E-Commerce on the Unsafe Network

My second paper was a report on the DNS flaw and how it affects e-commerce

Security Research

For our third research assignment I chose to research various e-commerce security issues.

I started off with talking about safe internet browsing, research and downloading.

Using a combination of the free Virtual Machine player - http://www.vmware.com/products/player/ - and a prepackaged Ubuntu with Firefox VM -http://jars.de/linux/ubuntu-710-vmware-image-download-english - you can surf without worries.

I then went on to talk a bit more in depth on the recent DNS flaw, thanks to http://www.unixwiz.net/techtips/iguide-kaminsky-dns-vuln.html for the easy to follow guide.

You can use Dan Kaminsky's self test on his blog - http://www.doxpara.com/ - to see if you are still vulnerable.

I wrapped up the presentation with a brief discussion of the difficulties of applying security to something that was never designed with security in mind, the Internet.

The web 2.0 era has an enormous challenge of combining the new web technologies securely on an unsecure 'hostile' [inter]network.

Advertising and Marketing

Our second research assignment was on how e-commerce technology has changed the way businesses engage customers and promote their products and services.

I started with a brief show and tell of Amazon's suggested products. I buy almost all of my textbooks from Amazon, so they have a quite an interesting mix of technical books that their data analytics recommend for me. Then thanks to Annie Chun's Noodle Bowls that we buy from Amazon, other prepackaged Asian noodle dishes...

Next I admitted that I enjoy shopping at Express and I showed off my impressive collection of email offers. Surprisingly, after two weeks of not shopping there, I get a $20 off coupon, then a week later, a $30 off coupon. It is almost as if they are trying to get me to come back...

Thank you data analytics!

Changes in Communication

Our first assignment for BIT 541 - Electronic Commerce, was to give a 10 minute presentation on how technology has changed communication.

One obvious change can be seen in the social networking boom. Don't forget, social networking/media is not for consumers only. Many business are starting to tap into the 'groundswell'.

For my presentation, I focused more on how I have used social technology to promote myself.

A simple Google search for "Eric Charnesky" reveals a lot about me.

Thanks to LinkedIn, I have an online resume and a professional contact network.

Since you are reading this, I am hoping that finding my blog was no big surprise.

Thanks to the Walled Lake Consolidated School District, Oakland Community College, and Walsh College, my academic success that I tout on LinkedIn is easily verified via Google.

Thanks to my unique name, I am the only Eric Charnesky on Google! While I can't control all of the results Google has for me, I did intentionally put myself out there via Blogger and LinkedIn.

If I meet with someone, all I have to do is give out a business card with my name and blog address on it and anyone curious enough to find out more about me is free to Google away.

I wrapped up my self promotion with a mention of www.oursignal.com - a great way to keep up with the 'popular' websites of the day.

Overall, I might not have hit the topic mark dead on, but I think it was a good presentation.

BIT 541 - Electronic Commerce

I am starting this course tonight with Professor Barbara Ciaramitaro, PhD

BIT 541 - Electronic Commerce - 3 Credit Hours

This course explores the use of the Internet and the World Wide Web for the facilitation of business activities. Topics include the many facets of conducting business on the Web, the feasibility of implementing a business operation on the Web, and identification of associated risks. Students will design and build a complete Web-based business solution.