Shopping and
Security on the
Internet
It's funny, but how many times have you been out to a restaurant and after your
meal you have happily handed over your credit/debit card to a complete stranger?
Who then promptly disappears with it? Or ordered goods over the telephone and
quite cheerfully read your account details to... well, lets face it, it could be
anyone! However, when faced with the prospect of sending out details securely
over the internet to a computer which verifies the transaction in seconds,
(also eliminating human contact - hence less risk) we wonder if it is safe!
So, how safe is it to shop on the internet? The simple answer is very
safe. 
Most companies (like Scarlet Pixel) use encryption technology to protect their
customers. Encryption technology converts your personal details into a secret
code, which is then sent over the internet. In theory, this information could
be cracked, but it is not that easy!
It is a bit like someone giving you a locked box, and telling you that the key
for the lock is somewhere in that drawer over there. A hacker trying to break
the commonly used '40 bit' encryption method would have a drawer containing no
less than 1,099,511,627,776 keys! Some companies, particularly on-line banks are
using even more complex encryption technology.
The fact is, the weakest link in on-line security is you! Many people
still insist on using passwords that are obvious or easily guessable. Using
your name, partner's name or date of birth etc is just not good enough. If a
site asks you to create a password, a combination of numbers and letters
difficult to guess would be the safest.
Shoppers are also protected by the Banking Code of Conduct,
which holds you liable for the first £50 (UKP) of loss except in cases of fraud
or gross negligence.
Also, you can be aware of 'safe' sites. Those sites which are running a secure
connection will force your web browser to display something along the lines of
a locked padlock, or a whole key instead of a broken one. The two images
provided are of the two most popular browsers on a PC. Highlighted are where
and what you should look for. In particular note that this version of Navigator
displays an open padlock in normal use. This changes to a locked one when the
connection is secure.
If you are not sure what to look for on your computer's browser then another
way to tell is by looking at the URL of the web page you are on. Ordinary web
pages start with 'http://'. However, on a secure connection they start
with 'https://'. The extra 's' stands for Secure.
Finally, we suggest that you print out a copy of any transactions that you make,
so you have a permanent record for future reference.
© Scarlet Pixel 1999 - 2006
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