Electronic commerce has become part of the daily routine
of consumers and businesses alike on a global level.
Millions of secured transactions are made over the
Internet every day; new intermediaries have established
themselves in both the consumer and business spaces;
mobile communication offers an important channel for
transactions and payments; cryptocurrencies are pushing
the boundary of digital money while web services
are gradually replacing EDI (electronic data interface) in
business-to-business transactions.
Past editions of the book provided a comprehensive
and readable survey of the protocols for securing
e-commerce and e-payments in consumer and business
applications. The current edition preserves this
spirit while tracking the changes since September
2003, when the text of the second edition was finalized.
Despite the changes, those familiar with the previous
editions should still be able to easily navigate
the book. First-time readers will find a clear guide to
current issues concerning the security of e-commerce,
with pointers to more specialized texts listed in the
bibliography.