Reports of errors and loopholes in ecommerce companies’ security systems could convince even the most avid internet shopping fan that there could be con men and thieves prowling every single corner of the Web, waiting for the right moment to steal an unsuspecting victim’s personal data, credit card number or any other type of sensitive information.

But any Internet security expert will be able to tell you that ecommerce is a lot more secure than you can imagine it to be; and definitely more so than real world commerce. In the real world, when you leave your credit card receipt at a restaurant table or you give out your credit card number to a telephone operator, you are unknowingly accepting a risk that maybe someone may use your number without your knowledge. As opposed to this, when you enter or give out your credit card number over a reliable ecommerce site, you have nothing to worry about as you are sending it over a secure connection to a remote server that can only be accessed through an authorized personnel. Such connections are generally protected against any unwanted intruders.

In spite of this, in the world of ecommerce, people tend to be insecure and perception is as important as reality. Small ecommerce business generally outsource their ecommerce systems, and it has also been brought to my knowledge that many small ecommerce business owners don’t even know or care about ecommerce security.

As an ecommerce business owner, it is my duty to find out everything I can about the ecommerce industry. When I first got started, I hired the services of an extremely reliable ecommerce service provider – Devix Corporation. But today, I have enough experience and knowledge about the industry to impart a few suggestions and tips of my own. And one thing I know is that when your customers begin to ask you questions, as a business owner, it is always best to know all their answers. Or, you’ll find yourself out of business very soon.

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions that I get from customers with regards to ecommerce security. Read through the points to gain knowledge and improve your business.

Can hackers or cyber thieves retrieve a customer’s credit card number over the Web?

An ecommerce system that has been properly configured makes it practically impossible for a thief or hacker to steal a customer’s information or credit card number. Every customer’s browser uses a completely secure configuration that encrypts their credit card numbers and other sensitive information before it is sent to the server. This data then remains encrypted once it is on the ecommerce owner’s server.

Even if a thief happened to intercept this encrypted data, he would have no way of reading it.

What about the media reports with regards to the flaws in ecommerce security systems?

These flaws have cause serious problems that have gone a long way in compromising an ecommerce security system. Most of these flaws involve extremely advanced technical knowledge. Most of these flaws have been discovered by computer researchers who then report these flaws to software companies. Any reliable ecommerce hosting firm will first start by carefully tracking the latest security flaws and bugs, and will then have all the potential problems fixed so that intruders do not get the chance to exploit them.

Is it possible for ecommerce sites to not know that these flaws exist, or to not fix these problems?

There have been a few circumstances where this has turned out to be true. Computer security calls for careful and constant vigilance, and administrators today must know about the potential problems in security and must know of ways to fix them. This is why it is very important for an ecommerce business to use an experienced and reputed ecommerce service provider. I used Devix Corporation and have been extremely happy with the results. Smaller firms do not have the required expertise to handle such problems on their own and running an ecommerce server on your own can only invite problems.

What happens if a thief steals a customer’s credit card number?

Most of the major credit card companies provide the same kind of consumer protection that is offered in real world transactions as well. In most of these cases, the customers is liable to shell out not more than $50 just as long as they report the unauthorized use on time. However, the consequences can be a lot worse for the ecommerce business from where the number was stolen in the first place. Such incidents have the ability to ruin a company’s reputation and can even expose it to legal liability. This is another extremely good reason why your ecommerce security system should be entrusted to a reputable service provider like Devix.