Here are a few of the most frequently asked e-commerce security questions. This list isn't complete by any means, but it's a good start.

Can cyber thieves intercept a customer's credit card number on the Web?

A properly configured e-commerce system makes it almost impossible to steal a customer's credit card number. The customer's browser uses a secure connection to encrypt their credit card number and other information before it's sent; this data will remain encrypted once it's on the merchant's server. Even if thieves intercept this encrypted data, they have no way to read it. What about the flaws in e-commerce systems that are reported by the media?

These are real problems, sometimes serious enough to compromise an e-commerce system. Almost all of these flaws, however, involve obscure, extremely advanced technical knowledge. Most of them, in fact, are discovered by computer researchers who report the problems to software companies even before they appear in the press. A reputable e-commerce hosting firm will carefully track the latest bugs and security flaws, and they'll fix potential problems before an intruder has the chance to exploit them.