Browsing the web and using online services exposes us to the many threats that exist on the Internet. Banking and shopping online are the most targeted since these involve money. Hackers are becoming more prevalent and your sensitive information is always potentially at risk. You will need to develop safe and responsible online security habits.
Current Online Risks
Ransomware is software that blocks the use of computers, systems, or access to data, until a ransom is paid. In 2019 alone, damages and losses from this rose to approximately $11 billion.
Endpoint attacks (old school device hacking) are also becoming more frequent in the world of cloud services and storage. The growing “bring-your-own-device” to work trend exposes more people to hackers. They no longer need to bypass central security systems. The risk shifts to the user’s device. So always keep your smartphone and PC protected and virus free.
Phishing is still one of the most common and cheapest forms of hacking. Social engineering and clever “cloaking” tactics dupe Internet users into freely giving out sensitive information. You will be asked for banking login information, credit card information, or other sensitive information.
Never give out personal details or sensitive information to unknown callers or any emails requesting this information. Even if they appear legitimate, the requests may not have come from the real source at all. Rather contact the source (bank/service provider/etc) using known contact details to verify.
OnShop’s Online Security Measures
OnShop is well aware of the online threats, especially when it comes to e-Commerce. We use a trusted web host with proven firewall technology. We also implement SSL certificates across all our customers’ websites.
All data is 256-bit encrypted end to end. We never store credit card information on our servers. These are highly encrypted and processed by our payment gateway partner, Nedbank.
We use the latest web software and PHP versions to always keep the service up to date. Performance and security are among our top priorities, the highest of which is giving you the best services available. See our features page for more information.
Best Security Practices
Be aware of the threats, and get into the habit of a good security mindset. Become informed of current security issues. Ensure the business and its staff members are also kept abreast with best practices.
Keep passwords strong and clean. Reset them every so often. Avoid reusing passwords for different services. If one password is compromised then all passwords are compromised. Don’t use obvious passwords, like your name followed by your date of birth. Hackers can quickly learn this information and easily guess passwords like this. Sharing your passwords with other colleagues is also a “no-no” since you can’t be certain how secure their devices are.