Magento 2: Be Aware of Additional Security Patches Provided in The Latest Version

There is no hidden fact that security is the most important factor that every eCommerce store owner is concerned about. Especially when the cybercrime rate is growing at a rapid rate that can expose eCommerce business to a multitude of risks, this aspect is becoming more and more noticeable.

Any vulnerability or security hole can cause huge damage to your business. What’s even worse? It can even break down your website. Thankfully, if you’re a Magento user, you’ll be relieved to know that Magento offers different types and versions of security patches to keep your store safe by eliminating the risks and minimizing the security holes. But the problem is, security patches need to be applied carefully otherwise they can do more harm than good, such as messing with the functionality of the website. 

The same thing goes for the Magneto 2 security patches. And this is the reason why it is always recommended to get your security patches tested and applied by a reliable Magento 2 upgrade service.

How Does Magento 2 Security Patches Work? 

Generally, the Magento 2 security patches are divided into two categories: official patches and custom patches. The official patches are published through the Magento Security Center. You can easily choose the right security patch depending on your current Magento version or type of installation. If you’re working with a Magento 2 upgrade service, then they will take care of all of it. 

Next, the custom patches are unofficial and created as per your requirement. Your Magento 2 upgrade service can help you create custom patches depending on your website’s requirements. 

A security patch file is a document that consists of all the files that need to be changed plus the details of the changes such as the lines where changes begin and end along with a piece of code. When you run the security patch, it gets read and the specific changes get implemented. 

Things To Keep In Mind Before Running Magento 2 Security Patches

1. Test All Patches 

This is one of the most important things to do before finally deploying the patches. If you ignore this step, you may end up struggling with unexpected compatibility and other related issues. By testing the patches in advance, you can ensure the smoothness and correctness of your website. This makes sure that all the aspects of your Magento 2 installation will work fine after applying the security patch. 

First and foremost, you need to review the patch release note to see how it affects major segments that have been changed in the backend as well as in the frontend.

2. Backup Your Database

Never forget to backup your Magento installation and database before running a security patch. Many people ignore this step and later end up losing their important data and hurting their websites due to patch problems. 

If you don’t already know, Backups Management in Magneto offers great help by archiving databases, file systems, media files and so on. 

3. Enable Maintenance Mode 

Magento offers Maintenance Mode using which you can disable bootstrapping. You can use this mode whenever you need to disable your site for maintenance activities like updating, upgrading, etc. and testing before going live. 

When you enable the maintenance mode, your visitors will see a message “Service Unavailable Temporarily”. 

4. Full Site Audit 

Just like any other ecommerce website, Magento too has some flaws and it can’t be perfect all the time. But the good thing is, Magento keeps launching new versions and updates that will help you sail through. 

Whenever there is a new Magneto version, the previous one becomes vulnerable and outdated. This is where regular maintenance becomes mandatory for enhancing the security of Magento stores. 

Although some issues are very easy to identify, some can’t be detected unless an audit is performed. Most of the time, they come into notice when they’ve already damaged your Magento store. If there is a serious drop in your traffic, sales and contacts or there is a bug, it’s high time to find the right Magento 2 upgrade service and get your site audit done by them. It is recommended not to perform the site Audit on your own if you don’t have any experience or expertise in the same. Once the audit has been done, you can find out all the possible errors and bugs beforehand and fix them in advance so that your patch application remains successful and your stores run smoothly. 

More than a Magento 2 security patch guide, the post also addresses important things you need to do to prepare your Magento store for the security patches. It is strictly recommended to hire a professional Magento 2 upgrade service for applying the security patches precisely.