Most small business owners and customers, however, often can't be specific about why electronic commerce makes them so edgy. Understanding where you are vulnerable can help protect your customers, the Web server and your business. Keep the following attack techniques in mind. Because of the hardware and degree of effort involved, sniffing is probably the least common form of cyber theft. By hacking into the routers and servers that run the Internet, hackers position themselves along major Internet pipelines and use sniffing software to look for and intercept messages that contain credit card numbers.
Customers use encryption software as an effective way to protect their transactions.
Virtually unbreakable, encrypted transactions are safe from interception. In addition, small business owners can incorporate Secure Links into their payment programs. This software examines the path of the message and assures the user that the route is clear from unauthorized viewers. This can be particularly damaging when the business possesses a database of customer credit cards and is running its inventory and other functions on a server. Entrepreneurs with their own server can restrict access by incorporating firewall technology.