You’ve invested heavily in building a killer online brand. Beautiful site design. Smart marketing campaigns. A seamless user experience. But what if all that hard work is being undermined by something you can’t even see?
Every day, e-commerce stores are losing revenue without even realizing it. The culprit? Shopper-side attacks.
Cybercriminals aren’t just targeting your site; they’re infiltrating your customers’ browsers, manipulating their shopping journey, and diverting sales. In fact, e-commerce brands affected by malware see an average 10-15% drop in customer lifetime value (CLV) due to lost trust and compromised user experience.
If you’re like most e-commerce leaders, you’re focused on driving traffic to your site. But what’s happening on your site, in the crucial moments before a purchase?
The Hidden Threat: How Malware Hijacks Your Customers
Imagine a potential customer lands on your site, ready to buy. But their browser has been compromised by malware or unauthorized extensions. Suddenly, their shopping experience isn’t yours anymore. It’s a chaotic mess of:
- Intrusive pop-up ads for your competitors
- Fake discounts and coupon codes that erode your margins
- Unexpected redirects to unfamiliar websites
- Even fake checkout pages designed to steal their payment information
Malware silently manipulates their online experience, turning your carefully crafted customer journey into a minefield. And the worst part? Your customer blames you for the disruption.
Real-World Examples: Seeing the Impact
Let’s break down exactly how these attacks play out:
Scenario 1: The Competitor Ad Trap
A shopper adds a premium skincare product to their cart, excited to finally indulge. Adware running on their browser injects a pop-up ad from a competitor, offering a 10% discount on the same product elsewhere. They click the ad, exit your site, and never complete the checkout.
The Damage: You lose an immediate sale and the potential for that customer’s future business.
Scenario 2: The Hijacked Checkout
A shopper browses a high-end apparel store, fills their cart with the latest styles, and proceeds to checkout. Suddenly, an MSIL malware variant redirects them to a fake “payment verification” page that appears identical to the brand’s actual checkout. They unknowingly enter their payment details, which are stolen in real-time.
The Damage: You lose a sale, the customer loses faith in your brand, and your reputation takes a major hit.
Scenario 3: The Slow-Loading Sabotage
A customer shopping for electronics experiences delayed page loads because of hidden Riskware scripts running on their browser. These scripts track their behavior, sending it to third parties who target them with competitor offers. Frustrated by the slow experience, they abandon their cart.
The Damage: You lose not only the current sale but also future revenue, as slow page loads and intrusive ads lead to higher bounce rates and traffic loss.
The Culprits: Top Malware Threats in 2025
It’s crucial to know your enemy. Here are the most active threats targeting e-commerce businesses right now:
W32 (32-bit Windows Malware)
A type of virus or malicious software that infects older Windows systems. It can slow down computers, steal sensitive data, or even lock businesses out of their own systems, leading to financial losses and disrupted operations.
W64 (64-bit Windows Malware)
A more advanced version of W32 that targets modern Windows systems. It can steal customer payment details, cause system crashes, or allow hackers to spy on business activities, putting customer trust at risk.
MSIL (Malware in .NET Applications)
Malicious software created using Microsoft’s .NET framework. Since it runs on multiple devices, it can easily spread, hijack online accounts, or install hidden programs without the user noticing.
Android Malware
Fake apps or infected files that target Android phones and tablets. This type of malware can steal login details, record conversations, or track user activity, making it dangerous for businesses handling customer data through mobile apps.
EML (Email-Based Malware)
Dangerous email attachments or links disguised as invoices, offers, or customer service messages. Clicking on them can install malware, steal banking information, or give hackers access to a company’s email system.
HTML-Based Attacks
Hackers can hide malicious code inside web pages, emails, or pop-ups. If a business’s website is infected, it could redirect customers to fake payment pages, expose personal data, or make the site unusable.
JavaScript (JS) Malware
JavaScript is used on almost every website, but cybercriminals can inject harmful code into it. This could steal customer payment details, track online behavior, or force visitors to download malware without realizing it.
Linux Malware
Linux is widely used in online stores and cloud servers. If infected, it can shut down websites, delete critical files, or expose sensitive business data, leading to major disruptions in eCommerce operations.
PDF Malware
Malicious PDFs often look like normal invoices, receipts, or reports. Opening them can allow hackers to access private files, install spyware, or disable security software, which could compromise customer and financial information.
Riskware (Risky Software)
Some legitimate programs, like remote access tools, can be misused by hackers to take control of business computers, steal sensitive data, or spy on operations if they are not properly secured.
NSIS (Malware in Software Installers)
Hackers use fake software updates and downloads to sneak malware onto computers. Installing a fake update could infect a system with spyware, cause performance issues, or open backdoors for cybercriminals to access business networks.
The Ripple Effect: How These Attacks Hurt Your Business
These aren’t just minor annoyances. Shopper-side attacks have far-reaching consequences:
Revenue Loss (Quantified): E-commerce brands affected by malware lose 10-15% of their customer lifetime value (CLV) due to lost trust and compromised user experience. Unauthorized redirects and competitor ads can divert high-intent customers, decreasing sales.
Brand Erosion: Malicious ads and redirects erode customer trust, making shoppers wary of returning to your site. If a customer has a bad experience on your site due to malware, they’re likely to blame you, not the cybercriminal.
Data Breaches and Legal Risk: Malware often intercepts payment information, putting customers at risk & exposing brands to legal liability. This can lead to costly lawsuits and irreparable damage to your reputation.
Marketing Distortion: Adware skews performance data, making it difficult to track legitimate acquisition & conversion on your site. You’re essentially flying blind, unable to accurately measure the effectiveness of your marketing spend.
Take Back Control: Protecting Your Store with BrandLock
You’ve worked too hard to let someone steal your sales and tarnish your brand. It’s time to fight back.
BrandLock provides cutting-edge solutions to protect your shoppers from unwanted distractions, malware injections, and competitor ads that silently hijack your traffic. We don’t just protect your website; we secure the entire shopper journey, ensuring your customers have the experience you intended.
Here’s how BrandLock gives you an edge:
- Blocks Unauthorized Code: BrandLock stops any unauthorized code from running on the users’ browser while the user is on your site. This prevents malware from injecting ads, redirecting shoppers, or manipulating your site’s content.
- Protects Your Checkout: BrandLock protects your cart & checkout pages vehemently. We don’t allow hijackers to steal your traffic at the moment of purchase. This ensures that customers complete their transactions securely and on your site.
- Maintains Promotional Control: BrandLock helps you maintain full control over your promotions. We prevent any extensions & malware-injected discounts from depleting your margins. This allows you to offer legitimate discounts without the risk of abuse.
- Accurate Attribution: By blocking malicious interference, BrandLock ensures accurate marketing attribution, so you can track your ROI and optimize your campaigns effectively.
Brands like Sephora, FILA, and Cartier trust us to secure their revenue month after month.
Don’t let cyber threats dictate your bottom line. It’s time to lock down your site and keep your revenue where it belongs—with you.
Want to see how many shoppers are at risk on your site? Let’s talk.
