It is estimated that more than 30 percent of online users have purchased products or services over the Web. The two biggest fears that will keep the Internet from reaching its full potential are privacy and security. Fraud has been quite a problem, and the Internet provides unscrupulous users a milieu to proliferate. Hardly a week goes by that the newspapers and industry publications don t call for safeguards and legislation. Technology vendors must deliver more affordable and price-performance hardware and software.
Consumers have several requirements in order to feel comfortable doing business electronically.
They demand privacy safeguards. They need assurance that messages and transactions are not opened or altered by intermediaries before they reach the intended party. Technology exists today to afford secure business over the Web. Security for e-commerce can be implemented by the utilization of some or all of the technologies described above. By designing a solution that addresses the extended enterprise, firms can provide the levels of trust and privacy consumers require.