an SSL CertificateThere has been a surge in cyber attacks over the past few years, with cybercrime appearing in many headlines. Business owners are, quite rightly, looking for preventative measures when it comes to their eCommerce stores. However, physical security measures still matter and are just as vital when it comes to protecting your retail business.
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With more than one base to over, deciding the best ways to safeguard your business can be difficult and expensive. With so many elements to be compliant to, it can make the most organized and business-savvy entrepreneur’s head spin. So, where do you start, and what are the most important bases to cover?
Top Online and Physical Security measures to take care of:
1. Online Security Measures
The internet has paved the golden road to success for many, where anyone can have their own e-commerce store. Global markets can be reached by a mother who lives in the suburbs in Missouri, making being a business owner easier for all. When running an e-commerce store though, or even having a business website of any sorts, you need to ensure you’re compliant and have your customers and clients’ safety in mind.
2. Be GDPR Compliant
Over the past few months, the acronym GDPR sent business owners and marketers into a frenzy. It seemed almost like the end of what we knew, and so many changes had to be made, and made well before GDPR came into effect. However, it has been over a month now, and it seems not too much has changed.
While the storm may have passed, it is still vital for you to follow the new regulations and not slip back into old habits. Your customers can have easier access to their data, have more control, and you can no longer contact them without their consent. By remaining GDPR compliant, you reduce the risk of being fined, and as your data will be stored more securely, it will be harder for cybercriminals to take advantage of your business.
3. Store Your Cardholders’ Data Securely
Not to be confused with GDPR, but you also need to be PCI DSS compliant. This is when you and your company understand the requirements when it comes to what cardholder information you have, how you have stored it and where. To ensure you are compliant, you need to define your Cardholder Data Environment (CDE), which is the part of your computer or networked IT system that store your cardholder data. You can use network segmentation to determine the scope of your PCI DSS, which requires investigating the way information travels on your systems.
4. Switch to HTTPS
HTTPS used to be reserved for the checkout page of your e-commerce store, and although this is still the case, ensuring the whole of your website is using HTTPS hosting is becoming more prevalent. The use of HTTPS became more favorable when Google said that having the HTTPS before your URL was a factor in your search page ranking. To switch to HTTPS, you will need to decide on an SSL Certificate beforehand, which is usually purchasable through your hosting company.
5. Backup Your Data Regularly
Having your data stolen and held for ransom is a business owner’s biggest nightmare; it can cause businesses to go under or struggle if they are unable to retrieve their data or keep their customers’ data secure. Trust is lost, and many customers will turn elsewhere.
The best way to ensure your data remains out of the hands of cybercriminals is to backup your data regularly, so if you were to be hacked, they cannot hold your data for ransom. Instead, you are able to retrieve your backed up data. You can manually backup your data, however, this can fall out of habit, and can forget to do it at the end of every workday. You should, therefore, turn towards an automatic backup service.
6. Physical Security Measures
You need your employees, customers, and clients to feel safe if they are to step into your store, and you also need to keep your equipment and any money in the till from being stolen. Keep the chances of theft low by implementing the best physical security measures.
7. CCTV
Have preventative CCTV placed outside and inside your store. Plan where you’re going to place the cameras so that they cover any entrances and exits, as well as the tills, the backrooms, offices, and even the staff room. If anyone was to break into your store, then at least you have a better chance of finding the culprit.
8. Alarm Systems
Having an alarm in place for if someone were to enter your store unlawfully can a) trigger the police and b) scare off the thief before they take anything of worth. While it may not stop them in their tracks, it can alarm the police so that they can arrive at the scene of the crime quickly.
Sometimes the worse can happen, and a disgruntled customer can become angry, or an armed robbery can ensue. If this were to happen, you need to not only have your employees trained for this, but you also need to provide a panic button for them to press. Stores can have these placed underneath the till so that your employees can signal the police subtly.
Passionate Digital Marketer & Software Analyst. I recognize the importance of interactive engagement in today’s world and works towards building a steady flow of relevant, user-oriented content to obtain high-rank placement in search engine results.
