We live in a world dominated by online retailers, and with good reason: there are just some goods that aren’t readily available that we can purchase online. It’s easy, its convenient, and sometimes, a little better than interacting with brick and mortar establishments. And while shopping in real life will always hold a certain kind of charm, the appeal of online shopping is here to stay.
However, the threats that have faced actual shopping — like credit card theft, fraud, or even stolen identities — haven’t disappeared with the move to the digital. In fact, they’ve become even easier to pull off, and even more difficult to prevent.
Cybersecurity when it comes to online sales is extremely important, not just for consumers but for companies as well. There are a couple of key areas that are valuable targets to hackers and other entities, and these are the areas that you should protect accordingly.
Your stock and resources
Depending on your industry, there are more valuable things for criminals to steal than just your customer’s money. Some industries can sell extremely valuable merchandises, which makes them prime targets for theft and similar activities. As a result, there exists a need to protect your assets at every stage of getting your product, whether it’s handling or raw material.
Some of these safeguards include getting the correct software for your company’s operations, both getting products for stock (like any of the ServiceNow portfolio management applications) and a secure platform to conduct sales. Remember, no stage of distribution is entirely safe, and it pays to have safeguards in place to prevent any further incursions.
Your data
Sometimes it’s not even physical merchandise that criminals are after. Due to the increasingly digital nature of the world, data is undoubtedly one of the most important resources that can be bought, sold, and stolen — and hackers will continually exploit loopholes in any database to acquire the kind of data they need.
In the case of online retailers, the kind of data they have can often be extremely valuable to criminals, since these often contain extremely sensitive information like the credit card numbers of their customers, shipping manifests, and bank accounts. Cybersecurity has long been at work protecting these valuable pieces of data, not only for the benefit of the business but for the people that engage with it as well.
Constant vigilance
Finally, the ever-evolving nature of the digital world ( combined with the advances in technology) means that the battle for cybersecurity is ever-present and always changing to fit the times. While you can undoubtedly rely on a strong gate and sturdy padlock to protect your actual store, it might be too difficult to expect that level of security when it comes to digital stores.
That’s why it’s important to find platforms, partners, and programs that have a built-in defense against criminal activities. Not only will this allow you to operate without fear of being affected by hackers or ill intent, but it also gives your customers the satisfaction that you’re taking care of them as well. Cybersecurity and online stores should build a strong relationship — it’s for the best interest of all parties involved.
