"Security Issues Everyone Should Know About Online Shopping"
While there is no foolproof way to ensure that no one will EVER access information
you don't want them to, there are several very effective steps that you can take
to minimize the risk.
When passing sensitive data like credit card numbers, addreses, or social security
numbers over the Internet, be sure that the connection you are using or implementing
is encrypted using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL). SSL is a commonly-used protocol
for managing the security of message transmissions over the Internet. Essentially,
SSL works by using a public key, or password, to encrypt data that's transferred
over the connection. The receiving software, usually a browser such as Microsoft
Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator, decrypts the message into meaningful
information for the intended recipient. The encryption of the data prevents
unauthorized access while the data is being transmitted over the network. (By
convention, URL's that require a SSL connection start with https instead of
http.)
Another step that can be taken to minimize the risk involved with transmitting
information across the Internet is to use several different e-mail accounts,
each with a specific purpose. To limit your exposure to unwanted spam and potentially
dangerous viruses, the e-mail address provided by your ISP or Web host should
only be given to trusted parties, such as family members, friends, co-workers,
and business associates. If you frequently fill out online forms that require
the use of an e-mail address, use a "throw-away" address, such as
one that can be obtained from Yahoo! or Hotmail. This will help stop your primary
e-mail account from being flooded with unwanted mail, and it might reduce your
exposure to viruses as well.
Several other key preventative measures to safeguard your personal information
include checking your credit reports regularly, paying by credit card for online
transactions (instead of ACH bank account debits), and searching for your name
at a good search engine, like Google, to find out what information about you
is online.
About the Author:
Alan is the lead developer for InfoServe Media, LLC (http://www.infoservemedia.com/),
a Web development company that specializes in Web site design, hosting, domain
name registration, and promotion for small businesses. |
