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2010-03-11
Protect PCs against fraudsters, online shoppers told
People using online billing solutions and other online payment processing methods must ensure their information is secure, one expert has said.
People using online billing solutions and other online payment processing methods must ensure their information is secure, one expert has said.
Criminals are moving on to new areas and their attacks are more sophisticated, warned Tony Neate, managing director for internet security campaign Get Safe Online.
"People have to make sure they are doing everything right when they are online," he commented.
"It can be relatively simple to do that."
Mr Neate urged PC users to install anti-virus and spyware programs and to ensure they are updated regularly.
If using a wireless connection, this must be protected with a password to stop others viewing the information sent over the airwaves, such as online billing solutions details.
Care must also be taken on social networking sites as publishing too much information about yourself, such as date of birth and location, can allow criminals to steal your identity and misuse your online payment processing services.
read more 2010-03-10
Social media efforts applauded by ecommerce firms
Social media has helped many businesses with internet merchant accounts, a new survey has revealed.
Social media has helped many businesses with internet merchant accounts, a new survey has revealed.
Research by advice site Practical eCommerce revealed that Twitter and Facebook are the most used social networking sites by online retailers, with both popular among more than three-quarters of those questioned.
Other social media offerings used by the ecommerce sites included Linkedin, YouTube, MySpace and blogs, although one in ten do not use any in their marketing efforts.
More than half of the internet merchant account holders explained that social media has helped their firm, with many saying they gain increased awareness through participating on sites such as Facebook and Twitter.
Almost all plan to maintain or ramp-up their use of social networking in the future, learning more where necessary.
Those already making the most of Facebook could be at the forefront of a new emerging trend - the use of the site for online payment processing.
Storefront applications could be developed on the networking site, giving retailers wider reach.
read more 2010-03-10
Credit card processing fraud falls
Total fraud losses on credit card processing are down by nearly a third, figures from the UK Cards Association revealed.
Total fraud losses on credit card processing are down by nearly a third, figures from the UK Cards Association revealed.
Between 2008 and 2009, loss on the payment processing method was £440.3 million - a drop of £170 million on the previous year.
The trades association said the fall in fraud is due to chip and pin, increasing use of crime detection skills and the work of a special police unit to tackle card misuse.
Despite the fall in credit card processing fraud, the first since 2006, online baking losses were up as criminals used more sophisticated methods to target consumers.
"We recognise that cards will always be targeted by criminals, so we are determined not only to continue to prevent, detect and deter those who are behind this type of crime, but also to make sure that innocent victims don't lose out," commented Melanie Johnson, chair of the UK Cards Association.
read more 2010-03-09
Western European e-commerce to see double-digit growth
E-commerce in western Europe is set for a period of double-digit growth over the next five years, according to Forrester Research.
E-commerce in western Europe is set for a period of double-digit growth over the next five years, according to Forrester Research.
Online retail within the largest nations in western Europe will grow at an 11 per cent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) to hit €114 billion (£103.4 billion) by 2014.
"To maximise that growth, e-business professionals will have to help enable a multichannel strategy that responds to consumers' increased desire to hop between the offline and online worlds," commented Forrester Research vice president and principal analyst, Sucharita Mulpuru.
Over in the US, Forrester has predicted that online retail will grow at a ten per cent CAGR to reach almost $249 billion (£165.7 billion) by 2014.
Recent research from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills recently indicated that UK consumers are now the biggest online shoppers in Europe.
They spent £38 billion online in 2009, representing ten per cent of overall UK retail sales.
read more 2010-03-09
Consumers appear happy with goods bought online
Nearly two-thirds of consumers are less likely to return goods they buy online, compared to those they purchase on the high street, which could be good news for online credit card processing firms.
Nearly two-thirds of consumers are less likely to return goods they buy online, compared to those they purchase on the high street, which could be good news for online credit card processing firms.
Despite this, over three-quarters (77 per cent) of UK consumers do not know there are differences between online and high street consumer rights, according to a poll from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
In addition, one in ten (13%) consumers admitted to being unsure of their consumer rights with online purchases.
"We are now Europe's biggest online shoppers, so it's important we all know that most online goods can be returned with no questions asked within seven days," commented consumer minister Kevin Brennan.
Despite this, the IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index last month recorded the lowest annual growth rates in its history.
Additionally, monthly growth dropped by 22 per cent from December 2009 to January 2010.
read more 2010-03-09
Human-generated names 'offer weak resistance to guessing hackers'
Human-generated names provide weak resistance to hackers guessing common answers for a large number of accounts using population-wide statistics, it has been suggested.
Human-generated names provide weak resistance to hackers guessing common answers for a large number of accounts using population-wide statistics, it has been suggested.
University of Cambridge security researcher Joseph Bonneau and University of Edinburgh researchers Mike Just and Greg Matthews worked together on a study that uncovered what may be worrying findings for those using online credit card processing.
"For an attacker looking to make three guesses per personal knowledge question … none of the name distributions we looked at gave more than eight bits of effective security except for full names," Mr Bonneau explained on his blog.
Breaking the findings down, he added that this translates to at least one in 256 successful guesses by potential hackers and one in 84 accounts compromised.
This news may be worrying for those looking to buy products over social networks, after editor and co-founder of Social Media Portal Tim Gibbon suggested that Facebook could soon become a big player in online shopping.
read more 2010-03-08
More business functions 'to head to Second Life'
More firms could end up heading to Second Life or other virtual worlds a lot more in the future, if the thoughts of the platform's chief executive are to be believed.
More firms could end up heading to Second Life or other virtual worlds a lot more in the future, if the thoughts of the platform's chief executive are to be believed.
Talking with IT PRO at the CeBIT conference, Mark Kingdon said that more business functions would move to virtual worlds such as Second Life.
He told the website that one recent introduction has been launching a beta of a new viewer, which "borrows visual metaphors from the web browser".
It also makes the Second Life viewer "very much a 3D browser", Mr Kingdon commented, also pointing to a behind-the-firewall solution named Second Life Enterprise.
The latter lets people create "a private instance of Second Life that they can put behind the firewall and connect to their enterprise systems".
Linden Lab, the company responsible for developing Second Life, was set up by Philip Rosedale in 1999.
The organisation is based in San Francisco and has more than 330 employees across the world.
read more 2010-03-08
Over 121m using wireless broadband in Europe
There are now more than 121 million wireless broadband users in Europe and of these around 71 million use the internet on their mobile every week, figures have shown.
There are now more than 121 million wireless broadband users in Europe and of these around 71 million use the internet on their mobile every week, figures have shown.
A report from the European Interactive Advertising Association (EIAA) has shown that European consumers spend more time using mobile internet a week than reading newspapers, which could mean more companies will want to accept credit cards online.
The EIAA data also showed that the younger demographics are driving adoption of mobile internet, as almost a quarter (24 per cent) of 16 to 24-year-olds are using the mobile internet.
In addition, 36 per cent of Europeans were found to be using the internet while watching TV.
Phillip Bates, a senior manager with Analysys Mason, has predicted manufacturers will increasingly compete with one another "to offer a range of attractive applications such as Facebook and Twitter access on much lower cost devices".
"The growing importance of the mobile internet is indisputable," commented Mr Bates.
read more 2010-03-08
Credit card processing users 'to benefit from pervasive broadband'
Everyone, including those carrying out credit card processing online, will benefit from pervasive access to broadband across the UK, it has been suggested.
Everyone, including those carrying out credit card processing online, will benefit from pervasive access to broadband across the UK, it has been suggested.
"For rural people it aids local communication and enables internet-based provision of services, information and delivery," explained Shane Wright, technical director for eDigitalResearch.
He added that expanding broadband to people across the UK may help narrow the digital divide between the affluent and the disadvantaged groups in the country's society.
"In many cases using the internet to perform daily or life tasks can be more cost-efficient," Mr Wright added.
His comments came after Broadband Delivery UK was launched by the government to push the universal service commitment to provide 2Mbps to every household by 2012.
The body will manage some of the £1 billion Next Generation Fund to deliver superfast broadband to 90 per cent of the country by 2017.
At the start of 2009, the average broadband speed across the UK averaged 3.667Mbps, according to analysts at broadband.co.uk.
read more 2010-03-05
Facebook 'could become hotspot for credit card processing'
Facebook may become the new place for online payment processing, it has been claimed.
Facebook may become the new place for online payment processing, it has been claimed.
Storefront applications on the social networking site could see Facebook become a powerful destination for online shopping, suggested Tim Gibbon, co-founder and editor of the Social Media Portal.
"Facebook certainly has the audience in terms of numbers and appeal for brands that are trying to find additional pathways to reach their consumers," he commented.
Online retailers looking to use social networks must consider whether they want consumers to use their own online payment processing services or complete the transaction through the third-party site.
This could put brand identity at risk, Mr Gibbon pointed out, although it may also make things easier for the retailer.
A US flower and gift shop has launched an ecommerce site within its Facebook page, allowing people to complete purchases through the social networking site for the first time via a fully-functioning storefront.
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