Account Data Compromise

What is an Account Data Compromise? What do I do if I get an Account Data Compromise email?

Any website can potentially be hacked. You get greater protection from attacks by keeping your software up to date:

• Doing Zen Cart upgrades in a timely manner.
• Installing Zen Cart security patches as they are released.
• Ensuring you are running a current release of PHP
• Ensuring your Javascript libraries are up to date to avoid Google Lighthouse warnings about your site.

What does an Account Data Compromise email look like?

What happens if I ignore it?

The letters get more threatening. They can and will put you out of business.

I got an Account Data Compromise email!! What do I do?

• Respond promptly. Don't put it off. Tell them you are working with a developer to solve the problem.
• Talk to your hoster. Don't blame them (necessarily) but get their input on the issue.
• Hire a developer. It doesn't have to be me, but you're going to need expert help.
• Upgrade. You need to be on the latest Zen Cart and latest PHP. I do Zen Cart upgrades if you want to work with me.
• Be prepared to change hosters. Sometimes this is (at least partially) the hoster's fault. You will likely need to upgrade to PCI hosting.
• Be prepared to migrate your non-Zen Cart software to another host. For example, if you have a blog under /blog, you will want to get another hosting account or cPanel under your current account and move the blog there under a new domain so it does not share a domain with your Zen Cart.