Running an online store in today's world carries significant risk, particularly with the ever-growing prevalence of cybercrime. The eCommerce industry is particularly susceptible to security threats due to the handling of financial transactions and sensitive customer data.

Studies indicate that Magento is a popular choice for developing secure eCommerce websites, with a track record of regularly improving performance. However, Magento is also vulnerable to higher risks of cyberattacks. But don’t worry, if you have upgraded your Magento platform to Magento 2, this article is for you.

In this article, we will discuss the essential tips that will help you maximize Magento 2 security. The security practices outlined below can be implemented throughout the development process and after the launch of a Magento 2.0 storefront.

So, let’s begin with Magento 2

What is Magento 2

Similar to WordPress, Magento 2 is a Content Management System (CMS) that is open-source and helps business owners and retailers expand their online businesses in the eCommerce industry. This platform is constructed using PHP and is designed to enable developers to build eCommerce websites.

Currently, hundreds of thousands of business owners worldwide utilize Magento eCommerce, including significant brands like Samsung, Nike, and Coca-Cola, who rely on it to power their online stores. Studies indicate that Magento eCommerce has been one of the leading online store solutions for over a decade, thanks to its advanced inventory management, powerful CMS, and omnichannel marketing capabilities

If you are curious about what Magento 2 is, it is an improved version of Magento 1.0, which was the original and free edition that was introduced several years ago. Magento 2 is the most recent iteration of the enterprise-class eCommerce platform, which is currently leveraged by over 200,000 online retailers.

Magento 2 Security Tips and Tricks

Upgrade to the latest version of Magento

It's important to note that Magento is open-source software, meaning anyone can contribute to its development. However, this also makes it a target for hackers who have a deep understanding of the platform and can exploit vulnerabilities to target business owners using it.

There's no need to worry, as Magento developers have a system in place to address these concerns. They regularly monitor the software and swiftly patch any identified vulnerabilities, ensuring that the latest version of the software is free of risk and can effectively block any malicious bugs.

The issue lies in the fact that cybercriminals actively seek out business owners who fail to install these upgrades, often utilizing powerful automated tools to locate and target vulnerable sites.

So, to avoid such scenarios, it is best to upgrade to the latest version of Magento.

Install an SSL certificate

There are numerous compelling reasons why an SSL certificate is essential for your website. Not only does it aid in Google rankings, but it also helps establish trust with customers when they shop on your eCommerce site. As a result, it's almost a necessity for any eCommerce store owner.

In terms of security, a Secure Socket Layer (SSL) Certificate was created to encrypt all data transmitted through a website. When installed on a Magento eCommerce store, it encrypts sensitive information such as credit card details and login credentials to prevent them from being accessed by online attackers seeking to engage in criminal activities like identity theft or forgery. This is a critical step in safeguarding this information and preventing it from being stolen.

Not only can these scams harm your reputation, but they can also result in significant financial losses due to fines resulting from the data breach.

Use of Magento reCAPTCHA

Implementing Magento reCAPTCHA is an effective means of preventing spam and safeguarding against attackers. The system distinguishes between Bot and human access sessions on your site, ensuring that logins are genuine and secure.

Many website owners utilize reCAPTCHA as a means of defending against attacks like dictionary attacks and limiting search engine spiders to essential pages only, preventing spam content that could leave sensitive data or the database open to exploitation by malicious bugs.

Make sure to use unique and strong passwords

Having a strong password is crucial for the security of your website since it serves as the gateway to access it. In the unfortunate event that a cyber attacker gains access to it, they might misuse it to harm your website.

It is imperative to ensure the safety of your user's information and maintain access to your business website. To achieve this, it's essential to create complex passwords that are challenging for anyone to guess but easy for you to remember.

Security experts recommend the use of password managers to keep your passwords secure if you can't easily remember them. Additionally, it's crucial not to store your passwords in the system you're currently using.

In the case of a system infection, certain computer viruses can locate and exfiltrate passwords. As a precautionary measure, it's highly recommended to periodically modify your passwords to enhance security.

Backup your site much more often

Despite the internet's capability to store and connect with clients, it is not entirely secure. As a precautionary measure, it's highly recommended always to have a backup strategy in place to counter any eventualities that may arise with your website.

Having a backup of your website makes it significantly easier to restore your Magento eCommerce store in case of any incidents that may result in data loss. One way to achieve this is by utilizing an FTP client to download your site data and backing it up securely in your account.

Alternatively, you can employ phpMyAdmin to extract the stored database. After exporting, you can access this information from the database section under the Pixie control panel. Subsequently, you can opt to view the contents of the database by selecting its name.

Scan the eCommerce store with Magento’s scanning tool

Detecting security risks in your eCommerce store by simply examining them can be a challenging task. However, Magento developers have taken this into account, which is why they have developed the Magento free scanning tool.

This tool is equipped with various security features that are specifically designed to simplify the process of conducting automated website security scans. It facilitates routine scans, enabling you to review your store's security compliance, and promptly sends alerts in real time if it identifies any suspicious activity on the site.

The Magento free scanning tool includes essential features such as saving scan sessions in the Magento merchant accounts, scheduling security scans, and issuing real-time alerts on configuration issues that can potentially endanger your site.

Furthermore, it provides a free guide detailing the optimal methods for mitigating these risks.

Use of distinctive URL for admin dashboard

By default, all Magento websites have an admin control panel URL in the format of my-site.com/admin. However, most website owners tend to leave this as is, with the exception of changing their passwords and usernames.

This is a substantial security risk since it provides more opportunities for online attackers to launch harmful attacks against your web store. For instance, they may execute a brute force attack where they try various password combinations until they obtain your exact login credentials and gain access to the admin panel for malicious purposes.

To mitigate this risk, it is recommended to utilize a different name when creating the URL for the admin panel. This involves modifying the URL path for the admin section of your website and assigning it a name that is easy for you to remember, but difficult for others to guess.

Utilize Magento’s security extension

Utilizing the Magento 2 Security extension provides an excellent solution for safeguarding your online store against potential threats. This module is designed to thwart any attempted breaches on your Magento website by malicious hackers. With its robust warning system, it is capable of providing comprehensive protection for your valuable data and information.

The extension offers store administrators a security checklist that automatically displays warnings about potential risks related to username, Magento version, captcha, and database prefix.

Moreover, the Brute Force Attack protection feature allows you to limit the number of failed login attempts, providing you with warning messages in case of potential break-in attempts. Additionally, you can monitor all logins in a log that provides comprehensive information, including ID, Time, User Name, IP, Browser Agent, URL, Status, and Action.

Furthermore, break-ins may occur when you are not monitoring your store. To mitigate this risk, it is recommended to remain vigilant of any unusual logins during off-hours or at night time. With the extension's "away mode" feature, you can prevent break-ins during specific moments, ensuring that your store is under 24/7 protection, without requiring constant surveillance.

Manage the security settings

Have you ever thought about how to protect your eCommerce store's back end from unauthorized access? Magento provides an easy solution by allowing you to modify security settings directly from the admin panel. By using this configuration option, you can create a secret key for your site URLs and limit the duration of admin sessions, which is the period when the password used to access the site remains valid. Additionally, you can set a specific number of login attempts allowed before the user attempting to access the dashboard is blocked. Finally, by using this option, you can also configure the number of permitted password reset requests.

Conclusion

By implementing these recommendations, you can be assured that your website will remain secure. It is crucial to take action immediately and ensure that your eCommerce store has a valid SSL certificate before accepting payments. It is not advisable to take any payments on your store before securing your website with these certificates.