Online shopping is here to stay. Most purchases are made on the Internet these days. Accordingly, attention must be paid to the security of data. This applies not only to the stores, but also to the users of these stores. Find out how to store safely online in this article.
Why is online shopping dangerous?
Online shopping is basically safe as long as the store is trustworthy. However, when shopping online, personal data and, above all, payment details are logically requested. Wherever a lot of data is provided, attempts at data theft or fraud are not far away. Of course, certain requirements apply to online retailers in order to comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). For example, a strong authentication model must be used for transactions worth more than 30.00 euros. This can be two-factor authentication, for example. With an authenticator, online shopping is automatically more secure because there is no longer a fixed password. Instead, there is a new, automatically generated code every time you log in. This code also changes every 30 seconds to ensure additional security. However, you can also do certain things yourself to be on the safe side when shopping online.
You should pay attention to this when shopping online
Safe online shopping starts with yourself. First and foremost, you should only shop on sites that you trust or that you know are reputable. Fraudsters don’t just look for sites where data is easy to access. Fraudsters also operate sites themselves in order to steal data. This also means that the site generally has secure encryption. You can recognize this directly from the communication protocol. The “http://” protocol is outdated and no security can be guaranteed. Securely encrypted pages use the “https://” protocol. It is also a good idea to choose a payment method that does not require you to enter your credit card details directly. Methods such as PayPal or a transfer from a bank account are more secure than direct payment by credit card. Obtain information about the provider before placing an order. This applies in particular to stores outside the well-known online retailers. If you fall for a fake store, your money is gone and won’t come back. But the goods you ordered won’t arrive either. There are certain seals of approval for online stores such as “Trusted Shops”, the TÜV “Safer Shopping” seal and the “EHI Tested Online Shop”. These stores are trustworthy and adhere to the guidelines for secure online trading. It is also important that online stores use secure data transmission. This includes a reference to the fact that data transmission is protected. Otherwise, the data on the pages is not secure. In any case, only necessary data should be entered in online stores. Filling in the mandatory fields is completely sufficient. You should always be suspicious of online stores that ask for unnecessary data as mandatory fields.
Conclusion
Online shopping is seen by many as a safe purchase. In fact, very few people even think about how secure online shopping actually is. However, there can be major security gaps that can have serious consequences. You can ensure that your own online shopping is secure. Above all, you need to make sure that you only shop in online stores that comply with legal requirements and whose secure handling of data is guaranteed.
