SMEs and Cybersecurity Threats in E-Commerce

Abstract

This paper provides an overview of the electronic attacks or the “digital challenges” which prospective customers of E-Commerce are likely to encounter while carrying out transactions over the web. The paper provides a comprehensive coverage of highly specialized electronic attacks that are on the increase in the electronic environment where SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises) dealing in E-Commerce carry out their transactions. It is a descriptive account of various threats like client/server security threats as well as cyber identity thefts which have become quite infamous over the years and is invasive and fastest growing crime all around the world especially the U.S. The paper draws on a variety of secondary sources both published and unpublished. Recently the infamous client server attacks like Denial of Service (DoS) especially Distributed Denial of Service attacks made people aware of the importance of providing available data and service securely to users. Cyber security threats like website defacement, phishing, pharming, login attacks etc. have created a distrustful environment while making it very hard for small and medium-sized online service providers(SMEs) to compete with both established online and physically present service providers. It presents a review of literature developed from secondary sources. Cyber security threats are of immense concern to online users indulging in E-Commerce, online service providers, governments, and law enforcement agencies. This paper provides a useful overview of a scenario of cyber security threats in E-Commerce in the SME sector; and, from this summary of the present situation, makes an attempt to enlighten the users about various threats which they can encounter while carrying out their electronic transactions. An analysis of the security threats such as this can also assist an organization in formulating an effective security plan.

Notes

i. The website http://www.attrition.org/mirror/attrition/ also keeps a mirror of the defaced websites.

ii. Different types of software security holes in various programs with the description of the flaws are available at http://www.scary.beasts.org/security/.

iii. cf. http://www.keyghost.com/sx/.

iv. cf. http://www.antiphishing.org/.

v. cf. http://www.bbbonline.org/idtheft/phishing_cond.asp.

vi. cf. http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/email/phishing.mspx.