With the recent surge in direct-to-consumer (DTC) wine commerce, the importance of beefing up online security has grown significantly. Unfortunately, ecommerce sites, hubs for processing payments and gathering personal information, attract hackers' attention. There have been several high-profile data breaches in recent years, and a concerning report even indicates that 29% of ecommerce website traffic aims at malicious activities. As hackers continually advance their techniques/methods, safeguarding your winery's website becomes increasingly critical. In this blog, we will delve into four essential online security features that your winery should know about and consider adopting to ensure the safety of your business and your customers' data.
Have you experienced those sometimes confusing "I am not a robot" popups you get when making a purchase or logging in? That's Google reCAPTCHA or a similar security feature that helps protect websites from fraud. ReCAPTCHA is a security tool that "uses an advanced risk analysis engine and adaptive challenges to keep malicious software from engaging in abusive activities on your website." This tool helps keep spam bots away from your site while letting visitors in seamlessly.
To further protect wineries from fraudulent bot attacks, WineDirect employs an invisible layer of security known as reCAPTCHA to your V2 website checkout. WineDirect is deeply committed to the highest security standards while ensuring your conversion rates stay, and this enhanced fraud protection does just that.
This invisible and frictionless version works to detect bots in the background. It returns a risk score that tells the WineDirect system if the interaction is suspicious and could indicate a bot user. Its Adaptive Risk Analysis Engine scores traffic and does not force consumers to click anything extra. Your checkout experience will look the same to your consumer and protect your website from bot attacks.
One of the most common and secure ways to protect your winery from suspicious log-in attempts is using 2-Factor Authentication (2FA) or Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). MFA is an authentication method that requires the user to provide two or more verification factors to access a resource such as an application, online account, or a VPN. Rather than just needing a username and password, MFA requires one or more additional verification factors, which decrease the likelihood of a successful cyber-attack.
MFA is becoming the standard for security, and you will likely already use it for some of your daily applications. Once you try to log in to something with your password, you may require a code to gain access. This code may be sent to your email, or an authenticator app such as Google Authenticator or Authy. The codes are usually only good for a few minutes, so you must enter them shortly after receiving them.
WineDirect users can easily enable MFA on their admin panel to add an extra layer of security. Users who try logging in to SiteAdmin for the first time will need to secure their account by linking to an authenticator app. The user can then check to remember the MFA code and won't be asked again unless there is a suspicious action.
If unchecked, the user must re-enter the code after 30 days from an authenticator app to log in to SiteAdmin. As this feature is not enabled by default, you can learn more about it through documentation and how to enable it for your store.
While shopping online is becoming increasingly the norm, consumers can still be nervous about entering their payment details online when shopping. Ecommerce continues to be the most vulnerable industry for cyber-attacks, accounting for 32.4% of all cyber-attacks. Created by Visa and MasterCard, 3D Secure, also called 3DS, is a technical standard that adds a layer of security to online credit and debit card transactions.
The significant benefit of using 3DS as a winery is that it protects you and your consumers from the threat of payment fraud. With another authentication step through 3DS, an issuing bank becomes liable for fraudulent chargebacks. Fewer chargebacks for wineries means more money in your pocket. One potential downside is that it can often result in higher card abandonment rates due to the longer checkout process.
3D security works in the background as an added level of payment protection for online transactions. To complete an online transaction, the cardholder is asked to provide proof of identity by entering a unique code or pin. Here are the initial steps involved:
WineDirect employs various security tools and protocols to help keep your and your customer's data safe. 3D Secure (3DS) is one of the security protocols we use specifically designed to protect wineries from online payment fraud by stopping suspicious transactions. With the newly updated 2.0 version, this helps wineries by:
3DS 2.0 is now automatically enabled at the payment processor level. If you are eligible, no action is needed. To take advantage of 3DS, you must use WineDirect Payments and V2 Checkout Tools.
Security and building trust with your website visitors are essential. Statistics show that more than "67% of customers stopped mid-shopping because something has aroused their suspicion." One of the leading compliances known worldwide is Payment card industry (PCI) compliance, which credit card companies mandate to help ensure the security of credit card transactions in the payments industry. PCI is strict, with over 12 essential requirements, 78 base requirements, and 400 test procedures to ensure that organizations are PCI compliant. The main benefits of being PCI compliant are that it reduces data breaches, protects cardholders' data, avoids fines, and improves brand reputation.
WineDirect adheres to Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) Service Provider Level 1 Compliance, the highest standard for handling credit card data. Regular third-party PCI compliance scans ensure ongoing adherence to standards. We also ensure that our partners, like Amazon (where our servers are stored) and merchant partners, properly handle security. We adhere to the PCI compliance standards outlined by the PCI Compliance Standards Council for the storing, processing, and transmitting credit card data and cardholder information.
Ensuring the security of your winery's online store goes beyond safeguarding data; it's about nurturing the trust and loyalty of your valued customers. By adopting multi-factor Authentication (MFA), embracing 3D Secure (3DS), integrating Google reCAPTCHA, and achieving PCI compliance, you strengthen your defenses against cyber threats and showcase your unwavering dedication to customer safety and satisfaction. With WineDirect, you can rest assured of a secure environment for you and your consumers. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, prioritizing robust online security features is indispensable for wineries seeking success in the fiercely competitive ecommerce landscape. Remember, security isn't an afterthought—it's a fundamental pillar of your winery's prosperity.
