ONLINE TRANSACTION
Online shopping is a form of electronic commerce where customers can buy or sell goods overthe Internet. Customers need to have an active internet connection for viewing goods or services
offered by a seller; customers can pay online using a credit, debit card or by internet banking.
Online shopping could be useful in situations when:
• A customer does not have sufficient time to visit stores.
• Visiting a store is more expensive than purchasing a product online.
• A product or service that is not available in the local market is available online.
Some of the popular online transaction websites are:
• IRCTC, an online portal for booking flight and train tickets.
• Flipkart, an online shopping portal for buying consumer products.
• EBay, an online portal for buying and selling goods.
• Redbus, an online portal for booking bus tickets.
To perform an online transaction, all you need is a web browser and an active internet connection.
In some cases where purchasing is involved, you will need a valid credit card, debit card or online
banking support referred to as Net Banking Subscription. Some websites even allow COD (Cash
on delivery) where the users can pay once they receive the product or service.
Answer the following:
1. Explain the purpose of Online transactions.
2. List any five websites that allow online transactions.
3. List any three payment tools to use online transactions.
Activity:
1. Register with Junglee/ Flipkart/ Amazon, Yatra, IRCTC, Redbus and practice online
transactions.
NETWORK/INTERNET SECURITY
Internet security is a branch of computer security specifically related to the Internet, often
involving browser security but also network security. Its objective is to establish rules and
measures to use against attacks over the Internet. The Internet represents an insecure channel
for exchanging information leading to a high risk of intrusion or fraud, such as phishing.
Online threats such as Phishing, email spoofing, chat spoofing, etc. can increase the chances of users getting compromised.
Online Threats :
Phishing:
Phishing is a method used by cyber-criminals who want to come to one’s personal information. By sending fake emails or contacting people directly through scam websites crooks gain personal data. Login credentials, social security number, credit card number, bank account information are just some information interesting to the hackers.
Spoofing :
The word "spoof" means to hoax, trick, or deceive. Therefore, in the IT world, spoofing refers tricking or deceiving computer systems or other computer users. This is typically done by hiding one's identity or faking the identity of another user on the Internet
Chating Spoofing :
When a computer system or a user of a computer masquerades to be another identity while engaging in chat is known as chat spoofing. Spoofing by definition means to trick or deceive someone. These kind of attacks are possible in cases where security is vulnerable in electronic communication. Spoofing attacks are usually targeted to get personal details of an individual like passwords, bank details, etc. so that it can be used illegitimately.
Email Spoofing :-
e-mail spoofing involves sending messages from a bogus e-mail address or faking the e-mail address of another user. Fortunately, most e-mail servers have security features that prevent unauthorized users from sending messages. However, spammers often send spam messages from their own SMTP, which allows them to use fake e-mail addresses. Therefore, it is possible to receive e-mail from an address that is not the actual address of the person sending the message.
Spyware
Any type of malware that collects personal information, browsing history, and one’s surfing habits is considered a spyware. Its name comes from a great ability to hide. First of all, collected information is shared with the third parties and then it gets abused.
Adware
Most of the adware are safe and consist of annoying pop-ups showing on your computer and browser. Adware is a type of free software supported by advertisement. The danger of adware reflects in the possibility of one being tracked through websites he/she visits. In the worst case, his/her personal information could be gathered through adware.
You can reduce the risks by using best practices such as using Antivirus Software, Antispyware Software, Firewalls, strong passwords, etc. in addition to spreading awareness of the best practices.
Best Practices for Security:-
Use strong passwords, a combination of alphanumeric and special characters could be used
for creating a password that is not so easy to crack or guessed by other users.
Following is a general guideline for managing strong passwords.
• Keep the length of the password at least 12-14 characters if permitted.
• Avoid keeping passwords based on repetition, dictionary words, letter or number sequences,
usernames, relative or pet names, etc.
• Including numbers, and symbols in passwords if allowed.
• Use capital and lower-case letters.
• Avoid using the same password for multiple sites or purposes.
• Avoid using something that the public or workmates know you strongly like or dislike.
• Use random password generators if possible.
Example of a strong password: u1vX:,4Hd{]$
You may also use websites such as www.strongpasswordgenerator.com that can generate
random strong passwords.
Practice:-
• Open any web browser. Type www.strongpasswordgenerator.com in the address bar and
press Enter.
• Click Generate strong password. Notice the password displayed under your new password.
Backup your data: Always keep copies of personal data in additional media such as compact
discs, pen drives, etc.This could be helpful in situation when there is a loss of data.
from unauthorized users.
Keeping your username and password private: Never save your username or password on
computers that are used in shared environments such as internet café.
Registering with websites: Read the privacy statement or policy whenever you register with
a website, the statement or policy will include information about how the website use personal
data.
Do not share personal information: Websites require you to fill out forms containing fields
such as name, gender, age, email address, school, etc. Be cautious when filling out such
forms; research and verify if it’s a trustable website .
Secure transactions: If you are using online shopping or transactions, websites even store
your credit card or online banking personal information such as your credit card number, account
details, etc. This information can be tracked and used by un-authorized users often known as
hackers to misuse this information. Again, ensure the website is legitimate and uses secure
practices for performing and maintaining online transactions.
Use antivirus and antispyware software: Computers are prone to attacks from software known
as Malware that could harm your computer. Malware track browsing behavior or transmit personal data from your computer; programs such as keyloggers could be installed on your computer track and transmit every key that is pressed on a keyboard (keystrokes) to unauthorized users.
Antivirus and Antispyware programs also offer real-time protection monitoring your computer for
any changes by malware software. Keep your Antivirus and Antispyware software always up to
date, this can help in protecting your computer from recent threats.
Do not immediately respond to mails from unknown users: It may be a fake mail trying to
gather personal information such as your bank account details, home address, etc. Some mails
could promise you jobs or announce lottery results which in turn could compromise the user.
And in some cases, virus or scripts that are dangerous could be attached to the mail; NEVER
open the attachment from an unknown source.
Clear browser cookies frequently: Cookies are programs that are created on your local
computer when you visit websites. Though cookies are meant for storing data based on your
activity performed during your earlier visit such as logon details, details of a shopping cart,
visited pages in a website, etc.
Keep the operating system and software applications up to date.
Install firewalls: Firewalls could be software or hardware and can assist in keeping a computer
and a network secure. Firewalls analyze the network traffic and determine if the traffic should be
allowed or not. In most cases, operating systems such as Linux, Windows or Mac include firewall
software as a part of operating system thus keeping the computer secure.
Never install software from unknown sources: As they might not be trustworthy; download
only from well-known or reputed websites. Verify the source if it is legitimate by searching the
internet or referring to comments from other users before downloading them.
Remove unwanted or unknown software applications: These might have got installed without
your knowledge when you have visited some websites. Unwanted software could get installed as
they might have been bundled along with necessary software. Some programs such as toolbars
get installed usually through bundled software and are programmed to send personal data without
your consent.
Answer the following:
1. Explain the purpose of Internet Security.
2. Explain different kinds of online threats.
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