INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS SECURITY THREATS

Internet Service Providers Security Threats

Abstract

Somewhere around 10% of all machines connected to the Internet service provider security are thought to be infected with malicious software. This has allowed the emergence of so-called 'botnets'- networks of sometimes millions of infected machines that are remotely controlled by malicious actors. Botnets are mostly used for criminal purposes, but they also enable large-scale failures that might even reach disastrous proportions. We explain the rise of botnets as the outcome of the incentive structures of market players and present new empirical evidence on these incentives. The resulting externalities require some form of voluntary or government-led collective action. Our findings have implications for the controversial debate on the appropriate policy measures, where two perspectives on internet service provider security service provider security fight for dominance: national security and law enforcement.

Internet service providers Providers Security Threats

Introduction

Despite many aspects of e-commerce being superior to traditional modes of commerce for consumers (e.g., speed and convenience of information search), there are still some inherent problems existing in Internet service providers environments (e.g., [Lawson, 2002] and [Pinker et al., 2003]). Consumers may have difficulties in discerning another party's identity and are unable to touch and verify real products prior to purchase. Therefore, there exists high transaction risk in the Internet service providers transaction environment ([Smith, 2004] and [Wang and Emurian, 2005]). Akerlof (1970) and Heal (1976) proposed that transaction mechanism design is very important to reduce the perceived risk between sellers and buyers in the Internet service provider's transaction relationship. However, to increase Internet service provider's transaction safety, a company may employ various tools such as firewalls or strict validation processes to protect Internet service provider's mischief or fraud and these safety mechanisms may bring out difficulties when using the Internet service providers. For example, the website may require the service provider's cooperation in providing detailed personal information or specific knowledge in implementing a complex function (e.g., credit card verification or a service provider's password must be changed within a period), all of them will increase the service provider's time-spending and mental effort

Past research on consumer adoption of Internet service providers providers found perceived ease of use is a critical antecedent determining the service provider's adoption of new Web technology (e.g., [Pikkarainen et al., 2004] and [Wu et al., 2007]). Therefore, there is a trade-off between ease of use and strict verification process for security on the adoption of Internet service providers providers. This study proposed that the importance of perceived ease of use is depending on short- vs. long-term transaction expectation, product type, and whether security concern information is presented. In certain situations buyers or sellers of an Internet service provider's may tolerate the inconvenience of using the Internet service providers -based service.

In recent years, the volume and variety of profitable e-commerce businesses have become more evident, such as Google, Yahoo, Amazon, and eBay. The most prosperous e-commerce market on the Internet service providers undoubtedly is the Internet service providers auction, with the leading ...