When you become a business, you also become acutely aware of all of the risk factors when it comes to making sales online. You need to protect your goods, your money, the money of your customers and their information too.
While most business owners will understand that logins and credentials are essential, there are a small few that might merely feel a bit lost when it comes to the best ways to verify user identity.
Before you decide it’s not for you, let’s talk about a few things you can implement, or at least consider that aren’t too fiddly. And maybe you decide on two-step verification, or perhaps you choose a KYC process that leverages machine learning. Who knows!
Improving your business’s cybersecurity, the first step is to look at where your customers have access too. Of course, they will likely need to log in. Then they will enter personal details, like name, address and in many cases card details. You should look to help your customers protect these details.
Photo by Paweł Czerwiński on Unsplash
There are two main processes that come most recommended.
Two-step authentication adds an extra step in the usual logging process. Where you are in most cases simply required to enter a user name password, this now adds a further layer. It might be a code sent to your mobile phone or simply an extra link sent to your email address. This deters hackers from continuing the process as it is unlikely that they will have access to your mobile phone or email address.
Two-factor authentication is slightly different. It is occasionally referred to as multi-factor authentication. This is the more secure of the two. Rather than just needing an extra code, it goes to something a little bit more personal. Facial recognition, fingerprint or even a retinal scan. This will be alongside your password or passcode. Due to the more significant variation in the pieces of information required, it is much harder for hackers to replicate your fingerprint.
In very basic terms, it is your job to make sure that you protect the details that you hold of people who trust you when they make a purchase via your website, or if they need to upload delicate information.
You should be looking to implement the best software that you have at your disposal in all instances. Try to make it simple for your clients to use though. You might think that you are too ‘small’ to be a target, but actually, you are likely to be a prime candidate simply because you probably don’t have these security measures in place. In the last few years, there has been a rise in hackers stealing and leaking information.
So check which of the two main extra security steps suit your business and implement them as soon as possible.
“The knock-on effect of a data breach can be devastating for a company. When customers start taking their business—and their money—elsewhere, that can be a real body blow.” – Christopher Graham
