THE FUNDAMENTALS OF SECURE E-COMMERCE

There is a lot of information on the Internet about SSL, trusted certificates, strong encryption and so on. But the real security vulnerability is not your e-commerce website, it’s your own computer. Here is some practical advice on how to minimize the risks.

Strong encryption, a trusted authentication certificate from Thawte, and professional server maintenance staff protect the security of e-commerce transactions on your website. Your online credit card verification service and merchant account providers use sophisticated security protocols and have dedicated security staff. In contrast, security for your business network and home computer is often at best an afterthought. Here are the eight most important steps to secure your computer.

Update Windows

As new security flaws are found, Microsoft upgrades its products to prevent these bugs from being exploited. The number one way to make your computer more secure is to frequently update. To do this, click on the start menu and go to Windows Update.

Viruses

Viruses don’t just crash your computer, they can enable an attacker to do anything from reading your files to stealing your passwords. A quality anti-virus program is a must. Do not get the free version – paying for a full version which is automatically updated is money well spent. For additional useful advice on how to protect yourself against viruses and the related problem of worms, read http://www.net-security.org/virus_news.php?id=17

Sensitive information

Do not store sensitive information, especially credit card details or passwords on your computer where they are potentially vulnerable, print them out and then destroy when no longer needed.

Firewall

All computers connected to the Internet should have a firewall installed. Like anti-virus software, this does not have to be a big deal, but we do recommend paying for a reputable product and ensuring that you upgrade to the latest version regularly. Old versions rapidly lose the effectiveness of their protection. Another useful measure is to make sure you turn off the computer overnight and when it will be unused for long periods.

File sharing

File sharing across a network can be convenient, unfortunately if not carefully set up it can enable the same access to be given to anyone on the Internet. Either turn file sharing off, or make sure your firewall blocks all access to and from the Internet by NetBIOS.

Passwords

There is no point trying to pretend your information is safe if you use easily guessed passwords. These days, any password that can be found in a dictionary will be easily broken into.

Browsers

Security flaws have been found in all commonly used browsers. The best way to minimise the risk is to make sure you have the most up to date version possible. If you are using an old browser, download an upgrade, or get a new version from a computer magazine promotional CD.

Backups and physical security

Finally, in case of the worst, you should regularly back up all your files. Your backups should include paper copies of critical documents and should be stored in a different physical location (eg at your home).

Conclusion

A little effort and some security awareness will not make you impervious to a determined attack, but will dramatically improve your security. Imagine a carpark where all the cars but yours are unlocked – a thief can still break in to yours, but is much more likely to take one of the unlocked cars.

This article is copyright Websites at Work 2003. www.websitesatwork.com.au