How Your Business Can Protect Its Data and Its Customers

Modern businesses are poised to take advantage of a vast array of technological benefits that have been shown time and time again to optimize a given company’s workflow and output. However, at the center of these benefits is one in particular. Big data is a major driving force in today’s commercial landscape because of the benefits it provides, but it also serves as the McGuffin for hackers, making cybersecurity a major priority for modern businesses. Here’s what you need to know about protecting your company’s data, and that of its customers.

Cyber Attacks

Hackers have numerous tools and techniques at their disposal, and they’re innovating in the shadows to undermine data security in a variety of ways. When a hacker deploys one of these techniques, that’s what’s known as a cyber attack. One prominent example of this is malware. While malware is a humble method that is easily avoided by a discerning internet user, it remains common under the assumption that someone will eventually spring the trap not only because some people flat out ignore the concern, but also because it’s impossible for a given person to stay on guard at all times. While malware is not typically a huge concern, many cyber attacks are carried out with the goal of creating a security breach. These more active methods require more diligence and greater access to software solutions.

E-commerce

The rise of e-commerce in recent years has been extremely beneficial to consumers and businesses alike. It provides customers with endless access to the products and services they need and want, and the companies that implement e-commerce functionality into their business models get to take advantage of the increase in sales that that provides. However, conducting monetary transactions online opens up companies and their customers to the ever present threat of hackers. This is necessarily true, because all online interaction entails a degree of risk when hackers are at large. However, e-commerce in particular demands that consumers put their own safety into jeopardy by handing over delicate financial and personal information as part of the transaction process. To make matters worse, business websites and e-commerce apps have to make additional considerations in order to address extant weaknesses on those platforms.

Unsecure websites are the first hurdle you’ll need to jump. When you initially acquire a website, you might expect it to be safe automatically, but this isn’t the case. The framework of the internet as you know it, HTTP, does not include the vital cybersecurity feature known as data encryption. Unencrypted data can be intercepted by hackers who can then do with it what they wish, and this can be devastating for businesses and their customers. However, implementing encryption protocols like TSL is all it takes to ensure that, if hackers get their hands on data illicitly, it will be scrambled beyond recognition, and only the cipher key generated by the encryption protocol can reverse it to its original state.

E-commerce has exploded in popularity thanks to the proliferation of smartphones. E-commerce apps account for much of today’s total commerce, and these apps are cost-effective to produce, both in terms of time and money. This accessibility comes from APIs, application programming interfaces that streamline and simplify the process of developing apps. This is a double–edged sword, however, because the weaknesses of the API are the weaknesses of apps produced using it, and this allows hackers to obtain the same widely available and affordable resource and then scout for those weaknesses, which they can then use against companies who implement these services without proper consideration. API security has become a priority for businesses as e-commerce functionality becomes the path of least resistance.

The marvels of modern technology are many, and businesses can take advantage of today’s tech to turn a bigger profit. However, doing so without thinking about it is a recipe for disaster. As this article shows, the advantages of modern technology can also be leveraged by hackers, and these tips can help to protect your company’s data from bad actors.

 

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