Information Security Newsletter Series: Introduction to ...



Information Security Newsletter Series: Tips to Safe Online Shopping

Safe and Secure Online Shopping

Online shopping is a great alternative to “brick and mortar” shopping. But when purchasing online, there are risks to keep in mind. Just as people make decisions in the real world regarding who to buy from, many of these same criteria can be applied to the Internet; use the four criteria below to determine if an online store is a safe and secure place to shop.

Domain Name?

Many respectable, well-known merchants have their own domain name, such as [store name].com, while smaller shops will use free web space such as that provided by Geocities or AngelFire. If an online store’s domain name looks like davesstore.html, this could be a problem; although not all of these stores are illegitimate, a domain name does lend credibility.

Secure Shopping or Privacy Policies?

Good online vendors dedicate an entire page to shopper security and privacy principles. This page should mention Secure Sockets Layers (SSL), which encrypts your data. This makes it more difficult for intruders to access your personal information. Vendors should also provide the option of completing an order by phone. Finally, there should be links to sites like or the Better Business Bureau Online in these sections, who validate the privacy policies of Internet sites just like businesses in the real world.

Another way to tell if a site is secure is to look at the bottom corner of the web browser. Netscape and IE have built indicators to show if a site is using SSL. When using the Netscape browser, look at the lower left corner of the window. Depending on which version of the browser you are using, there will either be a broken key or an open padlock icon if the site is not secure. When accessing a secure area using Netscape, there will either be an unbroken key or a locked padlock icon. Depending on the browser’s configuration, there may also be a notification box indicating the access of a secure area, which is also true of IE. Although there is also a padlock icon when entering a secure site on IE, it will be in the lower right corner of the window. It’s important to remember that shoppers will generally not be on the secure portion of a merchant's web site until they begin entering credit card information, so don't look for it on the opening page of the site. Finally, once you enter a secure area on a site, the web address at the top will change to https:// rather than the usual http://.

Contact Information?

Communication by E-mail is great, but in the event of a problem, you sometimes need to talk to a real person; the merchant should provide a means for doing so and should also post their return.

Summary

For those still concerned with online shopping, consider this: when it comes time to pay for a meal at a restaurant with a credit card, the customer trusts that the waiter will only go and swipe the card and bring it back. However, he could just as easily write down the card’s information and use it on his own. Shopping online eliminates that factor. By remembering this fact and following these few simple suggestions, online shopping experiences should be safe and painless.

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