Patches & Updates - Pillars of IT Security

How Safe Do You Feel About Your Personal Information or Your Customers' Data? Learn all about the pillars of IT security—patches and updates for your online store—in this blog post.

Patches & Updates - Pillars of IT Security

In our last blog article, "Enhanced Security for Online Shops", we raised awareness about cybersecurity and the security of online shops. Today's digital infrastructure is constantly at risk of cyber attacks, and the continuous maintenance through patches and updates is a critical protective mechanism. Without these proactive measures, online shops could easily become targets for data theft and other security breaches.

The Basics – What Are Patches and Updates?

Imagine a computer game you enjoy playing has some bugs or could be made more exciting. The creators of the game then send out specific improvements known as "patches" and "updates."

Patches are like small band-aids applied to the game to fix bugs. For example, if something in the game isn't working as it should, a patch can resolve the issue so you can continue to enjoy playing.

Updates are similar, but they can do more. They are like a bigger version of patches. They not only fix bugs but also add new things to the game, like new levels or features, making the game more interesting and better. In short, patches and updates help make the games and programs you use better and safer.

Why Are Patches and Updates So Important in Online Shops?

1. Protection Against Security Vulnerabilities: Software developers regularly discover security gaps in their systems. Patches and updates contain fixes for these vulnerabilities, preventing hackers from exploiting them. An unsecured online shop can lead not only to the loss of customer data but also to undermining customer trust and ultimately significant financial losses.
2. Compliance and Legal Requirements:
   4 Many industries are legally required to protect their data. For example, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the EU mandates that data be processed and stored securely. Regular updates help you meet these requirements and avoid potential fines. Read more about this in our guest blog post, "Data Protection Compliance for Online Shops."
3. Improving User Experience:
   Updates often contain improvements to the software that enhance usability and functionality. A secure and smoothly functioning website promotes customer satisfaction and fosters long-term loyalty.
4. Protection Against Malware and Viruses:
   Updates help strengthen security mechanisms and ward off new threats aimed at spreading malware or hijacking systems for malicious purposes.

We summarize: Updates and patches are generally software additions that update existing programs. They serve not only to fix security vulnerabilities but also to offer new features or performance improvements. A patch is often specifically designed to fix a particular vulnerability, while an update may be broader and improve several aspects of a program.

How Do I Use Patches and Updates?

Every online shop operator should use patches and updates, regardless of the size of the business. From small artisanal selling platforms to multinational e-commerce giants—the regular application of security updates is universal and essential for protecting customer and business data. Most modern software solutions for online shops offer automatic update features. However, it is important that you enable automatic updates or regularly check for new updates and install them manually, ensuring that the update comes from a trusted source.

How Does Maxcluster Approach This?

E-commerce agencies or online shop owners who choose maxcluster can be assured that they not only have access to high-performance managed hosting solutions but also operate in a secure and reliable environment. One of the main reasons customers are satisfied with maxcluster lies in our commitment to their security and our unbeatable 24/7/365 days support.

We regularly check our customers' applications for security vulnerabilities, ensuring that our customers are always up-to-date with the latest security technology. These checks can be conducted at regular intervals, meaning we continuously monitor the security of our customers' online shops and maintain a high security level. On our monthly update day, the operating system is updated, meaning that scheduled updates for the operating system and used software are implemented on this day.

By detecting security vulnerabilities early, customers can respond quickly before these vulnerabilities can be exploited. This is particularly important as the time between the discovery of a security vulnerability and its exploitation by cybercriminals is often very short. The regular updates and patches we enable ensure that all applications are always up-to-date, enhancing the security and performance of online shops.

This is a crucial reason why customers at maxcluster are not only satisfied but also feel safe and supported. Our proactivity, combined with our expertise and continuous commitment to customer service and technological excellence, makes maxcluster a preferred partner for secure and high-performance hosting of online shops. Plus, we have developed a product called ShopSecurity.

ShopSecurity – Only Available at maxcluster

ShopSecurity is a powerful feature provided at no additional cost to all customers of maxcluster. With this function, shop operators can check their installations for known and potential security vulnerabilities. After each scan, ShopSecurity delivers detailed reports with concrete action recommendations. These are categorized into three urgency levels: critical, important, and recommended. This categorization allows users to set priorities efficiently when addressing vulnerabilities.

The security checks by ShopSecurity are comprehensive and include both global malware scans and specific domain scans. The global malware scan searches the entire file system and databases for suspicious patterns and known malware types. Thanks to an extensive signature database, ShopSecurity can identify not only existing but also emerging malware.

The domain scan focuses on individual domains and their installed shop systems. This scan is compatible with various versions of Magento and Shopware and checks whether the installed shop software is up-to-date and whether all security patches have been applied. Additionally, the scan identifies unprotected configuration files and directories that might disclose sensitive information.

Why Is ShopSecurity So Important?

The online business is particularly vulnerable to cyberattacks, and a single security incident can not only lead to financial losses but also significantly damage customer trust. ShopSecurity aims to offer the most secure e-commerce hosting in Germany by continuously improving and adapting to the needs and feedback of its users. If there are questions about the results of a scan, ShopSecurity provides a direct contact option through a special button in the report view. This enables quick and efficient communication with the service team. Overall, ShopSecurity represents an essential security measure for every online shop, helping to minimize risks and strengthen customer trust. Security is not a one-time project but an ongoing commitment—a commitment that ShopSecurity takes seriously.

Conclusion

Regular implementation of patches and updates is a basic requirement for operating a secure and successful online shop. In an era where cybersecurity is more in focus than ever, you cannot afford to let your vigilance lapse. Those who follow these practices not only protect their own data and that of their customers but also strengthen the trust and loyalty of their users. Ultimately, investing in IT security is an investment in the future and stability of your own business.

Published on 25.04.2024 | Patches & Updates | DW