WooCommerce has infinite ways to run an eCommerce business just online, but it is also true that there are infinite risks. Cyberattacks, data breaches, and malicious bots not only threaten the privileged information of your customers but also your profits. With a properly structured WooCommerce security checklist, you can defend your business, become accredited, and expand your business further.
In this blog, we can go through a step-by-step security checklist for WooCommerce security.
1. Keep WordPress, WooCommerce & plugins updated
The software that is not updated has vulnerabilities that are the easiest for hackers to take advantage of. So, update your WordPress core, WooCommerce plugin, themes, and extensions. The best thing is, schedule the automatic updates as well.
2. Use strong, unique passwords
Strong passwords are likely the major security loophole. As a lifestyle habit, always create a mixture of upper case, lower case, numbers, and special characters for the admin, FTP, and hosting accounts.
3. Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA)
Two-factor authentication will create a second wall of defence in case hackers guess your password anyway. There are plugins for WooCommerce that enable two-factor authentication, such as Google Authenticator or Wordfence Login Security. You can set this up for your individual admins and customers.
4. Secure your hosting
WooCommerce security starts at your host. You are required to pick a hosting provider that will offer:
- An SSL certificate
- Backups daily
- Protection with the firewall
- Malware scanning keeps your website safe with a respectable job.
5. Purchase an SSL certificate
Any information a user inputs on your website is encrypted by an SSL certificate. Credit cards and logins are the only types of data that will be encrypted. Besides, HTTPS websites are more preferred by Google than HTTP from the SEO perspective.
6. Use a security plugin
WooCommerce dedicated security plugins like Wordfence, iThemes Security, or Sucuri can bring:
- Malware Scanning
- Firewall protection
- Preventing brute force attacks
- Real-time monitoring
These instruments are essential for permanent protection.
7. Limit login attempts
Generally, intruders break your login credentials through a brute force attack. You should restrict the number of login attempts so that it is impossible to carry out an attack. You can get the Login LockDown or Limit Login Attempts Reloaded to make the installs easier.
8. Back Up Your Store Frequently
If you have backups, you are covered in case of a disaster. Within a very short time, you can bring your store, which was WooCommerce, back to a normal situation after it has been attacked. I suggest that you use a plugin or a web service such as UpdraftPlus or BlogVault to automate your backups. Always back up your site once a day or once a week, preferably away from the site, be it at an off-site location or anywhere but your server.
9. Restrict User Roles and Permissions
Not each and every person who is on your WooCommerce dashboard should have full access. Make appropriate decisions on user roles and continually keep an eye on their permissions. For instance, your content writer is the last person who should have the ability to see payment settings.
10. Audit Activity
Gauging what is going on inside your WooCommerce store is a smart decision! A record of activities allows data gathering on logins that were tried, alterations of files, and unusual characters in the environment. WP Activity Log is a plugin that keeps track of numerous activities.
11. Protect your payment gateway
Use only reliable payment gateways like PayPal, Stripe, or Razorpay, which meet the standards of PCI-DSS compliance. Do not save customer payment details that are sensitive on your server.
12. Scan for malware
Identify potential vulnerabilities by using Sucuri SiteCheck or the security scanner provided by your hosting provider. Be a step ahead to protect against attacks.
Conclusion
Keeping your WooCommerce store safe is not just one task; it is a journey. This WooCommerce security checklist is a step-by-step guide that will make you feel that you have taken the right measures to secure your online store from hackers and gain customer trust and loyalty.
Do you want to protect your WooCommerce store and increase your success? Tecnolynx is the place where we, eCommerce businesses, keep our security and performance at the top while also allowing them to scale. Keep reading for the benefits of Shopify for eCommerce growth, or get in touch with us today for the protection and amplification of your WooCommerce store.
