that you may follow to make your Magento 2 site impermeable to cyber attacks. Let’s find out what these practices are how they keep cyber threats at bay:

1. Use the latest version and security patches

This is the first and most basic practice to protect your Magento 2 site against cyber crimes. You should make sure that your eCommerce platform uses the most recent version of Magento 2. It gives you automatic access to the latest security tools and measures applied by Magento. Hackers find it difficult to keep pace with the newer versions and hence are unable to break the security features. Magento also keeps bolstering the security apparatus in the form of patches.

These patches are regularly released by Magento; all you have to do is routinely check for the latest patches and apply them. For example, SUPEE-10975 released in November 2018 contains several security updates that can cover vulnerabilities in Magento Commerce prior to 1.14.4.0 and Open Source prior to 1.9.4.0. If you are not an expert on security patches, hire the services of a dedicated Magento developer.

2. Use extensions judiciously

Magento 2 offers a wide range of extensions that you can install to enhance the efficiency of your eCommerce platform. Indiscriminate use of these extensions can prove to be a security threat as these may not conform with the security set up of the platform. Hence Magento now mandates quality reviews and code checks before these extensions are applied. You should also insist on reading these reviews and developer profiles before installing any extensions. The things you should consider in the reviews include number total reviews given, number of positive reviews, for how many years the company has been in business and any other extension that the company has developed for the Magento 2 Marketplace.

The hallmark of a good extension development company is the timely release of upgrades. They also update the security guidelines and fix bugs on a regular basis. It is advisable that you use the latest version of the extension on your site.

3. Keep a site backup

Having a backup for your eCommerce site may not qualify as protection against cyber crimes, but it certainly proves to be a great strategy in the event of an attack by hackers. Cyber criminals often add malicious files to your site and use malware to malign your reputation as an eCommerce player. Such attacks not only hamper your business but also have a negative impact on your current and potential buyers. If at all your site comes under such an attack, site backup enables you to restore the affected pages quickly and efficiently. This practice also helps you in getting your business up and running in the unlikely event of a server crash or database crash.

4. Use Secure SFTP

Also referred to as Secure File Transfer Protocol, SFTP is a great way to secure your eCommerce site against cyber attacks. This protocol gives you a secure connection to access the file system of your site. In addition to using SFTP, you can also create complex and randomly generated passwords for the use of your Magento development partner. This way you will be able to add another layer of security for your Magento eCommerce site.

5. Use a Reliable Hosting Provider

Shared hosting plans are popular among eCommerce players as they save them a lot of money. However, from a security point of view, these plans are more susceptible to security breaches as hackers can easily access the hosting provider. Dedicated hosting plans, on the other hand, are a bit expensive, but offer better security for your store. While choosing a hosting plan make sure that you only go for a reputed and reliable service provider. The mark of a good service provider is its robust security infrastructure and excellent customer service, make sure to read reviews before going with one.

Conclusion

Ensuring the security of their Magento site has always been a top priority of eCommerce players. In spite of being a robust eCommerce platform from a security point of view, Magento 2 is not 100 percent impenetrable to security breaches from hackers. Being vigilant and applying the latest security measures is the only way to secure your site against cyber attacks.

If you want to protect your Magento 2 web site against security breaches, hire experts with Magnomates, a reputed name in Magento development and site management. Our experts are well versed with the latest tools and best practices used in securing your site against cyber attacks.