We are going to begin the investigation of the topic of security with a discussion of what security is about and why it matters. The basic issues which security solutions of all types need to address The Importance of Security Security has an obvious role to play with regard to m-commerce and the ability to secure transactions. Most people are aware of the need for securing information such as credit card numbers, but the need for security in both the wired and wireless environments is much broader than that. At the moment, information often has a commercial value.
Information can also be sensitive.
There are many reasons why this may be the case, ranging from a justifiable desire for privacy to information that is sensitive on a national security level. Sometimes the sensitivity comes from the content of the information, at other times the timing of the information. For example, it is unacceptable to allow some stock market investors to become aware of an impending profits warning from a company before others, so the information is regarded as sensitive until it is published formally to all investors. The power associated with information must also not be underrated. Some organizations have legal obligations to safeguard certain items of information.