Online retail security for customers

April 17, 2008
by Latitude

I am currently back in Silicon Valley, gearing up for next week’s Web 2.0 Expo in San Francisco. (If you’re in town, too, and want to get in touch, leave a comment!)

This morning I met with Sun Microsystems security guru Alec Muffett for that most American of events: the breakfast meeting.

Alec is based in the UK but happens to be at his US office this week, and I took the opportunity to ask him what online retailers - and customers - should be thinking about when it comes to online security. His answer touched on everything from online ID standards to Paris Hilton (yes, the video is safe for viewing at work!).

Watch the video, and read Alec’s top three tips for secure online shopping, after the jump.

Alec’s top tips for those purchasing online who are concerned about security:

1. Don’t use personally identifiable information when filling out password hint details.

2. Use search engines to do due diligence on the companies with whom you shop. Find out if they are reputable or have a history of security breaches.

3. Ensure that your credit card company takes seriously its legal responsibilities for transactional security. Search engines can help you discover this information, too.