Magento Security Best Practices: How to Keep Your Online Store Safe

As eCommerce continues to expand globally, running a secure online business has become increasingly challenging due to the numerous risks that websites face today. Magento is one of the most popular platforms for B2B eCommerce development and, as a result, is a prime target for cyberattacks. As per the experts doing professional SEO services in Orlando, prioritizing Magento store security is a determining factor in safeguarding your customers’ personal and financial information. Seeking assistance from a Magento development services company will be an intelligent decision.

This blog will discuss the best practices to safeguard your Magento store.

1. Use reCAPTCHA

Implementing Magento 2 reCAPTCHA is a dependable and effective way to protect your website from fraud and cyber-attacks. This powerful tool can block spam and protect your site from hackers. The primary function of reCAPTCHA is to identify whether the login session initiated on your website is from a human or an automated bot. Website owners widely use it to ensure their sites’ security against attacks and that search engine spiders crawl only the necessary web pages. This action will help prevent spam content from putting your website at risk.

2. Update to the Most Recent Version

Regularly updating and maintaining your Magento website to the latest version is mandatory, as each release offers new features that enhance security and performance. While it may seem simple, many store owners need help with the process. They identify and fix known security issues and add new security features to enhance the platform’s overall security and resilience. Typically, every new Magento update includes fixes for previous security patches. Once a stable version is available, test it for compatibility. Adobe now offers security-only patches for all Magento releases in version 2.3.3 and above. 

3. Implement Two-factor Authentication

A two-factor authentication is a security option that involves several methods, including Google Authenticator, Authy, Duo Security, and more. The built-in Magento Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) extension is a powerful security feature. With 2FA, you need a password and a security code generated on your device to access your Magento admin username. Requiring a security code generated on your device, 2FA ensures that only authorized users can access your Magento admin area. Enabling 2FA in Magento is easy. Once you allow the 2FA extension, you can use an authenticator app, such as Google Authenticator, to generate the security code. Every time you log in to your Magento admin username, it prompts you to enter the security code and password. This process is easy for the user to set up and use, but it adds impressive security to your Magento store.

4. Get an Encrypted Connection (SSL or HTTPS)

Keeping your website secure is critical, and one of the simplest ways to achieve this is to ensure that you use a secure connection. A secure connection is consequential if your website is an eCommerce store that collects sensitive customer information, such as credit card details. Fortunately, obtaining a secure connection on your Magento website is easy. To acquire a secure connection, enable HTTPS or SSL by going to the “Use Secure URLs” tab in the Magento setup menu. Having an SSL certificate makes your website more secure and helps ensure that your website is PCI-compliant, which is a must for conducting secure online transactions.

5. Site Backup

Maintaining reliable backups guarantees your Magento store’s security and integrity. To re-confirm the safety of your backups, you can use the built-in backup features provided by Magento or recommended third-party tools. Additionally, it’s a good practice to set up cron jobs on your server to back up the file system or database at specific intervals. It will ensure that your backups are up-to-date and that you have recent copies of your store’s data in case of a security breach, hardware failure, or other unforeseen events. To increase security, consider storing your backups on remote servers. Remote backups will provide you with a reliable and secure version of your website that you can easily access if something goes wrong.

6. Use a Unique Url for the Admin Dashboard

Setting up a custom path for your admin panel is fundamental to securing your Magento website. Hackers can easily find the default admin panel by visiting my-site.com/admin, which can pose a security threat. You can use a unique phrase for the admin path, which should be difficult to guess. By doing so, even if hackers get your password, they won’t be able to find your Magento store’s admin login page.

To change the Magento admin URL, you can edit the local.xml file in Magento 1 or the env.php file in Magento 2. This simple process can be completed by developers or with the help of a Magento professional. Once you’ve customized the URL, keep it private and do not share it with others unless necessary. By setting up a custom admin panel path, you can add an extra layer of security to your Magento website and protect it from unwanted visitors.

7. Make Use of Secure and Strong Passwords

Using a simple password for your online store is like leaving the front door of your house unlocked. It is indispensable to use unique passwords for each of your accounts. If one password is compromised, it won’t affect all your other accounts. Another option is to use a passphrase, a sequence of words or text that is easy for you to remember but difficult for others to guess. Using a password manager is also recommended for securely storing your passwords.

Password managers generate complex and unique passwords for each of your accounts and help simplify managing multiple passwords while maintaining their security. Enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA) is another decisive facet of Magento security. MFA adds an extra layer of protection to your login process by requiring a second factor, such as a fingerprint or a one-time code sent to your phone, in addition to your password. So always use a complex password and enable MFA for your Magento store to keep your sensitive data safe and secure.

8. Prevent MySQL Injection with a Firewall

Adding a web application firewall (WAF) to your Magento website is pre-eminent to enhancing your website’s security. A WAF constantly monitors and filters incoming web traffic, detecting any suspicious patterns that could indicate an attack. It helps prevent malicious traffic from reaching your server and blocks any new threats in real-time. In addition to detecting and preventing SQL injection and cross-site scripting attacks, a WAF also safeguards against other types of cyberattacks, such as distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. While Magento has built-in security measures to prevent MySQL injection attacks, a firewall application can add an additional layer of security to your website. Using a reputable WAF constantly updated with the latest security patches and features is highly recommended to stay ahead of emerging threats. With a WAF, you can rest assured that your Magento website is protected against potential security breaches and attacks.

Wrapping Up

Ensuring the security of your Magento store is vital for protecting your business, your customers, and their sensitive information. While there is no guarantee of complete safety, implementing standard security measures can tremendously reduce the risk of a data breach. Remember that prevention is always better than cure, and staying vigilant is the key to maintaining a secure online presence. 

It is also advisable to invest in high-quality hosting services that offer advanced security features such as firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems, and DDoS protection. But don’t stop there! It’s also significant to regularly monitor your website for suspicious activity and perform regular security audits to identify any vulnerabilities attackers could exploit. With these measures, you can protect your Magento store from potential threats and keep your business and customers safe.