E-Commerce Security Fears

Despite the continued growth in e-commerce, only 55% of all UK business Internet users regard Internet transactions as secure. This is according to results from the latest Business Internet Survey from NOP World Business.

The survey highlighted the fact that, even among the sophisticated e-commerce corporates, confidence in Internet security has yet to break the 80% barrier. A reported 78% of such companies currently view Internet transactions as very or quite secure. Among SMEs, the research found that the equivalent figure is no higher than 56%.

The survey also found that only one-fifth (21%) of online businesses believes that Internet transactions are more secure than credit card payments made over the telephone. The same level (22%) believe them to be less secure than telephone payments, while 54% say that security is comparable to using the phone. Once again, the data shows that confidence peaks in large companies, just over a third (35%) of which view payment over the Internet as more secure than by phone.

Hesitancy over Internet security appears to be underlined by the fact that only 20% of all business Internet users (44% among large corporates) currently send confidential or sensitive information over the Internet. Asked what they would not send over the Internet, 39% of users cited company accounts, 27% company credit card details and 23% stated client information.

Carl Geraghty, Business Internet Project Manager at NOP, has suggested that, "Although millions of e-commerce transactions are conducted safely, well-publicised breaches of security serve to undermine confidence in the Internet as a medium capable of handling confidential information in totally secure conditions. It is clear that online businesses have more to do to reassure both other businesses and consumers alike that the Internet can be made 100% secure."

The Business Internet Survey screened 13,332 commercial businesses and conducted 700 follow-up telephone interviews in Internet-using establishments and 325 interviews in non-using establishments between February and April 2001.

All articles 2006-22 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas unless otherwise stated.