Ask How can I protect user data in membership sites?

[SuperAffiliateX]

I'm setting up a membership site but I'm worried about user data. I don't know much about security and I don't want to risk exposing personal information. I've heard about encryption and firewalls. However, I don't know how they work. Are there simple steps to keep data safe? Do I need special tools or software? I also want to make sure payments are secure. I don't want members to lose trust in the site. If you run a membership site, how do you protect user data?