A recent report about data breaches released by Verizon estimates that in 2008, there were about 285 million records that were compromised during e-commerce transactions. Of those 285 million, about 210 million of those breaches came from black hat hackers.
This represents a gaping hole in the cyber security of online retailers. Nothing will sink an e-commerce business faster than the perceived lack of cyber security. If you’re looking at implementing a new shopping cart platform or order management system, there are a few crucial security measures you should look for.
PCI DSS Compliance
The most important aspect to look for when considering the security of your shopping cart software is PCI DSS Compliance. The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard is the industry baseline for maintaining a good security level. Merchants will not be able to accept Visa, Discover, American Express or MasterCard transactions without first gaining compliance. PCI DSS Compliance requires companies to meet six standards including:
- Maintenance of a Secure Network
- Maintenance of a Vulnerability Management Program
- Regularly Monitor and Test Networks
- Protect Cardholder Data
- Implement Strong Access Control Measures
- Maintain an Information Security Policy
When you choose a company like Shopify to handle your webstore and interface with your order management system, you automatically gain PCI DSS Compliance, which will put customers at ease.
Clear Display
Oftentimes an order will not be processed due to incorrect information. Some shopping cart packages will not explain the reason behind the failed order but will instead only offer vague allusions to “Incomplete Order Information” or data that “does not match our records.” This can be hugely frustrating to customers who simply want to make a purchase using their valid financial information. Shopify software is a great example of a package that gives clear and concise information about issues related to the order.
Risk Assessment
One of the great features of the newest generation of cyber security software is also one of its most important. The ability to compare the location of an order to the billing address means that you can be alerted anytime a suspicious order is made. Let’s say an order is made in Denmark but the billing address is for Omaha. Shopify and many of the most cutting-edge software packages include a feature that alerts you, the merchant, to this abnormality. You can then get in touch with the customer and figure out if the order is legitimate or not. If it is not legitimate, the customer will be happy you alerted them and were able to cancel the order. If it is legitimate, the customer will at least feel like you are watching out for them. It will show them that your company is being vigilant about the security of your customer’s information.