Buying Stuff Online

Okay, a small confession here. I really am apprehensive about buying online. Although I’ve used the Internet for seven years now, I only started buying online in the last twelve months – I trust the security on the server but I don’t trust the webmasters at the other end. Far more exploits have been made by hackers getting into a web database of customers’ details than have been done breaching SSL protocol.

This evening I ordered a new book from Amazon, and was very slightly concerned that they’d kept my debit card details in a database for future reference. This is something I personally am not keen on at all. All the other shops I’ve dealt or worked with (eBuyer, 1DO3, Ghoulnet, Virtual Names) have not saved my details but instead asked for them again – something which I have no second thought about. However Amazon have kept my details online in a large database with huge value to a hacker.

Perhaps I’m paranoid – please let me know what you think about all of this – I’m sure somebody of Amazon‘s size have their interests vested in keeping their software up-to-date and patched but still they are a potential attack point and, if anything, more likely than the other sites I mention.

I guess I’m going to have to get used to this online buying business though…..