TMCnet Feature Free eNews Subscription
July 10, 2017

Why Online Merchants Can't Afford to Ignore Security Patches

Many online retailers choose to run their webstores with the help of open source e-commerce platforms because they provide great ways to build complex and highly customizable business solutions.

Magento is a very popular choice for webstores all over the world, which makes it a natural target for hackers’ attacks. As a business owner, you should always bare this in mind and ensure that your webstore is functioning smoothly and securely. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how much revenue you get if one cyberattack could ruin your reputation and ability to make Internet transactions. Keeping your webstore equipped with the latest patches can help you avoid frustration and disappointment when admin or customers’ data gets stolen by attackers.



What Exactly are Magento Patches?

A patch is a piece of software aimed to update a platform or supporting data in order to fix or improve it. In other words, it’s a package of altered core files designed to eliminate security issues. You should know that the latest Magento versions come with all the necessary fixes available at the release date. It means that if you are using the latest version of Magento, you are currently on the safe side and don’t need to apply any patches. However, if your webshop is based on an earlier version of the platform and you have never installed any patches, mostly likely your store is critically vulnerable.

When Did the Patches Come Out?

Whenever a security weakness of the platform is discovered, Magento developers take action and create an update that blocks attacks and prevents hackers from stealing the information and taking advantage of you and your customers. The fix is announced and released as a patch just as soon as it’s written and tested by Magento.

Why Should You Apply the Patches Immediately?

e-commerce entrepreneurs always have a lot of work with the business, so the need to put aside the daily routine and invest the time and resources to apply the patch may seem irritating. Well, facts speak louder than words:

  • From the beginning of 2017 more than 6000 unpatched webstores have been hacked with credit card data stolen during transactions.

Being negligent of your webstore’s security can literally be deadly for the business. The thing is that criminals also keep an eye on the official patch announcements. Whenever a fix is released, hackers immediately start searching for unpatched Magento stores to exploit. And they know exactly what vulnerabilities to search for.

How Can You Ensure that Your Store is Secure?

Magento is well-known for the great developer community it has.  Magento enthusiasts have created a few free services (like Magereport or Magentary) to help merchants eliminate common security issues and ensure that they have all the fixes installed.

However, the very existence of such instruments can also be viewed like a threat to online stores. Potential hackers can take advantage of these tools while looking for future victims – the unprotected Magento sites. Frankly speaking, such tools give you even more reasons to apply all the patches and solve the security issues. And the sooner – the better.

Where to Find Patches?

Magento places all the official patches on its security page and you can download the fixes from Tech Resources.

The security page provides details for each fix, describing security weaknesses and potential risks associated with them. With this information at hand you can be aware of what impact the issue and the fix will have on your store. This data is also important after the patch is installed to ensure that everything works in a proper way and there are no side effects on your webstore’s functionality.

NOTE: You should download patches only from the official website. Criminals are smart and they may distribute fake (and harmful) fixes on the Internet.

How to Install Patches

Magento usually provide detailed instructions on how to apply patches. However, following the necessary steps requires certain technical background and advanced knowledge of Magento core functionality that you might not be comfortable with. Therefore you might want to use the help of Magento professionals, who will install all the necessary patches and make sure that everything works correctly.

  • What Else Should You Do to Protect Your Webstore?
  • Change the admin password every three months;
  • Delete admin user credentials that are not needed;
  • Change the password after working with outside specialists;
  • Keep all the add-ons and extensions updated;
  • Regularly backup your website and the database.

If you need help or have any additional questions regarding your Magento store’s security, please leave a comment below. Stay safe and let your business prosper!




 
» More TMCnet Feature Articles
Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. [Free eNews Subscription]
SHARE THIS ARTICLE

LATEST TMCNET ARTICLES

» More TMCnet Feature Articles