- Email: [email protected]
E-commerce security — Weak links, best defenses
For further information on any of the above, please contact Don Jerrard ([email protected]) or Harry Small ([email protected]), both of whom are partners in the Intellectual Property, Information Technology, Communications and Media Law department of the London office of Baker & McKenzie (tel: +44 171 919 1000). Mr Jerrard and Mr Small were assisted in the preparation of this article by Robert Bratby ([email protected]).
Book Review Electronic Commerce D C o m m e r c e Security - W e a k Links, Best Defenses, b y Anup K. Ghosh, 1998, soft-cover, Wiley C o m p u t e r Publishing, 288 pp., £19.99, US $24.99, CAN $ 35.50, ISBN 0 471 19223 6 This book is c o n c e r n e d with the security issues that arise in the development of electronic commerce. It recognizes that E-commerce is a n e w way of engaging in commercial activity, although, if performed online over an insecure medium, will encourage criminal activity to the Internet.This book examines the most critical security concerns for users and businesses engaging in the range of Internet-based E-commerce. It starts from the premise that a weak link in the chain of components that handle online sessions can compromise the security of the entire transaction, and ultimately undermine the confidence of consumers and businesses in E-commerce. Its aim is to remove the hype surrounding security concerns in E-commerce and replace them with a discussion based on the relevant risks in the underlying technologies.The book therefore addresses the critical security issues in participating in E-commerce today.There are six chapters altogether, dealing with the dangers in a changing paradigm of business; deadly content: the client-side vulnerabilities; securing the data transaction; securing the c o m m e r c e server; cracks in the foundation; and securing the future of E-commerce.The first five chapters lay out in detail the problems of security in the major c o m p o n e n t s of E-commerce: the Web client software; the data transaction protocol; the Web server software and the network server operating system software.The final chapter looks to the future by looking back to the underlying causes of security problems in the past. It also previews the possible mechanisms for certifying software for security that are n o w being researched. In support of this b o o k is a c o m p a n i o n Web site to be found at www.rstcorp.com/EC-security.html. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Distribution Centre, 1 0 l d l a n d s Way, Bognor Regis, W e s t Sussex, PO22 9SA, UK; tel: +44 1243 779777 o r fax: +44 1243 820250. In the United States, contact: J o h n Wiley & Sons Inc., Professional Reference and Trade Group, 605 Third Avenue, N e w York, NY 10158-0012, USA.
Book Review
/
Patent Strategies
I
The Patent H a n d b o o k - Patent Strategies for the Small Company and Private Inventor, Dr Noel Stephens, 1995, soft-cover, Perception D&P Ltd, 85 pp., ISBN 0 952 6695 0 1 This b o o k is aimed at helping small businesses and private inventors with the patenting of inventions. It is written not as specialist text, but as a practical aid for small businesses and private inventors to assist in selecting an appropriate course of action in securing a degree of patent protection at modest cost. It concentrates mainly on the system for obtaining a United Kingdom patent, as governed by the Patent Act 1977. However, for those small businesses that might need patent protection overseas, routes for obtaining European and international patents are outlined.The b o o k takes an essentially do-it-yourself approach in offering assistance on patenting to the non-expert, while at the same time attempting to remove some of the mystique which has in the past surrounded patenting. In addition to the six chapters, there is a Patent Office form sched..ule, a list o f useful addresses and further re?ding. .
• l l • • • • • • •
276
Computer Law & Security Report Vol. 14 no. 4 1998 © 1998, Elsevier Science Ltd.
Book Review Electronic Commerce D C o m m e r c e Security - W e a k Links, Best Defenses, b y Anup K. Ghosh, 1998, soft-cover, Wiley C o m p u t e r Publishing, 288 pp., £19.99, US $24.99, CAN $ 35.50, ISBN 0 471 19223 6 This book is c o n c e r n e d with the security issues that arise in the development of electronic commerce. It recognizes that E-commerce is a n e w way of engaging in commercial activity, although, if performed online over an insecure medium, will encourage criminal activity to the Internet.This book examines the most critical security concerns for users and businesses engaging in the range of Internet-based E-commerce. It starts from the premise that a weak link in the chain of components that handle online sessions can compromise the security of the entire transaction, and ultimately undermine the confidence of consumers and businesses in E-commerce. Its aim is to remove the hype surrounding security concerns in E-commerce and replace them with a discussion based on the relevant risks in the underlying technologies.The book therefore addresses the critical security issues in participating in E-commerce today.There are six chapters altogether, dealing with the dangers in a changing paradigm of business; deadly content: the client-side vulnerabilities; securing the data transaction; securing the c o m m e r c e server; cracks in the foundation; and securing the future of E-commerce.The first five chapters lay out in detail the problems of security in the major c o m p o n e n t s of E-commerce: the Web client software; the data transaction protocol; the Web server software and the network server operating system software.The final chapter looks to the future by looking back to the underlying causes of security problems in the past. It also previews the possible mechanisms for certifying software for security that are n o w being researched. In support of this b o o k is a c o m p a n i o n Web site to be found at www.rstcorp.com/EC-security.html. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Distribution Centre, 1 0 l d l a n d s Way, Bognor Regis, W e s t Sussex, PO22 9SA, UK; tel: +44 1243 779777 o r fax: +44 1243 820250. In the United States, contact: J o h n Wiley & Sons Inc., Professional Reference and Trade Group, 605 Third Avenue, N e w York, NY 10158-0012, USA.
Book Review
/
Patent Strategies
I
The Patent H a n d b o o k - Patent Strategies for the Small Company and Private Inventor, Dr Noel Stephens, 1995, soft-cover, Perception D&P Ltd, 85 pp., ISBN 0 952 6695 0 1 This b o o k is aimed at helping small businesses and private inventors with the patenting of inventions. It is written not as specialist text, but as a practical aid for small businesses and private inventors to assist in selecting an appropriate course of action in securing a degree of patent protection at modest cost. It concentrates mainly on the system for obtaining a United Kingdom patent, as governed by the Patent Act 1977. However, for those small businesses that might need patent protection overseas, routes for obtaining European and international patents are outlined.The b o o k takes an essentially do-it-yourself approach in offering assistance on patenting to the non-expert, while at the same time attempting to remove some of the mystique which has in the past surrounded patenting. In addition to the six chapters, there is a Patent Office form sched..ule, a list o f useful addresses and further re?ding. .
• l l • • • • • • •
276
Computer Law & Security Report Vol. 14 no. 4 1998 © 1998, Elsevier Science Ltd.