Security in E-Commerce

Abstract

Future networks will be open, heterogeneous and complex systems consisting of many independent nets. Classical services like e-mail and file-transfer will only be components of these information networks, which resemble more social rather than technical infrastructures. While the technical development is predictable, the social and economic direction is less clear. Security is a key factor (Schoder et al., 1998). It is, however, no longer limited to the protection from physical dangers, but rather the ability to protect virtual assets and privacy. As in any human communication, it should be seen as an element of technical communication and is a matter to be negotiated between partners. This paper describes multilateral security (Rannenberg et al., 1996) as the requirement to act self-determinedly in a global network and relates the social term “trust” and the technical term “security”. While the functions of technology are all related to cryptography, infrastructures enable communication and institutions have the task of assuring trust in functions and promises of infrastructures. Even though governments may have to change their policy towards regulation, a realm of regulations in providing future infrastructures may remain. This paper elaborates on concepts and ideas of the Kolleg “Sicherheit in der Kommunkationstechnik” (Muller et al., 1997, 1998), supported by the Gottlieb Daimler- und Karl Benz-Stiftung, Ladenburg-Berlin.