E-customers can shop happily 'with simple security procedures'

Category: Security

November 22nd 07, 09:37

With online shoppers ramping up their purchases in the run-up to Christmas, consumers have been advised to ensure protection against viruses and hackers.

UK payments association Apacs told web users to ensure firewalls and anti-virus security were updated before transactions, as well as ensuring that they were accessing an authentic seller, by typing addresses in themselves rather than following links.

Web commerce sites are increasingly popular as the preferred method of Christmas shopping and year-round transactions, but to ensure the customer confidence to make big purchases online, Apacs claimed that tight security was needed at both ends.

Mark Bowerman, spokesperson for Apacs, said: "When you're actually submitting your card data, which is then going to be sent, you firstly need to look out for the padlock icon in the browser window, and then the http should change to https to indicate that the site is secure."

He also advocated payment protection systems: online payment protection systems, saying that "if you haven't [already], you should sign up to [have your card] verified by Visa and MasterCard secure code."

Online payment protections systems were claimed to help websites provide customers with a feeling of security when shopping on the site, with e-tailers able to sign up to the schemes and recognise customer details, before providing password checks.

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