What Is Magento Killer? How To Safeguard Your Store From It

13 Aug 2019
Mike Patel
Mike Patel
What Is Magento Killer? How To Safeguard Your Store From It

When it comes to online shopping, the most significant trust factor that users consider is Ecommerce platform’s security. It massively influences the users’ choice of an online store.

Security is also the industry’s watchword for Ecommerce merchants and they develop their stores on platforms that offer security features as their primary USP. However, the latest threat to the security of Ecommerce websites these days is Magento killer. It targets the loopholes and steals the payment details of Magento stores.

What is Magento Killer?

It is a malicious PHP script that targets a Magento database and modifies the data in the core_config_data table of the targeted database. This enables the attacker to fetch the payment information from the affected Magento store.

It uses the special queries encoded in base64 and has two objects – Update DB (Savecc), and Update PP (MailPP)

Update DB (Savecc): It configures the website to store the payment information on the server instead of sending it to the Magento’s payment processor (PayPal, authorize.net).

Update PP (MailPP): It helps to edit the business account of the merchant and run it as per the hacker’s wish.

This PHP script enables the attackers to decrypt the available credit card information and launder all the money. The attacker usually doesn’t limit to just the credit card information. It can gain access to all other information in the database by creating an additional SQL query variable to extract everything from the compromised Magento store.

How to Safeguard Your Magento Store From Magento Killer

  • Security Check

Magento has a free Security Tool to help scan and monitor the store’s security. It enables the online retailers to learn about major vulnerabilities by analyzing the website and also recommends some practices to perform.

  • Keep Your Magento Store Updated

Magento regularly releases version updates and security patches to remove the bugs and fix the security issues in the current or previous versions. You can check the Magento updates and also subscribe to the Magento newsletter here https://magento.com/security

You can upgrade your store to Magento 2 to avoid any hassles of data security and Magento 1 End of Life.

  • Implement Best Industry Practices

You must always ask the developers of your Magento Agency to implement the best practices as documented by Magento. Magento documentation is the most significant benefit offered for using a robust Ecommerce Content Management System. Following these development guidelines not only improves the security of the Magento store but also prevents the hackers from slipping into the codebase.

  • Host Your Store on a Secure Server

Server security is the most important factor as the entire website data is saved in it. We recommend to implement a dedicated firewall, SSL certificate, IP whitelisting and other best practices for server security.

Final Thoughts

Magento is a widely used Ecommerce platform by thousands of online retailers worldwide. It makes the hackers to always find a security breach to exploit your Magento store within no time. And this time the threat is your customer’s credit card(s) information which can make your Ecommerce store a nightmare.

Consult your Magento Agency to ensure 100% store protection from Magento killer and other security threats through best security practices.

Mike Patel
Mike Patel linkedin

Mike Patel is the Founder and CEO of ioVista, a leading digital commerce agency specializing in eCommerce solutions. With a strong background in business and technology, Mike Patel has been at the forefront of driving digital transformations for businesses. He has successfully navigated the ever-changing landscape of eCommerce, helping companies leverage the power of online platforms to grow their brand, increase revenues, and optimize their digital presence. Under his leadership, ioVista has become a trusted partner with major technology companies: Adobe/Magento, Google, BigCommerce, Shopify, and Yahoo. He is dedicated to staying ahead of industry trends, adopting cutting-edge technologies, and continuously improving strategies to provide clients with a competitive edge. Mike’s commitment to excellence and client satisfaction is evident in every project ioVista undertakes.

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