7). Users access the business server through the Internet. A company Internet server may or may not have links to the company computer files. In the simple Web page advertisement, the server need not have any connection with the rest of a company’s computer system. In the Internet transaction site, where customers actually order products or initiate account transactions, the host must by linked to important company databases. The World Wide Web is the best known Internet connectivity system. Its characteristic HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) allows the user to move around and between the World Wide Web sties by clicking on “links.” Other systems, such as File Transfer Protocol (FTP) and Telnet, are commonly used to transfer information through the Internet. Between the user’s computer and the Internet there are actually several layers of Internet protocols (DEBORAH 217) that are largely invisible to the Internet user. TCP/IP (Transport Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) represents a collection of networking protocols and applications at the core of most Internet activity (DEBORAH 208). Risks of Internet The use of the Internet for electronic commerce increases a company’s business risks. Under the theory of liability, a company is potentially liable for damage to the computer system of an unaffiliated company and its customer for damage caused by invasion through the first company’s computer system (FRATO 8). The main types of security threats through the Internet include: Information Threats to Internet Servers. Intruders may penetrate the Internet server and gain access to sensitive information, such as customer credit card number stored there. Threats to the Corporate Network. Intruders may gain access via the Internet through security holes into the general corporate network/ Threats to Data Transmission. Corporate data transfer (e-mail, file downloads, web transactions) may ...
