WooCommerce is a customizable, open-source eCommerce platform built on top of WordPress. It is the most popular and trusted eCommerce solution since it is built on WordPress (the most trusted blogging service with a good percentage of the web using the web is using it). WooCommerce stores are very simple to set up and start selling; with just a plugin, you can set up a huge eCommerce platform and start selling. WooCommerce is free and simple to use, and also it comes with numerous premium themes to give it your desired look.
How can you fix WooCommerce’s common security issues?
WooCommerce store security is essential for its users (customers and business owners), and it should not be taken lightly. Below are tips that will help you to limit potential damage on your WooCommerce websites.
Update WordPress to the latest version.
WordPress updates always come with better security solutions to protect its many clients all over the globe. Updating to the latest version safeguards your site against intrusion from online criminals. Therefore, updating your site to the latest version possible improves the site’s security. WooCommerce websites contain lots of customers` private information like contact and financial information, which should be safeguarded to retain your customers` loyalty.
Use security plugins.
There are many security plugins for WordPress sites that help protect the site against unauthorized access. To achieve the requirements in WooCommerce, you should install only one security plugin. For instance, Secure Login and 2FA plugin for WordPress makes it possible to use double-factor authentication in WordPress sites.
Choose secure and reliable hosting.
There are numerous critical considerations when you choose a woo commerce store. For instance, choosing a dedicated hosting provider over shared hosting, choosing a provider that maintains regular backups, a web host should offer firewalls capable of protecting your network against intrusions, and also a hosting provider should provide anti-malware provide an anti-malware to protect your services from malware attacks.
If your web hosting provider does not meet any of these thresholds, it would be best to keep searching for a more secure provider.
Create strong usernames and passwords.
It is hard to predict passwords that are a combination of letters (both uppercase and lowercase), numbers, and signs, making it hard to bypass login security. Brute force attacks use algorithms that try out many username and password combinations several times; if the system allows for limitless login trials/fails, a brute force attack may succeed. So, it’s very important to create usernames and passwords that are not related in any way.
Add SSL certificate.
A secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificate is crucial very crucial for a secure and reliable e-commerce website. SSL certificate helps in maintaining a secure transfer of data from the browser to the server. SSL certificate encrypts data (into unreadable format) and decrypts this data into important information upon reaching the server. Customers` safety of private and sensitive information is protected when using SSL certificates, hence gaining their loyalty. Security Socket Layer security protects sensitive data such as personal data, credit card numbers, and financial information from access by cybercriminals. In addition, it prevents unauthorized persons from accessing, reading, or modifying any personal information. This is very crucial when a customer is buying goods from an eCommerce website through a web browser. Therefore, it is always advisable to visit secure websites.
Choosing the right SSL certificate is equally important to meet your business’s unique cybersecurity needs. For webshop owners, we strongly recommend going for a wildcard SSL certificate because it helps you to secure multiple sub-domains in a single cost.
Use 2FA.
Two-factor authentication or dual-factor authentication is another way to protect your website. Users of a website are required to verify themselves following two steps or twice to be allowed in. 2FA authentication is used used to protect both the users` credentials and resources. It works by using password login for the first authentication and providing a security code (code is sent to your phone) or even biometric information for the final authentication. 2FA is hard to bypass, and it has been used to safeguard sensitive systems.
Limit login attempts.
Most hackers use brute force attacks to bypass security in most sites. Brute force attacks leverage the number of login attempts trying out different combinations until they finally get it right. Limiting the number of login attempts protects a website against this type of attack.
Change the admin username.
Please avoid using the most used username Admin because hackers know most users forget other forget to other usernames for their account. So, like your password, create a meaningless username. To avoid admin usernames issues in WordPress login, you can switch from using usernames to email addresses. Usernames can be the same, but the email but email address is unique to every user.
Up-to-date themes and plugins.
Updated plugins or themes mostly (not all updates) come with better security updates. Therefore, it is important to use up-to-date plugins or themes in WooCommerce since old or outdated plugins might have security loopholes that leave your eCommerce store vulnerable to attacks from hackers.
Scan sites for malware and vulnerabilities.
Site safety is crucial to maintain its usefulness. So, scanning your website is necessary to find issues and vulnerabilities. In WooCommerce, there are security plugins with security functionalities like scanning for threats in your store plus fixes and suggestions on how to avoid such issues. This helps a lot in monitoring for failures and issues in WooCommerce store’s websites.
Do backups regularly.
Backups involve making copies of all your website data. So, when there is an issue with your server/website, you can revert to the last state of your website. Some hosting providers offer backup services to all their customers, while others buy an add-on that facilitates backups. Backups can be done daily, weekly, or on-demand. Backups are ais a lifeline to your WooCommerce store in avoiding website downtimes.
Conclusion:
As per research, WooCommerce holds more than 42% market share and is ideal for startups. It is, therefore, necessary to secure such an in-demand store. The above-discussed steps will bring strong security against potential risk. However, there are many other tips to protect WooCommerce stores that you can consider.