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Avoid the Unwanted Drama: Stay Safe When Shopping Online

Avoid the Unwanted Drama: Stay Safe When Shopping Online

As online shopping dominates the retailing market, it has gone through strenuous threats from cybercriminals. Considering how successful online retailing could be, 3.28% of global e-commerce website visits were converted into successful purchases in the last quarter of 2018. By 2019, the statistical figure of buyer penetration is expected to rise to 63 percent. Cybercriminals swoon over these figures, igniting their motivation to steal from e-commerce businesses.

Speaking of cybercriminals against e-commerce businesses, Sephora, the popular makeup online store, experienced a data breach affecting customers from Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. The email addresses and passwords were exposed to third party users. They had to email all their users and apologize for the incident and take responsibility.

email-screenshot

A screenshot of Sephora’s email to their online users, Jul 29, 2019.

How can E-Commerce Websites Improve their Website Security?

Alia Gogi, Sephora’s Managing Director for Southeast Asia, stated in her email that they’re also offering a free personal data monitoring service from a third-party provider. But the golden rule in cybersecurity is nothing but prevention. You don’t have to go through the trouble of fixing the online mess and pay for penalties. It starts with the completed checklist of encryption software that makes your website browser and server private.

One of the effective ways to implement strong website security is using SSL certificates. It encrypts the website browser and the server that establishes a secure connection. Besides the website security that SSL certificates implement, the following elements fortify a secure website reputation among your loyal customers and incoming website visitors:

Certificate Authority

In the US, two-thirds of adults say their decision-making is affected by their trust in a brand while residents from the UK (57%) and Canada (69%) share the same opinion when making purchases. The same thing should be applied when buying SSL certificates; you must go for the trusted and reliable Certificate Authority (CA) in the market. Despite having options from open-source SSL certificate providers, they’re offering more drawbacks rather than benefits. In 2017, an open letter was published to call out a popular open-source SSL certificate provider for issuing PayPal certificates to phishing websites. You never want your brand name dragged with other people’s carelessness. Stick to the trusted brands of SSL certificates. Check out the CA/B Forum’s list of members for more details.

HTTPS

Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) appears when an SSL certificate is installed. It encrypts and secures the data transmitted between client and server. It includes the details of the certificate: issuing CA, company name, validity period, and more. Aside from the secure connection that the HTTPS provides, it also prevents Google from showing a red page that warns users that the website is unsecured.

Padlock Symbol

“People react unconsciously to the visual cues,” Caleb Barlow, a vice president at IBM Security, said. Taking that into consideration, the padlock symbol found in the address bar is a visual representation of security for websites. It visualizes what the HTTPS does.

EV SSL Strengthens Your Brand Identity

Extended Validation (EV) SSL, the highest class of SSL, activates the padlock symbol, and symbolizing a rigorous vetting process for enterprises. It’s another trademark of security and trust that customers look for. But how does an EV SSL differ from a Domain Validation (DV) SSL and an Organization Validation (OV) SSL? From a technical standpoint, EV has the highest level of encryption and enables the organization behind a website to present its own verified identity to website visitors. CyFL Lab’s research confirmed that people believe 99.987% of websites with an EV SSL certificate represents a legitimate, reputable website.

Site Seals

Based on Baymard’s studies, site seals are considered as perceived security that re-emphasizes the technical security that a website has. Some customers may not exactly understand the technical meaning behind the site seal, but they automatically assume that it’s trusted or safe. Therefore, site seals provide a visual reassurance of safety that immensely boosts a website’s level of trust. It’s a common habit among people that they choose brands with a dependable reputation.

With the rapid change in people’s buying behavior, it’s important to take the step to positively influence their decision to trust you more. Ace all the visual and technical aspects of website security and see your customer base grow. Give them the confidence that your brand does its part in protecting them. It’s a sure way to secure loyal following among your customers.

Learn more about the advantages of SSL certificates with our knowledgebase center available on our official website. If you’re curious how GlobalSign can help you in improving your company’s cybersecurity, you may contact us anytime.

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