We have all perused news articles exposing the vulnerabilities of specific mobile phone applications and social media sites. These pieces will often mention the threats posed by spyware, malware and similar types of malicious content. In fact, your information might have even been compromised in the past. Do these very same dangers extend to a small Norfolk-based retail website? Certainly not, as cyber criminals only target big businesses and credit card information. This is actually more of a myth as opposed to an accurate observation. You may be surprised to learn that a growing number of smaller businesses have experienced serious data breaches in recent times. Why is this the case and how can trusted ecommerce platforms be of assistance?
A Larger Threat than You May Have Realised
Cyber criminals are extremely intelligent and one of the main issues faced by security teams is that their methods evolve at a breakneck pace. This makes thwarting the latest threats exceedingly difficult. In fact, many software patches are only created once a flaw in a system has already been exploited. These situations tended to be limited to big businesses such as Amazon and Apple in the past. However, cyber criminals are now targeting smaller firms due to the fact that the majority do not have the proper protocols in place.
So, it is relatively easy to steal your data. Perhaps more worrisome is the fact that the personal information of your customers (such as home addresses or credit card numbers) can become compromised. This would irrevocably damage the reputation of your business and there is no doubt that a great number of customers will be lost as a result. So, what can you do to protect yourself from such emerging risks?
Ground-up Protection from the Digital Age: Better to be Safe Than Sorry
The first step is to use your website in synergy with a trusted e-commerce application such as Shopify. As there is a great deal of antivirus technology already built into this software, you will be provided with a robust firewall. It is also possible to adjust many of the associated settings so that your platform can become fully customised (such as blocking access from a certain portion of the world or identifying sources of spam).
Another excellent suggestion is to use a professional antivirus software bundle such as Norton or Avast. This architecture is updated constantly, so the latest threats are able to be quarantined and removed before they can cause any real damage. Check to see if these services can be used in conjunction with your website, as coding issues can occur on occasion.
Please note that this article was not intended to exhibit an alarmist flavour. It is instead aimed at educating local Norfolk businesses in regards to the online threats which currently exist. A bit of preparation goes a long way in this sense. If you believe that your portal might be at risk, it is better to take a proactive approach as soon as possible.