WikiLeaks attacks are wake up call for e-commerce

Recent high profile attacks on web firms should be a lesson to all businesses

A number of recent attacks against some big-name web firms should be a wake-up call to all businesses, according to e-commerce industry body the Interactive Media in Retail Group (IMRG).

The group, which represents the interests of a number of e-commerce firms, said that the successful web attacks against Visa, Mastercard and others in the wake of the Wikileaks scandal should prompt all firms to revisit their own security procedures and cyber defences.

The IMRG recommends that firms take a number of steps to protect themselves, including making sure firewalls are properly configured and keeping anti-virus software up to date.

Above all, the IMRG said companies must act to minimise the potential of human error causing a breach of their digital defences.

The organisation said the this posed a particularly high risk during the run-up to Christmas when many firms take on temporary staff. It said that it was vital that temps were fully briefed on enterprise policies, processes and procedures.

In related news, the European Network and Information Security Agency (Enisa) has published a white paper that makes a number of recommendations to help consumers stay safe online.

The advice comes in response to a recent Enisa survey that found that many shoppers are still wary of e-commerce and are worried about identity theft and security. The survey found that just under a third of shoppers are worried about privacy and trust, while just over a third are worried about payment security.

In the introduction to the white paper, Enisa executive director Prof Udo Helmbrecht writes: “This comprehensive white paper on online shopping and its five ‘golden rules’ is a milestone for increasing trust in the digital economy, and making it prosper even more.”

The five rules would perhaps be better described as five pieces of advice, and they include tips on avoiding fraudulent sites; how to protect data; advice on making safe payments; an overview of protective shopping legislation; and advice on dealing with after-sale issues.