Tim Bucciarelli
Table of Contents
Core Magento Security
Security is foundational to protecting customer trust, maintaining revenue, and safeguarding brand reputation. Magento development — whether Open Source or Adobe Commerce — powers many mid-market eCommerce operations, making it a frequent target for attackers. For businesses generating $5M–$100M annually, strong security practices aren’t just about compliance — they’re about ensuring business continuity and supporting growth.
The following checklist blends essential Magento security practices with optional Adobe Commerce–specific enhancements, giving CTOs and CMOs a roadmap to a layered and proactive defense strategy.
Keep Magento and Extensions Updated
Regularly apply security patches via Composer and only install extensions from reputable developers to prevent vulnerabilities. Consider working with an experienced Magento support partner to ensure timely updates.
Harden Admin Access
Change the default admin URL, enforce 2FA on all accounts, and restrict access by IP to minimize brute-force attack risks.
Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)
Limit users to only the permissions they require, reducing the chance of accidental or malicious misuse.
Enforce HTTPS Everywhere
Use SSL/TLS to secure traffic across the entire site, not just at checkout.
Web Application Firewall (WAF)
Deploy a Magento-aware WAF such as Cloudflare to filter out injections, cross-site scripting attempts, and malicious bot traffic.
Strong Hosting Environment
Use PCI DSS–compliant hosting and avoid shared environments in favor of VPS, dedicated, or Magento-managed hosting for better isolation and performance.
Automated Backups
Schedule daily or incremental backups, stored securely offsite or in the cloud, and test restoration regularly.
Ongoing Security Management
Security isn’t static. Once the foundation is set, organizations need to maintain vigilance through active monitoring, scanning, and team training. These ongoing practices ensure threats are caught early and addressed before they impact operations.
Vulnerability Scanning & Penetration Testing
Run automated scans (e.g., Qualys, Rapid7) and periodic penetration tests to uncover weaknesses before attackers do.
Application Monitoring
Use APM tools like New Relic or Datadog for real-time visibility into performance anomalies and suspicious activity.
Logging & Intrusion Detection
Enable detailed audit logs and IDS solutions to track user actions and detect unusual patterns.
Team Security Training
Regularly train employees to recognize phishing attempts, follow password best practices, and use secure password managers.
Incident Response Plan
Maintain a documented response playbook with clear roles, escalation paths, and communication protocols for handling breaches.
Optional Enhancements for Magento Open Source
Open Source merchants often need to layer in additional tools for protection, since some capabilities aren’t provided natively. These optional enhancements improve resilience without adding significant overhead.
Sansec eComscan
Run regular malware and integrity scans to detect compromised code.
ReCAPTCHA Integration
Add bot protection on checkout, login, and form submissions to prevent fraud and abuse.
Adobe Commerce Security Advantages
Adobe Commerce development includes built-in features that reduce the merchant’s operational security burden. For businesses operating at scale, these tools add an additional layer of managed protection.
Commerce Cloud WAF & DDoS Protection
Integrated Fastly CDN provides a managed firewall and bot mitigation service.
Managed Security Patching
Adobe automates patch deployment through controlled pipelines to minimize human error.
Split Databases
Separate databases for checkout, orders, and catalog functions enhance both scalability and isolation of sensitive processes.
Automated Backups & Disaster Recovery
Adobe’s managed hosting includes built-in redundancy and PCI DSS–certified backup and recovery capabilities.
Final Thought
Securing a Magento store is not a one-time task but an ongoing commitment that must evolve alongside your business and the threat landscape. For mid-market eCommerce strategy leaders, a mature security posture protects revenue, brand equity, and operational continuity. As threats evolve, your security strategy must scale with your business — layered, proactive, and continuously maintained.