The first step to protect your business is gaining a better understanding of the types of threats currently facing business.

Threats to business from e-crime include financial loss, interruption of business, theft of valuable data, identity theft or other deception caused by unauthorised access to systems. In addition there is the cost to companies of damaged reputations.

Theft of Money

Payment by credit cards is commonplace on the internet. Thieves obtain details of these cards and use them to purchase goods and services. Main concerns are online transactions, business to business trading and online banking.

Once a criminal gains authorisation details needed to access internet banking or payment methods such as PayPal and auction sites, money can be transferred from one account to any other.

'Skimming' is a method of gaining credit card details. Using a second swipe machine not visible to the customer, the data from the credit card is electronically copied on to another card.

Theft of Data

Data is often the most valuable commodity any business has. Data can be stolen either by physical theft of hardware or through unauthorised access to the system e.g. hacking. A hacker is someone who breaks codes and passwords to gain unauthorised entry to computer systems. Networked computers or those with external links are at risk from hackers. Apart from client information, hackers can steal information on suppliers, costs and contract details.

As well as the money lost, there is potential damage to the reputation of the company.

Theft of Resources

Are you the only person in control of your computer when online? Criminals can use technology such as viruses, 'Trojan horses' and 'backdoors' to gain access to a computer which will deny access of businesses. The computer can be used to carry out specific crimes like hacking and virus spreading as the remote user is untraceable.

Theft of Identity

This has increased due to the number of consumers shopping online and increased use of credit and information exchanged with banks and retailers.