{"id":20094,"date":"2025-08-22T16:09:19","date_gmt":"2025-08-22T12:09:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cs-cart.com\/blog\/?p=20094"},"modified":"2025-11-13T13:32:20","modified_gmt":"2025-11-13T09:32:20","slug":"personal-data-handling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cs-cart.com\/blog\/personal-data-handling\/","title":{"rendered":"What You Need to Know About Ensuring Privacy and Personal Data Handling in Online Marketplaces"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Personal data privacy is no longer optional for marketplaces. Protecting customer data has become a critical priority in 2025. There were 8,230 data breaches worldwide in just the first five months of 2025, and 83\u202f% of those incidents involved data later sold on dark web forums<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cs-cart.com\/blog\/meet-cs-cart-and-multi-vendor-4-7-4-with-gdpr-support\/?utm_source=chatgpt.com\"> <\/a>(<a href=\"https:\/\/sqmagazine.co.uk\/data-breach-statistics\/\">SQ Magazine<\/a>). Overall, the average cost of a breach now exceeds <strong>$4.45M to $4.65M<\/strong> per incident<a href=\"https:\/\/gitnux.org\/retail-data-breach-statistics\/\" title=\"\"> (Keevee<\/a>). In the retail sector \u2014 including eCommerce \u2014 the stakes are even higher: retail breaches made up around <strong>40\u202f% of all reported cybersecurity incidents<\/strong>, and <strong>over 70\u202f% of retail organizations<\/strong> suffered at least one breach in 2023<a href=\"https:\/\/gitnux.org\/retail-data-breach-statistics\/\"> (Gitnux<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>From a consumer perspective, <strong>92\u202f%<\/strong> of internet users are concerned about privacy in 2025, and more than half (52\u202f%) will refuse to do business with companies that don&#8217;t protect their data<a href=\"https:\/\/www.keevee.com\/data-privacy-statistics\"> (Keevee<\/a>). Online marketplaces ensure user data privacy by adopting transparent practices and modern safeguards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Real%E2%80%91World_Marketplace_Breaches\"><\/span><strong>Real\u2011World Marketplace Breaches<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>SABO (Australia)<\/strong>: a fashion brand exposed a 292\u202fGB unprotected database containing PDFs of order data \u2014 including names, addresses, phone numbers, and emails \u2014 for up to <strong>3.5M users <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.techradar.com\/pro\/security\/huge-data-breach-at-australian-fashion-giant-3-5-million-users-at-risk-heres-what-we-know-so-far\">(Techradar)<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Zoomcar<\/strong> (Indian marketplace): hackers accessed names, phone numbers, and car registration for <strong>8.4M customers<\/strong>, detected June 9, 2025 <a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/technology\/tech-news\/names-phone-numbers-and-zoomcar-says-hacker-accessed-personal-data-of-8-4-million-users\/articleshow\/121891329.cms\">(The Times of India<\/a>).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Tea app<\/strong> (U.S. women-only review platform): leaked over <strong>72,000 images<\/strong> (including selfies and IDs) and more than 1.1\u202fM private messages \u2014 some of which were posted publicly. The breach led to class\u2011action lawsuits and intense scrutiny over data retention practices <a href=\"https:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/tea-app-data-breach-cybersecurity-ai-vibe-coding-safety-experts-2025-8\">(Business Insider)<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>These incidents underscore common risks for online marketplaces \u2014 including identity theft, account takeover, and reputational damage. Weaknesses in customer data privacy often amplify these risks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_CS%E2%80%91Cart_Multi%E2%80%91Vendor_Tackles_Personal_Data\"><\/span><strong>How CS\u2011Cart Multi\u2011Vendor Tackles Personal Data<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>CS\u2011Cart includes built\u2011in capabilities to handle personal data responsibly and reduce breach risk:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Security &amp; Legal Compliance<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>GDPR\u2011ready and PCI DSS compliant<\/strong> by default, ensuring mechanisms like consent logging, opt-out, data export, and anonymization tools are available out of the box.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cs-cart.com\/trust\">Read more about CS-Cart best practices for building trust<\/a>.<br \/><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Built\u2011in capabilities to handle personal data responsibly and reduce breach risk.<\/strong> Sensitive data like passwords is encrypted and stored only as hashes. Data like payment methods and order information is processed in plain text for proper operation, with protection handled at the infrastructure level. Security also relies on minimizing application exposure and preventing vulnerabilities such as SQL injections and malicious code uploads. It should be noted that, as an open-source product, customer modifications may bypass built-in safeguards.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Access Control &amp; Admin Protection<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Administrators must rename the default admin URL to something unpredictable (e.g., CiFmHsKHSilw.php) to thwart automated attacks.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cs-cart.com\/blog\/how-to-protect-your-online-shop-and-marketplace-9-security-tips-and-tricks\/\">Get more security tips for CS-Cart<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Role\u2011based access control ensures internal teams see only what they need \u2014 minimizing exposure from insider threats or staff errors.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>An optional Google\u2011based login for the admin panel with OAuth adds a strong second layer of authentication.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Support for two\u2011factor authentication (using Google services) and CAPTCHA on the CS-Cart storefront further reduces fraud risk. To prevent the admin panel against bute-force hacking CS\u2011Cart users should rename it. <strong>Recommended add-ons<\/strong>: <a href=\"https:\/\/marketplace.cs-cart.com\/2fa-authenticator.html\">2FA Authenticator<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/marketplace.cs-cart.com\/login-i-registraciya-po-sms.html\">Login and Registration by SMS \/ OTP code + 2FA<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Data Governance<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cs-cart.com\/blog\/meet-cs-cart-and-multi-vendor-4-7-4-with-gdpr-support\/\">Built\u2011in GDPR add\u2011on<\/a> supports asking for explicit consent, maintaining consent history, and honoring data subject rights like erasure and export requests.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Backup and restore features, including automated backups via cron, can ensure safe recovery in case of data loss or ransomware. But it\u2019s better to copy data to another place, not to the current server.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Vendor pre\u2011moderation tools allow marketplace administrators to approve vendor content and products before they go live, reducing risk from malicious or non\u2011compliant vendors.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Monitoring &amp; Resiliency<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>File integrity checks alert administrators if core files are modified.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Session security features, when set up correctly, invalidate sessions if the user agent changes mid\u2011session, protecting against hijacking.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_This_Matters_to_CS%E2%80%91Cart_Marketplace_Operators\"><\/span><strong>Why This Matters to CS\u2011Cart Marketplace Operators<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>With <strong>60\u202f% of retail breaches originating from third-party vendors<\/strong> and <strong>card-not-present fraud in marketplaces forming around 55\u202f% of all fraud activity<\/strong>, robust vendor and data controls are vital<a href=\"https:\/\/gitnux.org\/retail-data-breach-statistics\/\"> (Gitnux)<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>CS\u2011Cart\u2019s moderation, encryption, consent logs, and two\u2011factor authentication all directly mitigate these vulnerabilities. Strong data protection helps preserve trust and reputation for niche operators who value customer relationships over scale.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cs-cart.com\/blog\/how-to-protect-your-online-shop-and-marketplace-9-security-tips-and-tricks\/\" title=\"\">Get more insights about the features of marketplaces<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"User_Data_Privacy_Best_Practices_for_Marketplace_Operators_in_2025\"><\/span><strong>User Data Privacy Best Practices for Marketplace Operators in 2025<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Implement strong authentication<\/strong>: enable two\u2011factor authentication, rename the admin URL, and monitor brute\u2011force logs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Enable GDPR tools<\/strong>: capture and retain consent, respond to erasure and data export requests, and anonymize old data.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Limit internal access<\/strong>: assign role\u2011based permissions; only expose personal data to necessary staff.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Moderate onboarding<\/strong>: approve vendors and content before publication to prevent abuse from unknown third parties.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Encrypt and manage backups:<\/strong> ensure that backups are encrypted, safely stored, tested for integrity, and regularly verified for recoverability.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Monitor logs proactively<\/strong>: watch for file changes, session anomalies, and suspect admin actions using&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/betterstack.com\/community\/comparisons\/log-analysis-tools\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"follow noopener\">log analysis tools<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Train your staff<\/strong>: security awareness and regular audits reduce human error and insider exposures.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Update passwords more often and ensure they are reliable. One can use password generators, such as Bitwarden, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.passwordmonster.com\">Password Monster<\/a>, or check the reliability on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.security.org\/how-secure-is-my-password\/\">security.org<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Regularly update CS-Cart and server components.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Conduct an external audit.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Final_Takeaways\"><\/span><strong>Final Takeaways<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>By mid\u20112025, <strong>millions of records<\/strong> have already been compromised across global marketplaces. With consumer trust fragile \u2014 <strong>52\u202f% of users will not buy from businesses perceived to mishandle data. Marketplaces<\/strong> powered by CS\u2011Cart remain well\u2011positioned to lead with confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"max-width: 600px; margin: 50px auto; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-color: #f9f9f9; padding: 20px; border-radius: 5px; box-shadow: 0 2px 5px rgba(0,0,0,0.1);\">\n  <div style=\"border-left: 4px solid #ccc; padding-left: 20px; color: #555; font-style: italic;\">\n   &#8220;Marketplace owners often underestimate how quickly a data breach can damage their business. Customers expect their information to be handled safely, and if that trust is broken, it\u2019s very hard to win back. In CS-Cart we focused on adding simple but effective protections \u2014 encryption, GDPR tools, access control \u2014 so operators can run their marketplaces without constantly worrying about security,&#8221; says Andrey, CTO of CS-Cart.\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"cs-cart-products-block\">\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"All_CS-Cart_Products_and_Services\"><\/span>All CS-Cart Products and Services<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><span>\u2605<\/span> CS-Cart Multi-Vendor: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cs-cart.com\/multi-vendor-personal-demo.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">free online demo<\/a><\/li>\n<li><span>\u2605<\/span> CS-Cart Store Builder: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cs-cart.com\/store-builder\/demo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">free online demo<\/a><\/li>\n<li><span>\u2605<\/span> Mobile App: <a href=\"https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/us\/app\/multi-vendor-app-by-cs-cart\/id1304872157\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">App Store<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/store\/apps\/details?id=com.simtech.multivendor\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Google Play<\/a> <\/li>\n<li><span>\u2605<\/span> Cloud Hosting: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cs-cart.com\/cloud-hosting\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">why it&#8217;s the best for CS-Cart<\/a><\/li>\n<li><span>\u2605<\/span> Customer Care: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cs-cart.com\/support-service\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">why it&#8217;s more than just a tech support<\/a><\/li>\n<li><span>\u2605<\/span> Upgrade subscription: <a href=\"https:\/\/helpdesk.cs-cart.com\/upgrade-subscriptions.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">select and reactivate<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Personal data privacy is no longer optional for marketplaces. Protecting customer data has become a critical priority in 2025. There<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84973,"featured_media":20096,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,5],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.cs-cart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/personal-data-handling.jpg?fit=1536%2C1024&ssl=1","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cs-cart.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20094"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cs-cart.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cs-cart.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cs-cart.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/84973"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cs-cart.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20094"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.cs-cart.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20094\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20594,"href":"https:\/\/www.cs-cart.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20094\/revisions\/20594"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cs-cart.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20096"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cs-cart.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20094"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cs-cart.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20094"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cs-cart.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20094"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}