Every website owner should be worried about being hacked as virtually any website can become the target of a hack – whether it’s a blog or an e-commerce website. But the owners of an online shopping website should worry more than others as financial transactions are involved and you don’t want the hackers to have access to your shopper’ banking details.

If you’re running a successful website using Magento, you’re at a much greater risk of being hacked as the hackers are always looking for the e-commerce platforms to steal their data and use for their own benefit. Currently, Magento development holds 28.9% of the total e-commerce market share and it’s not just used by the start-ups, but also by the leading brands.

 

The following major companies all use Magento to power their websites:

> Oliver Bonas

> Nike

> Ford

> Fox Connect

> Warby Parker

> Paul Smith

> Olympus

Why are Magento websites so popular among hackers? To start with, online shopping websites involve various financial transactions and have a lot of users’ information to steal.

Next, Magento has such a large share of the market that makes it a popular choice for hackers to target the platform. Unfortunately, the popularity of Magento has made it quite popular among hackers as well. Here are the top reasons why Magento websites get hacked, and then what you can do to secure your website.

Reason #1: Substandard Hosting Provider

You get what you pay for. And the shared (standard) hosting services are never the right choice for online shopping brands. Not just the standard hosting packages make the website a slow-performer, but also they allow various options for the hackers to break-in. Hackers know this, and they target websites with substandard hosts and websites hosted on them.

Shared hosting packages usually exhibit the following traits:

> Don’t scan for malware

> Monthly or no backups

> Don’t offer a firewall

If your hosting package offers inferior features on at least one service plan, it is smart to consider the whole host substandard. Although the professional hackers may not be able to hack your website directly, there are chances that they may still wreak havoc on your web server.

Reason #2: Faulty Themes or Extensions

According to the experts, most backers target the websites with vulnerable extensions. This is why it’s recommended to use only the premium Magento extensions as they are coded by the certified professionals and you can be sure about the 100% safety. The free themes or extensions may be outdated or programmed by someone who isn’t security-conscious. Hackers may take advantage of the vulnerability available on your website and they can find to try to hack your website.

Reason #3: Outdated Scripts

Website development scripts or codes are used to develop a website to control everything on the website. While the tested and clear codes make the websites perform well, the outdated scripts may also serve as common elements for hackers to gain control of the website itself. As a developer, it is important to keep the website updated as per the recent launches to prevent cyber-attacks.

The Basic Guide to Avoiding Most Magento Hacks

Practice #1: Best Hosting Plan

Rely only on the dedicated hosting package from a professional company that routinely updates security issues. Major hosting services providers offer websites with exceptional security precautions like timely website update, updated security methods, etc. Before choosing a provider, it is important to ensure your provider uses the latest in antiviral, database and programming language support.

Practice #2: Be Careful Of The Extensions & Themes You Install

Using best Magento extensions may be a useful treatment for the website owners as it allows them to integrate unique features while ensuring the better performance of the platform. Eliminate or disable any extension or theme in your Magento backend that you don’t need for your website. Trust upon only the Magento extensions available on the Magento Marketplace or a reliable service provider.

Practice #3: Take Your Admin Duties Seriously

As a website admin, you must accept your duties and follow them carefully. If you can’t understand the complex, confusing admin dashboard of the Magento, just hire someone else to do the job. You may do all of the following:

> Use strong passwords & keep then changing

> Use passwords you don’t use for anything else

> Install the latest Magento updates

> Protect your Magento directories

> Take regular backups of website data

> Use only trusted & certified Magento extensions

Conclusion

Some of you may be thinking that getting hacked is no big deal or that your website is secure since you using Magento. This can be a great mistake as hackers are always using the latest and advanced methods to break-in to your Magento website and steal the useful information to use for their own benefits. Using the above-mentioned tips can be your shield to keep your website details secure from the hackers.