Security Issues in E-commerce Home Business

With the introduction of the Internet, the world of trading has undergone tremendous changes. A term ‘e-commerce’ was born and ever since, the market hasn’t been what it once was. Far be it that this means a gloomy present for the world of trading, in fact, the Internet has supplied a lot of benefits for the market. Despite this, however, the downsides to e-commerce do exist, and they mostly revolve around issues that concern security.

Privacy

Identity theft and impersonation are in the very top of e-commerce security issues. While individual cases of the mentioned issues are far from benign, cases of massive international security breaches are almost difficult to even comprehend. The consumers’ trust in a business is directly related to its respect for customer privacy.  Additionally, in order to make sure its consumers remain loyal, any company has to evoke trust in its customers.  This further leads to openness to trying new products, an increase in sales, as well as willingness to take part in various programs. Therefore, privacy is one of main concerns when it comes to security.

Integrity and Authentication

Data integrity is defined as the assurance that transmitted data is consistent, correct, as well as untampered and changed during transmission. Authentication, on the other hand, is a means to make sure that each side of a transaction is certain that those on the other end of the rope are really who they say they are. When it comes to integrity, data hash or checksum are usually enough to make sure that data remains unchanged. When it comes to authentication, however, things tend to get messy, due to techniques such as phishing and man-in-the-middle attacks. One of the main ways to overcome the authentication security threats is by using digital signatures as a means of verification. Also known as electronic signatures, digital signatures are defined as “any letters characters, or symbols manifested by electronic or similar means and executed or adopted by a party with the intent to authenticate a writing”.

Tips for Protection

Now that you are aware of common e-commerce threats, it’s time to approach the means for protection:

• Don’t store sensitive data – It is extremely unwise to store documents with personal information such as credit card numbers, credit verification values and expiration dates. Instead, opt for keeping just enough information for charge-backs and refunds.
• Remote access – No matter how confident you are when it comes to your employees’ loyalty, you need to think beyond that. Sometimes, security leaks happen due to human error. This is where the remote support kicks in, giving you the option to access any platform from anywhere.
• Passwords – Your security is just as strong (or weak) as your password. While pet-name passwords are easy to remember, a quality set of random words and numbers can go a long way in making sure your documents remain safe and untampered with.
• Security training – You’d be amazed if you knew how little your employees know about security threats, and your jaw would drop if you were to find out how basic these things are. This is why setting aside a bit of finance for your employees’ security training can go a long way in helping you protect your legacy.

We hope that we’ve provided you with enough information, when it comes to potential security issues. Keep your eyes peeled and look into security advice online – you can never be careful enough.