Oops, another small player addresses web commerce security:
nytimes.com
The recent launch of the American Express blue card, which comes with an embedded computer chip, is an example of both efforts. Since the card's chip can access a user's personal information, it will eliminate the hassle of typing in that data in every Web purchase -- and, American Express hopes, encourage people to use its card. At the same time, the chip limits the fraud by guaranteeing the shopper's identity and offering greater protection to the buyer's information during the transaction.
The key to these features is a piece of computer hardware that, until now, has been foreign to the desktop: a credit card reading device. Starting in November, blue card owners will be able to obtain such a device, which they will be able to plug into their PC's, enabling them to swipe the card at home much like a sales clerk would at a retail store.
`````
In part, the success of PC-based credit card readers hinges on how secure consumers feel about credit card transactions on the Web. While such devices in fact provide users more security than typical Internet transactions, surveys indicate that consumers are less concerned about entering their credit card data online than they used to be. One recent survey by Navidec, a consulting firm, indicated that 21 percent of Internet users worry about credit card security during transactions, about half the number that expressed such concerns in 1997 |
