If you own a small ecommerce business, then you will know how many challenges can crop up – for example, in an increasingly digital society, competition is constantly on the rise. Or, you may be a budding entrepreneur researching the viability of your idea, finding out about the industry and getting ready to start an ecommerce website. However, whether you’re a newbie or have been in the ecommerce game for some time, there’s one common issue that you simply cannot afford to ignore: security.
But how should you secure your ecommerce site? What are the best methods to keep attackers out? And how can you keep customer data safe? Penetration testing is vital to answer these questions.
The Risks
Everyday across the world, businesses face new and more advanced cyber threats. These can be devastating as if successful, a cyber attack can lead to unforeseen expense and even the destruction of a business: Data breaches can lead to costly legal proceedings and sanctions for failing to comply with the Data Protection Act; an attack may damage business reputation, leading to a drop in customer confidence; and if attackers are able to steal intellectual property, it could lead to ruin.
Prevention
When trying to protect ecommerce sites, there are a variety of solutions to prevent and keep-out attacks. Some are more effective than others and some are more costly. As such, many smaller businesses choose lower priced solutions, while startups often make the mistake of foregoing security measures, believing their site is not lucrative enough to be attractive to attackers. In fact, it’s these small enterprises that have the most to lose, with 60% closing their virtual doors after a successful cyber hack.
What is Penetration Testing?
Although an effective security measure, many small business owners are unfamiliar with penetration testing. In simple terms, penetration testing sees security experts act and think like hackers, attempting to breach your systems in order to gain valuable information. While this may sound scary, this attack is harmless and can provide information on any weaknesses within your security system.
Why Use Pen Testing?
The main benefit of pen testing can be summed up in one word: prevention. As a business owner, it’s far better to invest in methods to prevent an attack, than deal with the devastating consequences.
Penetration testing identifies potential risks in your ecommerce site which are then compiled into a report, allowing business owners to fix issues before it’s too late.