The British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) has urged retailers to check their websites are protected following last week’s worldwide PHP crisis, warning that “that no business is too small to be targeted by cyber criminals”.
PHP is the technology that underpins around 70% of the world’s websites, including those built using popular programmes like WordPress or WooCommerce. Last week, the previously little-known system became major global news after it emerged that its programming language was hiding two serious vulnerabilities, with attackers able to exploit the weaknesses to target websites.
Fixes for the system are now available, with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) encouraging UK organisations to take immediate action, warning that the flaws may allow attackers to run commands on any web server running on PHP.
Now, Bira has joined calls for retailers to check they’re protected, and is advising its members to make it a priority to speak to their web developer or hosting provider.
Businesses running an older version of the software are being advised to move to a supported version, as older models are no longer receiving security updates. However, the NCSC has warned that all software versions may be affected and that organisations should not assume they are safe simply because they are running a recent version.
“This is a serious warning and one that independent retailers should not ignore,” insisted Andrew Goodacre, CEO of Bira. “Many small shops now rely on their website to take orders, show stock and stay in touch with customers, and a large number of those sites run on PHP without the owner ever knowing it. We have said many times that no business is too small to be targeted by cyber criminals, and that is very much the case here.
“You do not need to be a technical expert to protect your business. Simply contact whoever built or hosts your website and ask them to confirm that PHP has been updated to the latest fixed version. If your site is running an older version that is no longer supported, now is the time to get it upgraded. It is a quick conversation that could save a great deal of trouble.”