Attacks on government Web sites, break-ins at Internet service providers, electronic credit card fraud, invasion of personal privacy by merchants as well as hackers--is this what the World Wide Web is really all about?

Web Security & Commerce cuts through the hype and the frontpage stories. It tells you what the real risks are andexplains how you can minimize them. Whether you're a casual (butconcerned) Web surfer or a system administrator responsiblefor the security of a critical Web server, this book willtell you what you need to know. Entertaining as well asilluminating, it looks behind the headlines at the technologies,risks, and benefits of the Web. Whatever browser or server you are using, you and your system will benefit from this book.

Topics include:

• User safety--browser vulnerabilities (with an emphasison Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer), privacy concerns,issues with Java, JavaScript, ActiveX, and plug-ins.

• Digital certificates--what they are, how they assure identity in a networked environment, how certification authorities and servercertificates work, and what code signing all about.

• Cryptography--an overview of how encryption works on the Internetand how different algorithms and programs are being used today.

• Web server security--detailed technical information about SSL(Secure Socket Layer), TLS (Transport Layer Security), host security, server access methods, and secure CGI/APIprogramming.

• Commerce and society--how digital payments work, what blockingsoftware and censorship technology (e.g., PICS and RSACi) is about, and what civil and criminal issues you need to understand.