4 Tips to Create a Secure Online Payment Process for Your Website

Providing secure online payment options can draw customers to your business’ website because of the convenience and accessibility. Online shopping is increasing in popularity, and you can take advantage of that by ensuring you provide the online payment options your customers want. However, you are dealing with sensitive financial information. Customers expect you to treat their sensitive data with care. Not only that, but the law also implies specific requirements when you deal with this kind of personal information. One of these requirements is to collect and store such details securely. Therefore, you need to take steps to ensure that you have a secure online payment process that aligns with your legal obligations. This article will go through four tips for creating a secure online payment process on your website, so that you can meet these requirements.

1. Research Your Options

Nowadays, your online store can take on many potential forms. You could collect online payments through:

• your own website gateway;
• an eCommerce platform; or
• a store page on an online marketplace.

What you need to do to secure your online payments will depend on the:

• structure of the website you run;
• level of control you have over the payment options; and
• kinds of customer payments you accept.

If you sell on your own online store, work together with your bank to determine what payment gateways they support. They can help you determine which options provide the best value for your money and what kind of security you may need. Figure out what payment functions you want to offer your customers, and work from there.

2. Check Relevant Security Standards

If you operate on an eCommerce platform or online marketplace, they will primarily handle the details of managing online payment software securely. However, you still need to evaluate these options to ensure that they offer the security you want for your online payments. If you operate from your own system, then you are responsible for meeting security standards.

If you accept credit card payments, you should make sure any online payment system you use is PCI compliant. This means it complies with the global minimum security standard for credit payments, the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). This standard operates on maintaining secure behaviours and systems to protect customers’ financial data adequately. These requirements include:

• implementing a firewall to protect card data;
• not using default passwords or log in credentials;
• using and regularly updating anti-virus software;
• encrypting the transmission of cardholder data and protecting stored data; and
• regularly testing and monitoring networks.

3. Encrypt Your Connection

Encryption is a way of scrambling your information into a code that third parties cannot understand. Only a party with the relevant code can decode the data and read it. Any website page that deals with online payments should be encrypted, indicated by the lock icon next to your domain URL. This significantly reduces the risk of a cyberattack while customers are in the process of giving you their financial details. If you store customers’ financial details as well, ensure that you encrypt this data.

For example, you may allow customers to save their credit card details with your payment service for easy access later. This adds the responsibility of ensuring that this stored card data is also encrypted and secure.

No matter what kind of software or gateway you use for accepting online payments, ensure that it is up to date on any patches or security fixes. 

4. Develop a Response Strategy

One of the most crucial pieces of security is developing an incident response plan should there be a security breach. You need to implement secure preventative measures, but these can only ever lower a cybersecurity risk rather than eliminate it completely. Dealing with the fallout of a cyberattack will be significantly more manageable and less stressful if you have a predetermined plan to follow. Such a plan may include:

• shutting down systems to prevent further leakage;
• evaluating access points to determine where a breach occurred;
• informing affected parties where appropriate; and
• accessing backups for unaffected software and information.

Key Takeaways

As more and more customers turn to the Internet for their shopping needs, your business online presence will only continue to expand. Customers want to know that their sensitive financial details are secure, so you need to take steps to ensure you meet the appropriate standard. Privacy law also requires that you enact reasonable security measures for this kind of information. If you would like more information or help with your website’s online payments, contact LegalVision’s IT lawyers on 0800 005 570 or fill out the form on this page.

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