Why Web Hosting Needed For a Secured E-Commerce Site

Any e-commerce business that wants to be effective and profitable in today’s ever-demanding market you need to have a strong online presence that is backed up by different business strategies. It is important that your business site is user-friendly, reliable, functional, and above all safe. E-commerce businesses offer unlimited opportunities for small to mid-size businesses(SMBs). The power of technology has made even small, simple websites reach out to a wide range of customers with the help of the internet.

As much as these e-commerce websites bring in sales and high revenue, there are prone to cybercrime and online frauds all over the world. Even though these business owners are tech savvy some of them often lack cybersecurity. This has been a real challenge to many e-commerce website owners because if this issue is not dealt with. Owners can risk losing customer data and even their site to these hackers. If you have an online store, it is important for you to have an excellent web hosting provider that can you manage security as well as provide all the essentials that are required for a successful website. Looking for a good and reliable hosting provider, find the best website host for your site only on Hosting Foundry.

Why is security such a growing problem?
Cybersecurity basically means protecting your website or e-commerce website by detecting and preventing cyber threats on the internet. Websites are prone to hackers and breachers almost every day and it is important that business owners must protect their site from being compromised. Consumers have embraced the internet and have become a preferred means of business. Consumers can access sites from their physical homes, no matter where they are located. That’s why it is important to have a reliable hosting service that can protect your site and contribute to making the user experience better.

Why Web Hosting Needed For a Secured E-Commerce Site
Web hosting providers are aware of the demand for security and keep updating their systems to meet the needs of their customers and clients. So, choose a reliable provider that provides all the essential and necessary tools to ensure your online store’s security is important. When choosing a hosting service make sure these points can be considered while evaluating a web host:

a. Choose a secured e-commerce platform
As much as an e-commerce platform helps in building an excellent storefront of your website. You must consider other factors such as features, payment gateways, and a good reputation for security and updates. There are plenty of e-commerce platforms out there and you need to wise in selecting the one that works best for you. The last thing you would want is to be hacked and losing all your data to hackers and cybercriminals. Make sure you keep up with the latest updates that are available for your platform because ultimately is your responsibility even though you may not be the technical person or service behind it.

b. Use HTTPS
When talking about secured and safe connections, a website that uses HTTPS is a must as it builds trust and credibility. Secure Socket Layers (SSL) certificate provides an encrypted bridge between the web server and browser. This also sends positive signals to search engines that draw in more traffic. Once you have acquired this certificate it will help you make safer transactions and purchases. It is one of the most important components of an e-commerce website that helps in preventing online fraud and form secured links.

c. SFTP
This feature may not be beneficial to all, but some hosting providers offer FTP access that allows you to upload files from your computer to the server. It gives you 24/7 access to your server through the internet. You can simply drag your files and place them on your website from the internet. While FTP is fairly secure, Secured Files Transfer Protocol (SFTP) creates a more secure service and adds a layer of protection. Files can be intercepted and even modified with little to no indication. SFTP closes this vulnerability. Check to make sure this option is available to you via your web host. Want to know more about the difference between SFTP and FTP? See here.

d. Regular Backups
Hosting services that provide regular backups are vital to protect your website in case of a breach. The majority of hosting services allow you to backup your won site with a tool in the control panel. However, make sure how often your website hosting provider backs up your data, where they are stored and what methods do they use.

e. Server maintenance
Cybercriminals are always looking for ways to infiltrate your website to steal sensitive information. Make sure that your hosting service performs regular scans on your e-commerce website to detect any breach that has or could occur. By regular scan checks, you can reduce the risks and take the necessary steps in protecting your site. Make sure your programs and tools have all the top upgrades and patches that leave very little space for hackers to enter your network.

f. Ensure Your Website is PCI DSS Compliant

In order to detect any discrepancy during an online transaction, ensure that your e-commerce website is PCI DSS compliant. It is a standard security measure that increases admin control of customer card data in order to reduce credit card frauds. To stay on top of evolving threats this is a great security measure that will build relationships with your customers so that they feel secure. With this feature, your site will detect any potential breach and prevent it before it compromises your data account.

By taking the above points into consideration, SMBs owners can confidently keep their customers safe and enhance the e-commerce experience.