A question that many businesses considering using chatbots ask is ‘are they vulnerable to security threats?’, and the answer is quite simply, yes, they can be.
As technology has advanced, hackers can now readily access the chatbot’s hidden infrastructure. Perpetrators preparing to implant malicious codes or commands into the chatbot’s structure have a window of opportunity to gain access to consumers’ and your company’s protected data. The security of the messaging platform, on the other hand, may determine the scope and success of the attack.
Chatbots can be attacked in two ways; through technical attacks or through social engineering attacks.
Social engineering attack: Corrupt hackers can impersonate a chatbot by using all the backup information of targeted victims through a social engineering attack. Data can be readily picked up from various sources, such as social media and even the dark web.
Technical attack: In a technical attack, a hacker can become a corrupt bot and exchange messages with real, legal bots. They then exploit this situation to find vulnerabilities and gaps in the targeted victim profiles, leading to a compromise of the whole security infrastructure.
The architects of the chatbots must be accountable for ensuring that all security measures are in place and for restoring the infrastructure of their chatbots. The chatbot system’s data flow should also be encrypted both in transit and at rest, as well as secure.
However, with good security measures in place, you can drastically reduce the chances of a chatbot falling prey to a cyber attack. Here, we look at some of these measures.
5 Ways To Protect Your Chatbot Against Security Threats
End to end encryption
Data in transit can be interfered with by cybercriminals because of the sophistication of their technology and intelligence
End-to-end encryption is a must if you want your entire discussion to be safe. This means that only the sender and the recipient will be able to see your messages if they are encrypted.
Encryption is a must in the digital world, and chatbot developers are doing everything they can to use this technology to ensure that their bots are secure. The most secure way to protect your internet traffic and messages is to use corporate VPNs. A virtual private network (VPN) can also protect you from chatbot-related dangers and weaknesses.
As a matter of fact, it is a vital component of services such as WhatsApp and other major internet companies. Encryption is a top priority for them, even in the face of heavy government monitoring. Encryption of this kind is required by GDPR, which stipulates that businesses must take steps to protect their customers’ personal information.
User authentication and identification
Secure and valid credentials, such as usernames and passwords, must be verified as part of the user identity authentication process. For the duration of the user’s session, a secure authentication token replaces the login credentials. For those who have not already, you should give this method a go.
Timeouts for authentication are another technique to maintain the security of your chatbot. If you have a predetermined time limit, this strategy is more popular in banks.
A second way to verify the identity of a user is through the use of two-factor authentication. By text message or email, users are requested to authenticate their identity if they so want. There are many benefits to this, including ensuring that information is not mistreated or breached and that the proper individual has access.
Messages that self-destruct
One more option to make chatbots more secure is with the self-destructive message features that now exist. When a user submits personal information, this option is useful. As a result, this data should be permanently removed or purged as soon as it is no longer needed. If you are working with financial chatbots, this is a much more convenient technique.
Security protocols
Chatbots can also be protected by employing secure protocols. The HTTPS protocol is pre-installed in every security system. If you are not an IT whiz, you can see it when you look at the URL in the search box. You may be assured that your data is safe from a variety of cyber-attacks and vulnerabilities when transmitted over HTTPS and encrypted connections (TLS and SSL).
Make sure you employ secure protocols in order to ensure the highest level of protection. Make sure to remember that when Chatbots are only beginning, they will be protected by the same code and mechanism as current HIMs. They use multiple layers of encryption to safeguard the privacy of their users and are interconnected with their security systems.
Knowledge
The most challenging of security vulnerabilities to understand and resolve is human mistakes.
Despite the fact that a record number of people recognize the need for digital security, human beings remain the system’s most susceptible component. As long as the issue of user mistakes persists, chatbot security will remain an issue. Chatbots and other forms of digital technology need to be educated on as well. Show them The Complete Guide to Chatbots for more information.
Customers are not at fault in this case. Employees, too, are prone to making mistakes, and they do so on a regular basis. To avoid this, the chatbot developers should construct a clear strategy, incorporate IT professionals, and train them on the safe usage of the system. This improves the team’s ability to communicate with the chatbot system.
On the other hand, clients are not as easily enlightened as employees are. You can, however, supply them with a full guide on how to use the system safely. Others in the company may be able to help educate and engage customers in a productive way about how to use the chatbots.
The benefits of using chatbots in your business
You may have read the above and be wondering whether it is worth the risk to use a chatbot in your business. The answer is still a yes; even with the vulnerabilities, using a chatbot in your business can have so many benefits, that the risks are outweighed totally. Some of the benefits include:
Facilitate smooth communication: Nobody enjoys having to wait for an answer. If your company is unable to respond promptly to a customer’s concern about one of your products or services, they will soon lose trust in your brand.
A chatbot that is linked to your customer service system makes it simple for customers to communicate with you. Chatbots can answer customers’ questions. Customers do not have to waste their time trying to get in touch with companies because of the widespread use of this feature in smartphone apps and on their websites.
Enables 24/7 customer service: Chatbots, unlike your support staff, do not require sleep. It is possible for your organization to assist a customer even if it is outside of usual business hours.
As a result, customers are more satisfied because they do not have to wait for a response to an email or message.
Reduces costs: Slashing time spent dealing with client queries might result in huge savings for your company. Customer support workers are being replaced with chatbots, allowing you to significantly reduce the time it takes for interactions on all channels, including phone calls and messaging apps.
Eliminate tedious tasks: Chatbots have the potential to automate many of the manual, time-consuming processes presently performed by customer service representatives.
People may find these tasks tedious and taxing, but a bot will never complain, even if a client becomes irate or aggressive with it. Chatbots should not be viewed as a human substitute, but rather as a more efficient method of meeting consumer needs.
Provide a more efficient and easier customer experience: When it comes to the customer journey, chatbots are a huge asset. Losing prospects in the middle of a marketing funnel is a painful experience for anyone in e-commerce. When it comes to online purchases, it does not take much to scare people away, from a complex checkout process to hidden fees.
Bots can be used by businesses to speed up the purchasing process by appearing on any website and doing the following tasks:
- Provide more details about the products or the shipping process.
- Use related video material to provide customers with further information.
- Provide coupon codes for discounts.
Conclusion
Since there is no definitive answer to the question of whether or not a chatbot is secure, answering it is tough. It is possible that even the most secure and dependable systems are vulnerable. There are, however, safety standards that can be used to enhance the security of chatbots if desired. The procedure is the same as in any other system that uses confidential data.
As a new and innovative way for customers to communicate with businesses online, chatbots can also give hackers an entry point to your website and other sensitive information. As a result, the security of your website is entirely in your hands, including the protection of chatbots.
