E-Commerce Security Features

When companies suffer security breaches, it is how they handle them - and the customer - that counts. With new PCI DSS mandates going into effect, web application security will get even hotter. June 30 marks an important date for any company that takes online credit card payments. Employers must face the fact that a lot of online shopping takes place at the office, and it can put an entire business network at risk. As the Payment Card Industry's data security regulation begins to bite, Barry Mansfield examines its aims and obligations. The Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard is unique compared to other security standards, as PCI provides strong guidance as to how merchants can actually comply with its requirements. More and more businesses are moving towards offering their products and services in an Internet-based environment and consumers will typically use a credit or debit card for e-commerce transactions. The convenience of doing business on the web has embedded itself into consumers' everyday routines to the point where the ability to quickly complete a multitude of tasks online has come to be expected. SaaS is no longer just about CRM — more security vendors are revamping their applications to be delivered as services over the web. It has been estimated that there are US$50 billion of illegal counterfeit and gray market goods sold on the internet annually and with the amazing growth in popularity of online auction sites and business-to-business (B2B) exchanges, all indications are that this trend is going to get worse before it gets better.