Computer Security Breaches A Threat To Credit Sales

Abstract

Business security has progressed from the wooden cash box to the cash register and now the nightmare of the computer. Control has progressively slipped from the control of the instrument operator to a little understood collection of networked instruments. This evolution of difficulty has created numerous protection problems for the business operator. Not only does the cash and other payment means need collection and protection, but now the payment instrument itself has fallen under the responsibility of the vendor. Business owners are as much at risk from cyber security as from physical security. Thieves don’t have to rush the store with guns blazing to steal money in fact they don’t have to steal money from the store at all. Information and data are the sources of new gold. The information collected from customers’ credit cards contains enough data to secure riches for any enterprising evil doer. In addition to normal data growth, regulatory compliance (Sarbanes/Oxley (SOX), SEC17a, HIPAA, Patriot Act, Freedom of Information etc.) is contributing exponentially to data growth, as more records are generated; more regulations are created in more industries. This creates a big fat target as much a target as any “old west” bank, and businesses are responsible for the protection and security of customers’ data.