Cybersecurity is always a genuine concern whenever entering the e-commerce space. After all, if customers don’t feel safe browsing your store – they’re not likely to buy anything.
You’ll need a secure store with safe payment processing if you want to start generating sales.
Cybersecurity will be a massive pain point if you’re attempting to build a store from scratch. It will be up to you to run regular vulnerability testing to ensure your site is safe.
Or you could take the easy route and build a store through Shopify – but is Shopify secure?
Shopify is a highly secure platform. Its robust security is one of the reasons why so many merchants use the platform. By creating a store on Shopify – you never have to worry about cybersecurity. Shopify is compliant with PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) – with a level 1 certification. Your customers can rest easy knowing that your payment processing is 100% secure.
If you want to learn more about Shopify’s security measures – you’re in the right place. Read on to learn why Shopify is so secure and why building a store with the platform is a great idea.
Understanding Shopify’s Security Features
As stated before – Shopify boasts a level 1 PCI DSS certification. Here’s a breakdown of what that entails:
- Shopify maintains an entirely secure network.
- The platform encrypts and protects cardholder data.
- Shopify has an up-to-date vulnerability management program.
- There are robust access control features.
- Network security undergoes regular monitoring and testing.
- Shopify has a strict information security policy.
Those are the core six categories that make up a level 1 PCI DSS certification. As you can see – Shopify has a near-bulletproof security strategy in place for merchants and stores. Yet – that’s not all of the security that they provide.
The Shopify Security Response
The team at Shopify relies on merchants to report any potential threats. To do so, they have a HackerOne page that anyone can use to submit a report.
If you notice any security hazards while doing business on Shopify – don’t hesitate to report them. Your user feedback is a powerful weapon for Shopify’s security team.
With this reporting system in Place, Shopify can adjust to all the latest threats. Not only that, but the website undergoes regular vulnerability scans and pen-testing. That’s where automated (or manually operated) programs test the network for security holes. The vulnerability scan will generate a report of its findings.
Penetration testing, or pen-testing, involves taking that process a step further. The program (or live operator) will attempt to exploit these security holes. After a successful data breach – the pen tester will fix the security issue.
Shopify and SSL Certificates
Another excellent security feature is getting an SSL certificate for your store. Every new store created on Shopify comes with a free SSL certificate – which is a plus.
What’s an SSL certificate? It’s a tool that encrypts the content of your website and then displays it securely. You’ll notice that sites with SSL certificates have the preface HTTPS instead of HTTP. The S stands for secure.
If someone uses the original URL for your store – don’t worry. It will automatically redirect them to your new, secure URL.
An SSL certificate provides an extra layer of trust for your customers. It’s an additional layer of security that will protect customer payment information from hackers. In addition to the preface HTTPS – you also get a cool padlock icon next to your URL. That’s another way of letting your customers know that your website is 100% secure.
How Shopify’s Increased Security will Boost Customer Trust
Now that you know how secure Shopify is as a platform – why should you use it? Beyond saving yourself the stress of providing your security, there are many reasons. In particular, Shopify’s security standards will help you build trust with your customers.
The last thing you want is to gain a reputation for having lacking security in your online store. If you attempt to build an online store from scratch – that will likely happen. There’s just too much to know and maintain to do it yourself.
If you choose to hire an outside team for cybersecurity – expect to pay thousands of dollars each year. It’s far easier and more effective to use Shopify to build your online store. Here are the top ways doing so will build customer trust.
- Secure Payments. Your customers will appreciate that they can securely buy products in your store. With Shopify, your store will be PCI compliant from the very start.
- 99.98% Uptime. You’ll never have to worry about your website going down due to peak business. Downtime will cost your business thousands in lost revenue. With Shopify, they host your servers and provide the software for you. Since there’s no additional installation necessary, you won’t experience downtime.
- Extra Credibility. Shopify lets you display a Shopify Secure badge on your store. That helps build trust with your customers and lets them know that you’re credible. With Shopify, your store will have credibility from the second it comes into existence.
- Admin Security. Shopify’s front-end isn’t the only thing that features robust security. The back-end contains lots of perks, too – including admin accounts. As an admin, you can set specific staff permissions. That means you can decide who can and can’t do particular tasks in your store. We recommend that you keep all sensitive information private from staff.
- Fraud Protection. Both you and your customers stay protected from fraud on Shopify. Once you activate fraud protection – you’ll see a filter for each online order. They will show up as either protected or not protected. To avoid issues, steer clear of unprotected charges.
Key Takeaways: Is Shopify Secure?
By now – you should have a better understanding of why Shopify is so secure. As a platform, it has everything that you’d want security-wise. It’s level-1 PCI DSS compliant, offers SSL certificates, and protects the back-end. If you want to create an online store but don’t want to stress over security – going with Shopify is an excellent choice.
For more great content to help you develop your Shopify strategies, check out the rest of the merchant posts on the site. If you want to see a list of our top recommended Shopify apps visit this link here.
