If you’re using Squarespace, you know it’s easy to use with a variety of customizable website templates for e-Commerce businesses to create beautiful digital storefronts. Yet, this convenience can obscure important security weaknesses. Squarespace ecommerce stores are an attractive target for cybercriminals who exploit outdated plugins, insert malicious code, and find other ways to breach security.
Since Squarespace powers millions of websites globally, we wanted to address the top five tips for helping to secure your online business. According to Governing, “There were more data breaches and other compromises of personal information and consumer data in 2023 in the U.S. than ever before.”
When WordPress Doesn’t Protect You
On Sarah’s WordPress platform, called “Handcrafted Jewelry,” her business was doing very well. One time, she received an email from what seemed like a trusted plugin provider. She clicked a link where she unknowingly downloaded a malware program. Overnight, hackers compromised her site and store customer data, along with payment details - only leaving behind offensive content on the website. Following this hack, her jewelry brand lost a lot of customer trust and revenue. This is not a hypothetical scenario but a real danger for those who overlook WordPress security.
identifying the 5 WordPress security issues you need to know about.
Outdated Plugins and Themes - Data from WPScan mentions plugins as contributing to 97% of Wordpress vulnerabilities.
Cross-site Request Forgery (CSRF) - Hackers like to target popular plugins. Specifically, plugins that use functioncheck_url() such as WP Fastest Cache.
Outdated Core Software - Don’t rely on auto update features. It’s typical for hackers to target sites with outdated core software. A quote from Sucuri’s database mentions that over 50% of infected/attacked WordPress sites were outdated. WordPress delivers updates that include fixes to vulnerabilities so it’s important to keep up with core software, themes, and plugin updates.
SEO Spam & DDoS - Cyber Criminals like to target eCommerce sites, like WordPress, with email bombing, bots, and other malicious attacks which damages brand reputation and SEO performance. By flooding the site with spam emails or orchestrating Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, they can overload servers and disrupt normal website operations. This results in both a loss of customers and store revenue.
Structured Query Language (SQL) Injections - Hackers use SQL to access stored data on a site. During an attack, the hacker can change your site’s database. Then, they use the SQL to make new accounts on your website, delete or edit data, leak data and even add links and content for their own financial benefit. Typically an attacker will use a submission form, such as a Contact Us page or a payment field, with code that will allow them entry to your database.
If these problems seem daunting and you’d like to know how to protect your site, or have a cyber expert take care of this for you, schedule a free 1 - hour call with one of our cyber experts today.
Cyber Pop-Up offers tailored cybersecurity solutions. Our experts will quickly identify your site’s vulnerabilities. You’ll receive a customized security roadmap that your expert will execute on with one of our affordable subscription plans.
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