Security in e-commerce: A factor empowering business growth

E-commerce websites are primary targets for cyberattacks due to their handling of sensitive customer and payment information. Understanding these common threats is the first step to protecting online stores.

1. Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks

Hackers utilize botnet networks to launch DDoS attacks with millions of virtual requests, overwhelming e-commerce servers and causing them to become slow or entirely inoperable, disrupting the online shopping experience for customers. Notably, during “prime events” like Black Friday, where traffic surges, a DDoS attack can cripple a sales site, preventing customers from completing transactions and causing significant revenue, reputation, and customer trust losses. Reference: Types of DDoS attacks and optimal DDoS prevention

2. SQL Injection attacks

SQL Injection is among the most dangerous attack methods, where hackers inject malicious code into input fields on e-commerce websites, such as search, registration, or payment forms. Even a minor vulnerability can allow attackers to exploit the 'promotions' management section on the payment page, granting access to or alteration of sensitive data like credit card information, delivery addresses, or purchase history. This not only leads to financial losses but also threatens customer trust and brand reputation. Thus, implementing effective SQL Injection prevention solutions is essential to safeguarding businesses from cybersecurity risks.

3. Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attacks

Hackers may exploit interactive sections on e-commerce sites, such as product reviews, comments, or contact forms, to insert malicious JavaScript. When users interact with these sections, the malware activates instantly, stealing session data or redirecting them to fraudulent websites. For example, attackers could insert XSS code into a product comment section, thereby hijacking user sessions and gaining unauthorized access to their accounts.

4. Brute Force attacks

Hackers deploy robust automated tools to execute millions of login attempts using various username and password combinations on the login pages of e-commerce businesses. These attacks typically target administrative accounts, high-purchase-history user accounts, or management accounts with access to sensitive company information.

For instance, an attack might target the warehouse management account on an e-commerce site, continuously attempting different passwords until access is obtained, thus enabling control over inventory, product information changes, or even disabling inventory management systems, causing significant financial and operational damage to the business.

5. Account Takeover attacks

Hackers execute Account Takeover (ATO) attacks by using login credentials stolen or leaked from previous breaches. Such data is often gathered from major data breaches or through phishing attacks. Once in possession of login credentials, hackers attempt to log in to user accounts on e-commerce sites, exploiting security vulnerabilities to bypass simple authentication layers. Once successfully logged in, they may engage in unauthorized shopping, modify account information (including passwords and shipping addresses), or steal saved payment data.

6. Bot and scraping attacks

Bot and scraping attacks are complex threats to e-commerce, where hackers use automated bots to perform malicious actions like data harvesting, login exploitation, or inventory manipulation. For example, an e-commerce site might experience product data scraping, enabling competitors to gain insights into pricing strategies.

7. Phishing attacks

Phishing remains one of the top threats in cybersecurity, especially critical for e-commerce. Hackers frequently create counterfeit emails, SMS, or websites that mirror reputable shopping platforms, tricking users into providing sensitive information like credit card numbers, passwords, or personal data to “verify account” or “confirm order.”

A more dangerous variant, spear phishing, targets key individuals in a company, utilizing personalized information to attack sensitive systems. These attacks not only result in data breaches but can also severely harm a company's reputation and financial standing. This highlights the urgency of applying strong security measures and educating users to recognize these increasingly sophisticated phishing threats.

8. Malware and ransomware

Hackers often send malicious attachments via email or create fake advertisements on e-commerce sites. When users download or click on these files, malware infiltrates their systems.

With ransomware, hackers encrypt a site’s data, blocking access to critical business information such as orders, customer data, or payment records. They demand a ransom to unlock it, though there is no guarantee that data will be restored.

See also:

• 7 proactive strategies against ransomware attacks
• How to detect and prevent ransomware Emails timely?

9. E-skimming (Magecart) attacks

E-skimming, also known as Magecart attacks, is a sophisticated cyberattack targeting e-commerce sites where hackers secretly inject malicious code into payment processes to steal credit card information and customers’ personal data. An example includes exploiting vulnerabilities in POS (Point of Sale) software, enabling hackers to collect credit card data undetected.

10. Card-Not-Present (CNP) fraud

Card-Not-Present (CNP) fraud is a prevalent online fraud where hackers use stolen credit card information to make transactions without the physical card. This form of attack is particularly dangerous in e-commerce, where hackers can easily exploit websites with inadequate security or lack advanced authentication measures.

For instance, an attacker may use stolen credit card details to make purchases on a site without 3D Secure authentication. In this case, the transaction would be approved without an OTP or additional verification, allowing hackers to complete transactions effortlessly.

Cyberattacks have become a nightmare for e-commerce businesses, not only causing financial loss but also dealing a severe blow to customer trust and brand reputation. E-commerce is a prime target, as hackers can easily exploit user payment and personal data, disrupting business operations and even causing companies to lose control of their systems.

Attacks like account takeovers, ransomware, or payment fraud lead not only to revenue loss but also to legal issues and negative impacts on sustainable development strategies. Thus, investing in cybersecurity is no longer optional but a prerequisite to protect data and uphold customer trust in the ever-evolving online market.

DDoS attack prevention

VNIS (VNETWORK Internet Security) is a comprehensive security solution developed by VNETWORK, specializing in preventing DDoS attacks with capacities of up to Tbps. Integrating leading CDN (Multi-CDN) networks worldwide on a single platform, VNIS provides a robust infrastructure with flexible scalability. With a vast network of over 2,300 CDN PoPs (points of presence) globally, VNIS achieves a load capacity exceeding 2,600 Tbps, domestic uplink bandwidth up to 10 Tbps, support for over 8 million concurrent users (CCU), and processes over 9 billion requests daily.

VNIS’s robust system operates on Multi-CDN, mitigating infrastructure downtime risks and ensuring up to 99.99% “always online” availability even during high-traffic or large-scale attacks, with an SLA commitment.

Vulnerability exploitation prevention (SQL, XSS)

VNIS serves as a “steel shield” against vulnerability exploitation, minimizing the negative impact on information systems. It can automatically detect and block severe vulnerabilities listed in the OWASP Top 10, such as Broken Access Control, SQL Injection, and Cryptographic Failures. With over 2,000 security rules and CRS (Core Rule Set) management, VNIS safeguards websites from unauthorized data exploitation. These security rules are updated monthly, with an intuitive interface allowing businesses to customize protection levels.

Top 10 Web Application security risks according to OWASP

Additionally, VNIS offers real-time monitoring of exploitation activities, enabling businesses to identify exploited URLs, proactively patch vulnerabilities, and prevent potential attacks.

Brute Force and Account Takeover prevention

The Account Takeover Prevention (ATP) feature in VNIS detects and blocks sophisticated online fraud attacks, such as brute force and credential stuffing, as well as anomalous login attempts. This capability scans and addresses suspicious access via stolen accounts, enhancing fraud prevention capabilities.

With WAF on the VNIS platform, customers can create custom ATP rules, combining status codes, body, and headers for their websites or applications, detecting account takeover attacks and promptly taking preventive measures.

ATP feature configuration table

Bot and scraping prevention

The Bot Management feature in VNIS allows businesses to control unwanted or malicious bot traffic. VNIS comes with a pre-defined list of good/bad bots, enabling customers to configure conveniently.

With an intuitive design, this feature can be easily activated/deactivated and customized according to specific security needs. This feature offers businesses the flexibility to adjust three main settings: Security Level, Challenge Passage, and Challenge Mode. Through Bot Management, companies can ensure system security while maintaining a seamless user experience for legitimate users.

Enable/disable features flexibly VNIS also prevents scraping attacks, completely eliminating the risk of unauthorized data crawling, providing businesses with peace of mind in digital commerce.

As e-commerce becomes a prime target for cyberattacks, a comprehensive security solution is essential for businesses to protect data and maintain customer trust. VNIS is the optimal choice, effectively preventing threats like DDoS, vulnerability exploitation, account takeover, and managing malicious bots. With strong security and smooth user experience, VNIS ensures that businesses not only operate with confidence but are also prepared to accelerate growth in the competitive digital environment. Contact us for consultation at Hotline: (028) 7306 8789 or via email at contact@vnetwork.vn.